Is seeking evidence of God proof of lack of faith?

[Ashley755]

Likewise, is using evidence as a tool to convince others that there's a God wrong?

Thank you.

 

[2PhiloVoid]

Likewise, is using evidence as a tool to convince others that there's a God wrong?

Thank you.

Nope to both questions. But, this doesn't mean that we should assume that God ever meant for anyone to fully enter the faith 'simply' by acquiring a collection of evidences, particularly if those evidences in and of themselves could never, ever give us a comprehensive picture in the first place.

No, God has to produce the "missing, hidden meaning" that is needed for the faith of each individual, and if we, as Christians, forget this or ignore this, then we will be doing a disservice not only to ourselves and to our purpose in Christ, but also to those who we're trying to reach to bring to Christ.

 

[Anna Therese]

Likewise, is using evidence as a tool to convince others that there's a God wrong?

Thank you.

The evidence is everywhere. The proof of God's existence is written on the hearts of each person, as the book Romans tells us. No, it's not wrong by any means. Amazing Evidence for God is a 28 minute video on youtube by channel: mhfm1 - I recommend this all the time to people who are interested and they find it fascinating.

 

[Albion]

I would agree that the answer is no to both questions UNLESS by seeking evidence of God you mean seeking something that would convince the seeker of God's existence or identity.

If that were the situtation, I suppose we could say that the person doesn't yet have the faith, right?

 

[Natsumi Lam]

No to both.

We are to seek Him and rightly divide the Word of Truth and everything to it.

 

[Rigatoni]

Not necessarily, it all depends on why you're seeking it. Pursuing evidence of God can actually be faith in action. If God is real, and we know He is, then there should be plenty of evidence to support His existence. Faith is based on some level of evidence anyway.

Also, I don't think using evidence to convince others of God's existence is wrong either, just as long as it's done in humility and love. If someone refuses to believe in God, we should respect their decision and move on. But, if someone honestly needs evidence to be convinced that God is real, then I would think God would want us to provide it.

 

[RaymondG]

No and maybe. Seeking shows a desire to find.....and all who seeks find.

I would not try to prove anything to others, however, as this may foster a desire to worship man and not God. I would instead aim to help others find their own way to the One who can teach them further.

 

[Halbhh]

Likewise, is using evidence as a tool to convince others that there's a God wrong?

Thank you.

Consider: it's not really 'evidence' we seek, but God Himself.

Because He is a Person, not just an event or an object. We are seeking to relate to Him, a Person.

So, it's a leap of faith, to seek Him.

At one point, an agnostic, I took that leap for a moment, and truly with a moment of actual faith prayed:
"God...make a way from me to you.... Bring me to you."

It was for real. I meant it. It was sincere, and real.

Not long after that prayer, an hour or a day, I slid backwards off of a 2nd story roof, helpless, about 20 feet above large rocks, utterly helpless. In desperation, I prayed a 1/2 second prayer: "Help!" and I truly believed He could and would, in that instant. A moment of truth.

I woke up unharmed, with a superficial cut on one arm, and no bruises.

That kind of woke me up. Though it would be a while before I finally turned fully to Him, I was no longer able to imagine reality was a simple, obvious, observable thing without Something behind the scenes able to suddenly intervene. I told a friend: "Things don't work the way we think they do."

I began to read more of what Christ said, more carefully, because now I knew it was for real on a level I hadn't been ready to accept before then.

Many "Christians" aren't yet to that level of realizing how for-real this all is, because they are young in a sense, and haven't yet fallen off a roof, or something equivalent.

 

[Tolworth John]

Likewise, is using evidence as a tool to convince others that there's a God wrong?

Thank you.

We are told that we must be able to give a 'reason' for our faith/trust in God.

If you don't have evidence and reasonable answers how are you going to do that?

Only an idiot say, 'just belief.'

 

[Soyeong]

Likewise, is using evidence as a tool to convince others that there's a God wrong?

Thank you.

"Faith" is synonymous with "trust" and is in regard to trusting God to keep His promises, to guide us in how to rightly live, and to redeem us from our sins. We must first have reason to believe that God exists before we can trust Him to take certain actions, so seeking evidence of God's existence has nothing to do with faith and there is nothing wrong with using evidence as a tool to convince others that God exists.

Edward Feser defined faith as "is nothing less than the will to keep one's mind fixed precisely on what reason has discovered to it". Take a scenario where a police officer pulled someone over and as they approached their car the driver pulled out a gun and pointed it at their chest. If the police officer reached for their gun, then they would likely take a bullet to the chest, but they were wearing a bulletproof vest. Confidently reaching for their gun and counting on their vest to stop the bullet is the difference between believing that a bulletproof vest can stop bullet and having faith in it to stop a bullet. So they had the knowledge that it could stop a bullet and they they were able to act with confidence by having the will to keep their mind focused on that knowledge instead of allowing doubts to creep in that would cause them to lose focus on what they knew to be true and to not act with the confidence that they should of had. In this scenario, they must have first gained knowledge that their vest can stop a bullet before they can act with faith in it to save their life.

 

[usexpat97]

1 John 4:1Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.

God's Word supports you seeking evidence of God's presence.

Seeking evidence helps solidify your faith. Does it possibly expose your lack of it? Sure. Like if I go out and I run a 9:30 mile: that is proof that I am out of shape. But you know what? I RAN a mile. How else am I supposed to get back in shape? I can't just not work out at all and hide. It is better to see where you're at and start to get there, than to go hide and do nothing. And who doesn't want to see evidence at some point in their lives? Where we go when we die is the single most important deciding point in our entire, eternal existence.

One more Scripture:

Jeremiah 29:13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

 

[Greg J.]

Re: Is seeking evidence of God proof of lack of faith?

It can be, but usually is not. The people who have no faith have no interest in finding evidence of God. For followers of Christ, it is our nature to experience need for more of God, and the natural response is to hunt for things that will give us more assurance of the faith we have. God uses this to grow our faith.

Likewise, is using evidence as a tool to convince others that there's a God wrong?

Thank you.

This is called preparing to share the Good News. If you want to do miracles of healing so people will believe you, ask God for that gift. (You might want to first make sure what you would say would be correct, though.) Seeking God for experiences of Him that can be a part of your personal testimony is a Good thing. In fact, you won't be able to stop it from happening to the degree you are obedient to God.

 

[Radagast]

Likewise, is using evidence as a tool to convince others that there's a God wrong?

Not at all. Christians have been doing this for 2000 years or so.