1. Where is faith? We claim that the first principle of the gospel is faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. If we know, we don't need to have faith in that thing! So do we really claim that faith is only reserved for those who are beginners in the faith (and now I can't really say "the faith" anymore)? Or is faith just for those people outside of our religion? I have issues with both of these, for obvious reasons that don't need to be enumerated. It seems that we have almost set aside faith for the weak, when I think faith is for the strongest of souls.
2. What about the Spirit? This point will seem largely like testimony, but they are my honest feelings so here we go. I have felt the Spirit speak to me. I have also felt times when I am telling myself what I want to hear through my emotions. Without going into it too much--I have had the Spirit speak to me and witness to me that certain things are true. I do not doubt the veracity of these things. So, is this knowledge and is faith necessary after this fact? I don't really know the answer. I do know this though, I can say that I know certain things are true and I do not feel I am being a tad dishonest. Then my confusion grows.
I am sure someone that is more perceptive than I am will show me a quote or something that makes this all make so much more sense. But as of right now I feel like I have faith. I am fine with having faith. I think faith is one of the greatest things a person can develop, and in a lot of instances it is the building block for everything else. Although people will probably start thinking that my testimony is wavering if I get up and say that I have faith in something, I think it is what I will begin doing. I do believe that the Spirit can make it so we know something, but I also think that the majority of the things that I deal with are faith . . . and I am fine with that.
That said, I do have faith in my faith (by its very name that would seem intuitive, but not in our religion :) I love my faith and feel greatly blessed to have found it. I am also grateful for the things that I know. I do think there is overlap.
So Makayla posted this in a comment on another topic and I thought it went perfectly with this post, here it is:
"For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it" (Romans 8:24-25)
4 comments:
I agree. I think there are definitely things we know (in a non-scientific, prove it sort of way) and other things that we believe and have faith in so much that we act accordingly with no dishonestly or betrayal of integrity. I also think faith is for the strong - it's much harder to be faithful than to be knowledgeable. Furthermore, sometimes faith has to be a choice. What can take more guts than that?
Hi Matt,
Makayla’s link led me here. I hope that I’m not intruding on your reflections. I have thought about what you said and have been touched by your honesty. I wish that in the church we were comfortable using a more expansive vocabulary to describe our faith.
I also worry sometimes about the consequences of limiting ourselves as we do. When we teach people to say “I know” when they don’t know, we either force them into silence or force them to say more than they should. In the process, we undercut the testimonies of those who really do know. When everyone says “I know,” the ones who do know get lost in the crowd of those who don’t.
I believe that there are some people who really do know. But I think that such knowledge doesn’t come cheap. I think that it has to be earned by a lifetime of obedience and sacrifice and suffering. I think that my father knew—really knew—before he died. And I think that my mother knows as well.
I think that most of the rest of us have faith rather than knowledge. And I guess that I’m ok with that, too. I also think that there is a reason we don’t all just get to know. With absolute knowledge comes absolute responsibility, and absolute judgment. And I for one am not yet ready for that stiff of a test. The cost of failing it would be altogether too high.
The D & C says, “To some it is given by the Holy Ghost to know that Jesus Christ is the son of God . . . . To others it is given to believe on their words.” I guess that I fall into the latter category. But there is hope for us, too: “”that they might also have eternal life if they continue faithful” (46:13-14).
Faith might occupy a lower spot in the great pantheon of epistemology, but the reward for faithful obedience is still eternal life. Perhaps we’ll all get there together, in the end.
Dan Muhlestein
I agree with all of you. I have been thinking lately that, in some ways, faith is more powerful than knowledge. If you know is it hard to believe? I don't think so. Also, faith shows you are handing over your will much more, which I think is the whole crux of the matter.
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