Post by neural on Aug 23, 2019 2:26:59 GMT -6
A recent topic of discussion brought this up for me, and as it is nearly 1am, it's not time for me to go to bed, but to write a bit.
First I'd like to start with the "modern internet dictionary" definition of "believe"
According to Dictionary.com:
Believe
verb (used without object), be·lieved, be·liev·ing.
-to have confidence in the truth, the existence, or the reliability of something, although without absolute proof that one is right in doing so
-to have confidence or faith in the truth of (a positive assertion, story, etc.); give credence to.
-to have confidence in the assertions of (a person).
-to have a conviction that (a person or thing) is, has been, or will be engaged in a given action or involved in a given situation:
-to suppose or assume; understand (usually followed by a noun clause):
These definitions are pretty clear on what is generally accepted for the word "believe" to mean, but I want to break it down a bit further in regards to believing in God, believing in Jesus, and the comments made by Jesus regarding child-like faith.
Romans 10:9 "If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."
So... about belief.
Consider your daily routine when painted on the backdrop of God being in control of everything. How often do you act on belief? The reality is that we act on belief every waking moment. The only reason you have the slightest doubt about air you are about to breathe in, is because I've mentioned it as a point of belief. Other than that, we all breathe normally every day in nearly every situation, with the confidence that the air we are taking into our lungs isn't going to kill us in very short painful manner as breathing pure Chlorine would.
Moreover, we act on that belief based on things we *can* see, that point to something we *cannot* see (the quality of the air). The air *looks* clear, and we do not *smell* Chlorine, so based on these evidences, we have confidence that there is no chlorine gas in the air (side point: Chlorine is colorless, so even in a room filled with 100% chlorine gas, it would appear clear). Of course, if we want to go all the way with the "belief" vs. "indirect evidence", Carbon Monoxide is colorless, odorless, and quite deadly. We walk into a room on a daily basis and make the assessment that the air quality is fine, without really even thinking about it.
Here is a very important point: If we walk into a place and find the air quality to be dangerous where it never has been before, and if we survive, what is something we commonly hear people saying?
"I can't believe that happened!"
That, brothers and sisters, is something worth noting very closely. You see, it is possible to believe something so much, that we don't think about it, yet if it changes, we find ourselves shocked that it *wasn't* as we expected. This is *crucial* for understanding belief.
Another example. If you are sitting, did you assume through belief that whatever you are sitting on would support you? If you are on a chair and it broke and left you on the floor, would you be of the mindset to say "I can't believe it broke!". If yes, this is because you believed the chair would support you, to the point that you didn't think about it. Can you imagine for a moment what it would be like to go shopping for a mere jug of milk if we did not have these built in beliefs? Forget the process of breathing or even getting dressed, even if you got to that point, how could you be sure the lock on your door would actually function so that it could be unlocked? That the door knob would turn and the hinges wouldn't simply disintegrate, causing the door to fall on the ground, break into a thousand pieces, and then fly away as a flock of birds?
A way to test yourself on belief is this: Imagine taking your last breath before the rapture happens. Whether it be natural or an unnatural death, if you saw that last bit of light of this world, and then opened your eyes to discover that there is no God and that the "afterlife" consisted of standing knee deep in warm caramel while eating popcorn waiting for the next available baby body to occupy, do you imagine yourself looking around in disbelief that the Bible wasn't correct? Do you see yourself in complete shock?
I would pose to you that if you see yourself reacting that way, that it is a sign of true belief in God. I know it is a strange exercise, but this was something I came across in my journey to understanding belief. I know that I believe in God. I know that I believe He raised Jesus from the dead, and that Jesus ascended into heaven, and, though I don't understand the details of how the trinity works, Jesus is now God. I also know that if I were to pass away, and find things to not be that way, that I would be utterly knocked over by the shock and disbelief that things were not as I know them to be here and now.
On the subject of belief and miracles, it is worth pointing out how much of a part belief played in the miracles that Jesus performed during His time here on earth. In Galilee, we are told that Jesus could not perform miracles because of the lack of faith on the part of the people. You see, in many of the cases of miracles of healing that Jesus did, belief and faith played a huge part on the part of the individuals being healed.
Now, for the newer members of the family, and for anyone struggling with doubt. There is a facet of believe and faith that is very much like love. You'll see in most dictionaries that Believe is listed as a verb. That is because believing is an action, and as an action, it is also a choice. We *choose* to believe. You see the evidence, you consider things, and then you go "yeah, I am confident that this is the truth!" That is the act of choosing to believe, and you know what? That will carry you through the hard times.
When you are struggling with doubt, and fear you are losing your faith or faltering in your belief in God, focus and simply say to yourself, outloud if needed, "I don't care if it seems like it's not true, I *choose* to believe it is." This is a very important bridge for those times when doubt is this massive wall we are facing. Defeat doubt by *choosing* to believe. In my personal experience with this, God has been kind enough in many cases to bring things to mind for me that remind me of why I should doubt the stories the world tells more than the Bible itself. Reasons why I believe, and reasons why I have chosen to believe in the past.
Most have been in relationships that lasted long enough to know that it's not all roses and fun times. Does that love for your friend or family member burn in your heart like always when they hurt you? Or when they do something that upsets you? If your friend is careless and breaks something of yours, does your heart swell with brotherly love? Unlikely! Does this mean you do *not* love or care for that friend or family member anymore? No, but during those times, instead of kicking them to the curb and saying "get lost!", we *choose* to continue loving that individual.
Belief and faith work in the same manner. The world, because of sin, is going to hit you at times with things that make you want to just throw it all out the window and go find something new, but you have the choice to choose to believe. To say "God, I don't have a clue if you are even there anymore, but I choose to believe so. There is a reason I'm going through this. I choose to believe you are there!"
Now, if you look at the Grace of God, and the gift He gave us in His Son, having your salvation is a permanent deal. Once saved, always saved, but for new believers who are questioning if they believe or not, it is vital to help them understand that it's not some warm fuzzy feeling, it starts as a choice. It starts with them looking at the evidence presented and saying "yes, I believe that is true. yes I believe Jesus died for me, and that God raised Him from the dead."
Given, they need this choice to be made in their heart. It's a personal thing.
In the beginning, we choose to believe. One of our goals in our journey to being more like Christ, is to believe in God like we believe that when we sit down for dinner that the chair will support us.
In closing, I'd also point out that when you get to the point of believing God like that, you may not know it. It took me a long time to realize that is where I am, yet even now I still have to actively choose to believe. However for me this was a big breakthrough in that I realized that what I perceived as a *lack* of belief, was actually just a very strong level of belief. I simply believe in God to the point that I go through life assuming with confidence that He's there, and I don't think about it, I just do.
First I'd like to start with the "modern internet dictionary" definition of "believe"
According to Dictionary.com:
Believe
verb (used without object), be·lieved, be·liev·ing.
-to have confidence in the truth, the existence, or the reliability of something, although without absolute proof that one is right in doing so
-to have confidence or faith in the truth of (a positive assertion, story, etc.); give credence to.
-to have confidence in the assertions of (a person).
-to have a conviction that (a person or thing) is, has been, or will be engaged in a given action or involved in a given situation:
-to suppose or assume; understand (usually followed by a noun clause):
These definitions are pretty clear on what is generally accepted for the word "believe" to mean, but I want to break it down a bit further in regards to believing in God, believing in Jesus, and the comments made by Jesus regarding child-like faith.
Romans 10:9 "If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."
So... about belief.
Consider your daily routine when painted on the backdrop of God being in control of everything. How often do you act on belief? The reality is that we act on belief every waking moment. The only reason you have the slightest doubt about air you are about to breathe in, is because I've mentioned it as a point of belief. Other than that, we all breathe normally every day in nearly every situation, with the confidence that the air we are taking into our lungs isn't going to kill us in very short painful manner as breathing pure Chlorine would.
Moreover, we act on that belief based on things we *can* see, that point to something we *cannot* see (the quality of the air). The air *looks* clear, and we do not *smell* Chlorine, so based on these evidences, we have confidence that there is no chlorine gas in the air (side point: Chlorine is colorless, so even in a room filled with 100% chlorine gas, it would appear clear). Of course, if we want to go all the way with the "belief" vs. "indirect evidence", Carbon Monoxide is colorless, odorless, and quite deadly. We walk into a room on a daily basis and make the assessment that the air quality is fine, without really even thinking about it.
Here is a very important point: If we walk into a place and find the air quality to be dangerous where it never has been before, and if we survive, what is something we commonly hear people saying?
"I can't believe that happened!"
That, brothers and sisters, is something worth noting very closely. You see, it is possible to believe something so much, that we don't think about it, yet if it changes, we find ourselves shocked that it *wasn't* as we expected. This is *crucial* for understanding belief.
Another example. If you are sitting, did you assume through belief that whatever you are sitting on would support you? If you are on a chair and it broke and left you on the floor, would you be of the mindset to say "I can't believe it broke!". If yes, this is because you believed the chair would support you, to the point that you didn't think about it. Can you imagine for a moment what it would be like to go shopping for a mere jug of milk if we did not have these built in beliefs? Forget the process of breathing or even getting dressed, even if you got to that point, how could you be sure the lock on your door would actually function so that it could be unlocked? That the door knob would turn and the hinges wouldn't simply disintegrate, causing the door to fall on the ground, break into a thousand pieces, and then fly away as a flock of birds?
A way to test yourself on belief is this: Imagine taking your last breath before the rapture happens. Whether it be natural or an unnatural death, if you saw that last bit of light of this world, and then opened your eyes to discover that there is no God and that the "afterlife" consisted of standing knee deep in warm caramel while eating popcorn waiting for the next available baby body to occupy, do you imagine yourself looking around in disbelief that the Bible wasn't correct? Do you see yourself in complete shock?
I would pose to you that if you see yourself reacting that way, that it is a sign of true belief in God. I know it is a strange exercise, but this was something I came across in my journey to understanding belief. I know that I believe in God. I know that I believe He raised Jesus from the dead, and that Jesus ascended into heaven, and, though I don't understand the details of how the trinity works, Jesus is now God. I also know that if I were to pass away, and find things to not be that way, that I would be utterly knocked over by the shock and disbelief that things were not as I know them to be here and now.
On the subject of belief and miracles, it is worth pointing out how much of a part belief played in the miracles that Jesus performed during His time here on earth. In Galilee, we are told that Jesus could not perform miracles because of the lack of faith on the part of the people. You see, in many of the cases of miracles of healing that Jesus did, belief and faith played a huge part on the part of the individuals being healed.
Now, for the newer members of the family, and for anyone struggling with doubt. There is a facet of believe and faith that is very much like love. You'll see in most dictionaries that Believe is listed as a verb. That is because believing is an action, and as an action, it is also a choice. We *choose* to believe. You see the evidence, you consider things, and then you go "yeah, I am confident that this is the truth!" That is the act of choosing to believe, and you know what? That will carry you through the hard times.
When you are struggling with doubt, and fear you are losing your faith or faltering in your belief in God, focus and simply say to yourself, outloud if needed, "I don't care if it seems like it's not true, I *choose* to believe it is." This is a very important bridge for those times when doubt is this massive wall we are facing. Defeat doubt by *choosing* to believe. In my personal experience with this, God has been kind enough in many cases to bring things to mind for me that remind me of why I should doubt the stories the world tells more than the Bible itself. Reasons why I believe, and reasons why I have chosen to believe in the past.
Most have been in relationships that lasted long enough to know that it's not all roses and fun times. Does that love for your friend or family member burn in your heart like always when they hurt you? Or when they do something that upsets you? If your friend is careless and breaks something of yours, does your heart swell with brotherly love? Unlikely! Does this mean you do *not* love or care for that friend or family member anymore? No, but during those times, instead of kicking them to the curb and saying "get lost!", we *choose* to continue loving that individual.
Belief and faith work in the same manner. The world, because of sin, is going to hit you at times with things that make you want to just throw it all out the window and go find something new, but you have the choice to choose to believe. To say "God, I don't have a clue if you are even there anymore, but I choose to believe so. There is a reason I'm going through this. I choose to believe you are there!"
Now, if you look at the Grace of God, and the gift He gave us in His Son, having your salvation is a permanent deal. Once saved, always saved, but for new believers who are questioning if they believe or not, it is vital to help them understand that it's not some warm fuzzy feeling, it starts as a choice. It starts with them looking at the evidence presented and saying "yes, I believe that is true. yes I believe Jesus died for me, and that God raised Him from the dead."
Given, they need this choice to be made in their heart. It's a personal thing.
In the beginning, we choose to believe. One of our goals in our journey to being more like Christ, is to believe in God like we believe that when we sit down for dinner that the chair will support us.
In closing, I'd also point out that when you get to the point of believing God like that, you may not know it. It took me a long time to realize that is where I am, yet even now I still have to actively choose to believe. However for me this was a big breakthrough in that I realized that what I perceived as a *lack* of belief, was actually just a very strong level of belief. I simply believe in God to the point that I go through life assuming with confidence that He's there, and I don't think about it, I just do.