It's common these days for people to talk about how their "faith" will get them through a difficult and trying experience. This is said without qualification of what the faith is placed in and of anyone who exhibits faith. It seems as though "faith" is usually treated as a quality which, in and of itself, has the power to endow strength, endurance, and hope.
But invoking faith without concern for the object it's placed in is like taking comfort from having insurance without ever taking out a policy with a company. We want a reliable company to back up our insurance policy, and we need a realiable Person to back up our faith in Him. Faith is only good as what is backing it up. Without that object in view, faith can easily be considered a mere sentiment, wishful thinking, a very general spiritual quality.
I hope as Christians concerned not just with faith but the God who makes our faith effective, that we take care to make clear that our faith in God gets us through the challenges of life, not mere faith itself. The one true God is the only one who can grant strength, endurance, and hope. Not all "faith" is equal.
I have listened to several people imply that all that matters is that a person has "faith" as though it is some universal key that fits every spiritual or emotional lock. A key can only open what it is designed for. A metal key is no use to a lock designed for a 10 digit key code. Faith must be in the only one who can provide the proper key for the proper lock, both of which He designed.
Posted by: Robert | August 16, 2007 at 08:54 AM
The right faith is the key that ulocks the door to heaven and there is only one kind of faith that does that.
Posted by: Louis Kuhelj | August 16, 2007 at 02:46 PM
I agree wholeheartedly and have been nudged to think about the same thing recently. In fact, I've started a blog that deals in large part with this very issue.
Thanks for your thoughts.
Posted by: SMT | August 17, 2007 at 09:09 AM
my favorite understanding of faith is 'belief that something good will come of this.'
this kind of faith requires some kind of connection to the future and some kind of 'knowing' of what's going on around us, even if not complete. think of the abrahamic faith in hebrews 11:1-9. what is 'unseen' is not about belief without evidence, it's about not knowing what the future holds exactly, but about believing something good will come of it.
Posted by: scott gray | September 03, 2007 at 06:40 PM