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What is Faith?
Posted: Fri Nov 06, 2020 3:19 pm
by Nick_A
“Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified” (Gal. 2:16).
This is one of these questions which challenge our understanding. St paul distingushes between faith IN Christ and the faith OF Christ. A superficial emotional understanding considers them the same.
It seems that all a Christian needs is faith yet we don't have it. An Absurd contradiction or something far deeper?
Matthew 17:20, Jesus said, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”
What does it all mean? Who knows the difference between the faith OF Christ and faith IN Christ?
Biblical understanding is relative. It can be taken superficially but we are invited to think deeper and discover the meaning it is capable of awakening us to.
Re: What is Faith?
Posted: Tue Nov 10, 2020 3:26 am
by Nick_A
Nick_A wrote: ↑Fri Nov 06, 2020 3:19 pm
“Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified” (Gal. 2:16).
This is one of these questions which challenge our understanding. St paul distingushes between faith IN Christ and the faith OF Christ. A superficial emotional understanding considers them the same.
It seems that all a Christian needs is faith yet we don't have it. An Absurd contradiction or something far deeper?
Matthew 17:20, Jesus said, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”
What does it all mean? Who knows the difference between the faith OF Christ and faith IN Christ?
Biblical understanding is relative. It can be taken superficially but we are invited to think deeper and discover the meaning it is capable of awakening us to.
Why did Jesus say the faith of the centurion was such great faith? Many people have faith in Christ but why is the faith of the Centurion so exceptional? Can anyone explain it?. But how can people debate Christianity without appreciating the difference between emotional faith or faith IN something supporting inner slavery and Conscious faith which is an evolved human quality leading to freedom?
Matthew 8:5-13
The Faith of the Centurion
5 When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. 6 “Lord,” he said, “my servant lies at home paralyzed, suffering terribly.”
7 Jesus said to him, “Shall I come and heal him?”
8 The centurion replied, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. 9 For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”
10 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, “Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith. 11 I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. 12 But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
13 Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go! Let it be done just as you believed it would.” And his servant was healed at that moment.
What is meant by the servant?