Wednesday, October 08, 2008

Reason and Faith?


Today in class we discussed the relationship that the two have. I have come to the conclusion that reason is important in the apologetical side of discussing faith, but i am not convinced that it is actually reasonable to have faith. Faith is not reasoned out, we do not "come to faith" through reasoning out the gospel in our minds. It is not possible to do this if you believe in the saving grace of Christ. We come to faith, not through any act of our own. (which includes reasoning, works, or choice) God pours out his grace upon us in an act of love. We do not deserve or earn our faith. We earn faith in others, but not God. God grants us faith and when his grace is revealed to us we cannot help but accept it. His grace, in my opinion is irresistible. How can one resist the power of God, especially when he pours out his saving grave upon us and reveals himself to us? It is not possible. This comes back to the original question. The question of faith and reason should be rephrased to is it rational to believe in God and that he exists. Faith is a gift and no reasoning is behind it. The reason i have faith is because God gave it too me, therefore i cannot reason myself into faith other than saying that it was given by God, out of grace, free from merit and not out of any effort of my own. I can reason how to advance my faith or how God gave me my faith, but in no means can i come to faith out of reasoning, for intellectual assent is not salvation. I can intellectually assent to the belief in powers and principalities, and know they are real, but that does not mean i have faith in them. Assenting to he belief in God is not saving faith. God's gracious gift is a saving faith from Him and through Him.