If blind faith describes Christianity I want out. The picture of blind faith is like the blind man who walks across the road without his stick. Jesus explained what happens to the blind when he said the blind would fall into a ditch without help.
“Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch?” – Luke 6:39
I would like to advance in my understanding of God, not create roadblocks and ditches. My faith needs to be enlightened not blind.
Faith Requires Knowledge
There are twelve definitions of faith in the Webster’s dictionary and not one requires someone to believe without knowledge. Faith can only come from having heard some information and understanding it. Faith requires knowledge.
“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” – Rom 10:17
Faith in God comes from hearing his word, understanding it, and believing it to be true. If I do not know what to believe, then my faith is blind and useless to me before God.
Faith Is Evidence
It is sometimes said that science increases factual knowledge, and what we lack in evidence we accept by faith. This is simply untrue.
Faith is not the thing unseen, faith is the evidence of the things not seen. It is the substance of what we do not see. Someone who hopes there is a God because they cannot see him does not have faith. Faith in God exhibits proof and evidence for what you don’t see.
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” – Heb 11:1
We hope for things unseen because of our faith in the evidence that it will happen. Salvation, resurrection, forgiveness, justification, and eternal life are all based on the evidence explained in scripture rightly divided.
Without the evidence our faith is blind and turns into an imaginary wish. Sadly, Christianity has turned into a giant “wish your heart makes” by the widespread ignorance of sound doctrine.
Strong Faith
Faith should be placed in something trustworthy. If the evidence is unreliable then our faith becomes weak. Faith is strong when the evidence is clear.
God’s truth is witnessed by dozens of prophets over the course of 1500 years with detailed accuracy, his miracles were witnessed by thousands, and his resurrection witnessed by hundreds. God’s explanation of good and evil, sin and righteousness, and love through the death of Jesus Christ demands that the hearers receive the information by faith as true, or deny its validity and lack faith. There is no room for blind faith.
Faith requires evidence; faith comes by hearing the word of God. Only when your blind faith is replaced by a substantial faith will it work effectually in you. Start learning what you believe and have faith in Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery.
“…when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.” – 1 Thess 2:13
Article Index Published: April 24, 2010
Last Modified: May 31, 2016