Thursday: Understanding the Bible in Faith
Read Hebrews 11:3, Hebrews 11:6. Why is faith so essential in understanding God and His Word? Why is it impossible to please God without faith?
All true learning takes place in the context of faith. It is the implicit faith of the child toward his or her parents that enables the child to learn new things. It is a trusting relationship that guides the child to learn the basic and fundamental aspects of life and love. Knowledge and understanding, therefore, grow out of a loving and trusting relationship.
The Path of Inspiration
Image © Review and Herald Publishing collection at GoodSalt.com
In the same vein, a good musician plays a piece of music well when he or she not only masters the technical skills that help one to play an instrument, but when he or she exhibits a love for the music, the composer, and the instrument. In a similar way, we do not understand the Bible correctly when we approach it with an attitude of skepticism or methodological doubt, but in a spirit of love and faith. The apostle Paul wrote, “Without faith it is impossible to please God” (Heb. 11:6, NIV). Thus, it is indispensable to approach the Bible in faith, acknowledging its supernatural origin, rather than seeing the Bible just as a human book.
Seventh-day Adventists have clearly expressed this insight into the supernatural origin of Scripture in the first Fundamental Belief of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, which states: “The Holy Scriptures, Old and New Testaments, are the written Word of God, given by divine inspiration. The inspired authors spoke and wrote as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. In this Word, God has committed to humanity the knowledge necessary for salvation. The Holy Scriptures are the supreme, authoritative, and the infallible revelation of His will. They are the standard of character, the test of experience, the definitive revealer of doctrines, and the trustworthy record of God’s acts in history. (Ps. 119:105; Prov. 30:5-6; Isa. 8:20; John 17:17; 1 Thess. 2:13; 2 Tim. 3:16-17; Heb. 4:12; 2 Peter 1:20-21.)”
| What are people missing in their understanding of the Bible when they do not approach Scripture from an attitude of faith? Why is this faith not blind? That is, what are the good reasons that we have for this faith and why is faith still a necessity when dealing with the truths of the Bible? |
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Bible is a story of faith. When sin entered the world, Christ entered the world to give Adam and Eve faith in the sacrifice of Christ. Eve believed in the promise of God and delivered the first baby believing him to be the Messiah. Christ came in this at His appointed time.
Imagine if I don’t approach the bible in faith then I am looking for a scientific proof. Most often there are no scientific proof given for my belief; however, the change in me is like the wind unseen but the effects of the change are evidenced. As I am quarantined from church service due to Coronavirus, the faith in Christ tells me there is a new world where sin and sickness will no longer reign in the world.
I am by faith looking forward to the day when God himself will wipe away all the tears.
Even in sickness and death, I can move forward because of the hope within me.
What has been your strength in this time of turmoil?
Jesus is in the boat midst of the storm.
All too often we use the "faith argument" for our belief as an excuse when we run out of reason. It is one of those Christian expressions that we use among ourselves with a kind of smug complacency because it is part of our collective vocabulary. But the moment we start talking to our unchurched friends they have an entirely different view of faith. Ask a cynical atheist what they think of when they hear the word "faith" and they will answer with something like, "The acceptance of church dogma rather than a rational and logical explanation". With a communication gap like that, we need to realise that we are going to be misunderstood when we try to talk to them about Christianity.
We should ask ourselves how did our own faith grow and develop. Did you inherit it from your parents? Did a minister convince you in an eloquent sermon? Did you always have faith?
In my own interaction with atheists, I never mention the supernatural - it is simply outside the horizon of their thought patterns. I try, with God's help to live a "faith life " that they understand. Most atheists I come across do not have faith because they see the inconsistency between what Christianity says and does. Our only argument of any consequence with these folk is to live a life of consistency. We have a wrong to put right and only by doing that will we ever be able to make sense to them about the many other things that contribute to our "faith life".
Faith must be lived to be believed.
We need to remember that God takes the initiative and reaches out even to those who may be searching for something better even while not sure whether God even exists, let alone cares.
There are many examples of God answering the sincere cry of the person who calls out “If You are there, God, show me.” God reads the heart, and recognises the first seeds of faith even before this can be articulated.
See Mark 9:24 The father instantly cried out, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!”
Faith defined is the complete trust in someone or something. Trusting God to follow through on His word. Reading scripture God has always followed through even as men got in the way of themselves. Some have reaped reward greater than there expectation. Others were blinded and came to a realization a little to late. Faith is essential in this walk, just as we have to trust a spouse or children trust parents.. the difference...God will never mislead nor deceive Us.
What do we actually mean when we assert that the scriptures are the "infallible revelation of His (God's) will" (SDA Fundamental Belief #1)?
These are man's imperfect words to describe something fundamental. One has to believe in God first to engage the mind and understand. The Spirit will inspire.
It is difficult if not impossible when using our human language to describe the 'infallible power of God's truth'.
I find it impossible to 'explain' the power of God's truth when using my own words. But when using the words of the Holy Spirit as expressed in the scriptures, it becomes easier. I can let them stand on their own to do their work in the heart of the person I speak with.
I learned to not 'argue' the 'word of God' - 'His Truth', but try to speak gently, hoping to receive God's inspiration to remember HIS words and pass it on.
By faith I believe in His Word God has given us enough knowledge necessary for salvation
His Word is:
The infallible revelation of His Will
The definitive revealer of doctrines
The trustworthy record of God's acts in history.
Why is it that some who claim to be part of our community of faith by their words show that they believe the Word as given cannot be trusted. They feel they need to add or subtract or provide an alternative explanation to the plain "thus sayeth the Lord".
It is not surprising that there are many sceptics when those who claim to follow Jesus Christ have so many views on what the Word of the LORD teaches us.
Similarly do our actions reflect Jesus' character? Currently even when we are honest and kind and caring do people recognize it as a result of our faith in Jesus or could it be as result of being a Muslim or a Buddhist or a Hindu etc?
Jesus went about healing people together with sharing the Good News and correcting peoples' misunderstanding of the Character of God, He is our example.
The moment you get to the bible, the first thing you should do is it pray for the holy spirit to guide you. Reading the bible without faith is like collecting water in a laundry basket, all what comes in, will not even stay but pour out so we need to have faith while reading the word of God.
"It is impossible to praise God without faith!" It is impossible to have faith without a personal experience!
I placed sympathy cards in two envelopes, wrote the address on each one and placed money in one of them last week. I have yet to mail them because I have no stamps at home. Cautious about going to the post office to get them, they still lay on my desk. I cannot exercise the faith that they will arrive to the receiver because I haven't taken the time to take them to the carrier. So it is with faith. We must perform the act necessary for us to have faith, letting go of any fears about the outcome. Once we do this even with our approach to understanding the Bible, God will help us to increase our understanding of His word. As we grow in His word, our faith will increase as well.
I’m not sure I agree with the lesson writer when he says, “...we do not understand the Bible correctly when we approach it with an attitude of skepticism or methodological doubt...”.
I would think that any atheists or non-believer would approach the Bible with skepticism and/or methodological doubt. I would be happy if they just started reading it and the power of the Spirit can/may convict someone of its veracity despite their approaching the Bible with this state of mind.
What do think?
Well said Jim.
Lee Strobel’s experience is but one example of what you are referring to.
I would say initally we may have an attitude of scepticism, but if we continue to stand aloof of the Word of God we may not be able to abide under His wings. There comes a time in our relationship that we surrender self.
Now I do believe there is a difference in sceptisism and seeking understanding.
We must have faith to:
"Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all our heart and mind, and not rely on our own insight or understanding."
Proverbs 3:5. AMPC
It may be presumptive to assign an “attitude of skepticism or methodological doubt” to the atheist.
These words spoken by Jesus appear to indicate that some very religious and serious Bible students had an “attitude of skepticism or methodological doubt” that prevented them (even though they prayed long prayers and had vigourous theological discussions) from finding and knowing the One of whom the Scriptures testified.
My religious fervour and attitude can easily take me down a rabbit hole if I do not continually look to the Author and Finisher of my faith.
"Now Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which were seen were not made of things which do appear." Hebrews 11:1-3. This scripture defines faith. Understanding Bible history and knowing prophecy within has been fulfilled. See previous quarterly studies on Daniel. Specifically Daniel 2, Daniel 9:24-27, Daniel chapter 7 etc. Hebrews 11:6 includes the pardoning role of Christ. He is our mediator. The Father sees the Redeemer when the redeemed "come boldly to the throne of grace in time of need."Hebrews 4:16 KJV. Seeing Jesus Christ pleases the Lord. "Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief: when thou shalt make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand. He shall see the travail of His soul, and shall be satisfied: by His knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for He shall bear their iniquities." Isaiah 53:10,11 KJV
"For He received from God the Father honor and glory, when there came such a voice to Him from the excellent Glory, this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased." 1 Peter 1:17 KJV "Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened,22 and the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily a shape like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son in thee I am well pleased." John 3:21,22 KJV
Thank you, Mary - I appreciate that you use the scripture's words to answer questions and respond to comments.
It is the Holy Spirit's inspiration that reaches us through the words of the Scripture. No man's explanations based on his own understanding whiles using words, no matter how cleverly used or spoken as if 'with tongues of angels', can accomplish what the Holy Spirit can when we are using or hearing the word of God.
Faith, believing that God IS is the beginning of all wisdom.
Faith that He is the 'I AM' is the first gift of God to fallen man!
How are we to read the Word of God with faith? What does this mean? Do we accept this as God's word because Paul and Peter both say God/Holy Spirit is the inspiration of it? Isn't our "faith" then in Paul and Peter? Why believe them? Where did they find such faith? Are they both telling us what to believe or are they merely expressing their own faith by the word of their testimony?
Here is what I have discovered: I don't think God expects anyone to merely accept based on another man's opinion, but rather, that we each find our own opinion through our own experience(see John 15:5).
Example: many "believe" in Ellen's inspiration because they were told she was inspired. Yet, I once shared "Steps to Christ" to someone who had never heard of Ellen, and after reading that little book over the weekend, said to me: "you might think this strange, but I believe that author was divinely inspired!" How did this person arrive at that conclusion without being told by another that she was indeed inspired? The proof was in the very words/truths expressed, and their personal knowledge of the Bible confirmed it.
We must each see the clear evidence in God's Word for ourselves if we are to read "by faith". Truth is self-evident, and only those who "taste, and see..." for themselves will receive this faith IF it is exhibited in obedience to the expressed will of God contained in this Divinely inspired word.
If you've never tasted a certain food, no one's description will be able to make you know the taste without tasting yourself. This is why Paul writes: "Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God". Faith in this Word comes no other way and through no other experience but our own. Even one who cannot read will find this faith simply by hearing the words of this Truth. Truth is self-evident, which is why it is Truth, and will be acted upon by any who believe it. If we don't act, we don't believe, and thus do not read in faith.
Any who do exercise faith will say with the prophet: "Your words were found and I did eat them(what does eating imply?), and your word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of my heart, because I am called by YOUR name O LORD, God of the hosts!"(Jer 15:16) Notice how the one who finds God's word identifies Him as the Author. Self evident. We do not need another opinion if we receive and exercise our own faith. Faith(a measure given to every person) not exercised becomes unbelief.
I think there are two different kinds of faith, and neither one is wrong. There is blind faith, a faith that is not founded in fact or experience, but just I think this is right. At certain points in my life, that’s what I’ve had. If left there, that faith would soon fade. The 2nd kind of faith is a faith built on knowledge and experience. A knowledge of the one we have faith in, and the experience of a changed life because of a faithful obedience to God’s Word. Whether it’s God or just a person, in order to have faith in them, you have to know and trust them. When I don’t understand why or how on an issue, that’s when faith that the Holy Spirit will guide me to an understanding comes in. At first it may appear as blind faith, but that is only the first step to a knowledgeable faith. We may not understand every scripture in the Bible, but if we know and trust the author of it, we will come to an understanding and it can transform our lives.