the difficulty of giving a reason for faith, if one just believes

dms1972

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I think many christians have been told or taught to just believe, and have been unable get answers to questions they have. some of these questions are genuine, others are not. I found this myself at times growing up, and I did attempt to just believe. My questioning state was unbelieving, I wasn't really seeking and so the end result of just believing becomes a kind of suppression of unbelief, by an attempt to believe. Often the person cannot really feel convinced they do believe, and feels defensive when questioned about why they are a christian. Sometimes they are not sure that they are, the attempt to just believe is hard to sustain, and they often give up. This perhaps affects moreso people who have been brought up christian, taken to church from a young age.

Some times when questioned the 'believer' feels they must turn the tables and show the unbeliever that they are no different, that there are things they just believe also. The outcome is unproductive, and unfruitful.

For one thing does the person who has tried to just believe, in spite of their unbelief, really have biblical faith?

Others come to make a kind of Kierkegaardian leap of faith. Again it seems impossible to respond to questions of non believers, if the 'believer' steps outside their circle of faith, into the non-believers circle, how can they answer?

Any christians have thoughts on this?
 
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Sultan Of Swing

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There are a number of rational cases for Christianity, namely the historicity of the Resurrection, which the Apostles gave their lives for, etc.

And yet, one thousand rational arguments will not turn a heart from death to life, or send the Holy Spirit.

We trust in God to convert the lost, without Him we have no hope.

The Scriptures are able to make one "wise unto salvation". We are not told the same about philisophical arguments.

The Gospel is the power of God to save, not human philosophies and arguments.

Now, this is not to say we should not give good, reasoned answers to questions unbelievers may have. Don't get me wrong, this isn't an excuse to 'cop out' on the difficult questions, when all Christians should be seeking to be knowledgeable in the Scriptures and the answers that are found there.

A Christian who simply just says 'they believe' and equates it to the unbeliever's unbelief, without pointing them to the Scriptutes, would be doing a bad job.

We proclaim the Gospel to them, and point them to the very words of God that can change their hearts and minds.

Rather than getting bogged down in trying to defend God, it is better to take an unbeliever to God's word and hear from God Himself.

As a preacher said (I can't remember who), "you don't need to defend a lion, you only need to let him out of his cage."

In practical terms, try reading through a Gospel with them, and answering questions they might have.
 
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Geralt

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no one believes just to believe. we believe because we have a need to be believe.

in fact the need is not just about any need, but a desperate need, a need beyond our control to resolve.

our desperation for help or search for meaning => forces us to look the only One who can help or who has the answers

this is faith.
 
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bling

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Are we trying to get people to believe in the Bible?

We are trying to get the nonbeliever to believe in the living Christ, so how do we do that?

God is Love and Christ is Love, so if we got a person to want that Love; not only to be unselfishly unconditionally Loved, but also be drawn to that Love for themselves, would Christ be drawing them to Himself?

You can read the New Testament and be drawn to Christ, but that is not easy, the best way would be for Christ himself, to go to the person, spend time with the person, listen to the person, serve that person, Love that person, show that person Godly type love at work, and teach that person with both deeds and words. The later was established by Christ in that Christ lives in and through true believers.

We are not trying to get the nonbeliever to acknowledge the existence of Christ (that is worthless), but to be willing to allow Christ to Love on them (accept Christ’s charity as charity). Willingly experiencing such a Love, will cause them to believe out of a strong desire to believe.

After they become a Christian they have the assurance given in the indwelling Holy Spirit.
 
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Optimax

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Paul mentioned true unfeigned faith in Timothy.

True unfeigned faith only can begin where the will of God is known.

God's will is revealed in His Word.

We call His Word scriptures.

We also call it the Bible.

A person's "faith level" is determined by their word level.

Because scriptural faith is believing what God said about any and every life situation and/or issue.

Agreeing with what God said about it even if it is totally opposite from what you believe or have been taught.

Because you agree with what God said you say the same thing even if it doesn't look like, seem like, feel like that what H e said is really true.

As you say in agreement with what God said you see it as a reality in your life even though it has not manifested yet and you act like it is true.

It will show up.
 
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Greg J.

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I think many christians have been told or taught to just believe,
I have a feeling there are more people like this in the world than there those who genuinely believe in and entrusted themselves to Jesus.

It grieves me that families raise kids to "just believe," because as was said, that's not what it takes to believe. What people need is evidence and explanation over and over (and obedience) until they've gotten enough where it clicks. But past a certain age trying to obey "just because" is usually more harmful than helpful in the long run. If you're not hearing in person about what God has done/is doing in the lives of people, it's time to change something (perhaps your church, perhaps start attending Bible studies that have a social component, perhaps take obedience more seriously).

Believing in, committing to, and living for Jesus Christ are things that must be built on a foundation. Trying to build without a foundation at all (i.e., "just believe" and turning you loose) can actually make it harder for a person to come to faith (at that time or in years to come).

Genuine belief is a gift from God. The reason it is hard to believe in him or what he said is because of sin (in a variety of ways). It is through obedience that God will kill the sin that is interfering. There's nothing at his end preventing him from granting faith. The problems are all on our end.
 
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dms1972

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My parents didn't tell me to just believe, but if i had questions people would sometimes ask "do you not beleive the bible?" In fact for a while i was trying to figure out some way of knowing if the Bible was true, before believing, but i could not really explain that.

But if you grow up in a christian home particularly a protestant one the main thing expected often is loyalty to the Bible.

If I had questions I was inclined then and still to want to come up with my own answers. I can recall as a child even when I asked a question , I quickly followed it by presenting my own answer. Not sure why this is, and why I seem not trust others answers.
 
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