Four: Faith, Part Three (God in the Scriptures)

My brother talked of his frustration when people answer questions in the gospel with the answer: “faith”. I’ve heard people answer questions this way; I’ve probably done it myself. But the problem with that kind of answer is that it implies this: “So everything you learned goes against logic? So it doesn’t make sense? Well, its not supposed to! That’s what faith is about.”

I’ve got a problem with that. It is true that sometimes the things of God don’t make sense to me, but I believe that’s because I can’t yet see the whole picture…or can’t yet fully comprehend the picture that I do see – NOT because there is no logic or sense to be had.

I reject a faith that says, “God doesn’t make sense. Believe in him anyway.” I cannot seriously believe in a God like that. At least, not if I take the scriptures to heart. They speak of a God that is eternal, unchanging, and perfect.

So why are there discrepancies in the scriptures?

I think there are multiple reasons, three of which I focus on to find peace of mind:

One: I think the scriptures are incomplete and imperfect. However, since this is the road map God has given us to find him, I think it must have enough of what we need to find him and to know his character. (But the map alone is not enough – as described by C.S. Lewis in the last entry)

Two: God’s character is more complete than any man or woman on earth. He is the ultimate, complete man. Thus, I don’t feel I can fully comprehend all that God is, or all that he does, or his reasons for it (see Isaiah 55:8-11), but that is because it takes time and spiritual growth to be able to know him, not because he is unknowable.

Three: I think there are times and seasons for the various attributes of God to be shown, and we see this throughout the scriptures. Dictated by our need, there are times to focus on how individual, how personal, how compassionate he is, and times to tremble in awe and fear of his power, might, majesty, and holiness.

He is merciful, forgiving, compassionate. He is the sharp sword of justice and truth that will divide the wicked from the righteous. So which is he? The answer is: both. He is both, in perfect balance. And even though one attribute may seem (with our limited vision) at times to contradict another, we cannot reject either part without rejecting the whole and making for ourselves our own version of God. This is the price of accepting a whole truth, and not just part – even though we can usually only see part.

Spiritual Experiences and Maps

C.S. Lewis had a friend who had a spiritual experience in the desert. He concluded from this that the only true religion is found in nature; that church and doctrines are simply an invention of man. Of this, C.S. Lewis wrote:

“Merely learning and thinking about the Christian doctrines, if you stop there, is less real and less exciting than the sort of thing my friend got in the desert. Doctrines are not God: they are only a kind of map. But the map is based on the experience of hundreds of people who really were in touch with God – experience compared with which any…feelings you and I are likely to get on our own are very elementary and very confused. And secondly, if you want to get any further, you must use the map.

You see, what happened to the man in the desert may have been real, and was certainly exciting, but nothing comes of it. It leads nowhere. There is nothing to do about it. In fact, that is just why a vague religion – all about feeling God in nature, and so on – is so attractive. It is all thrills and no work; like watching the waves from the beach. …You will not get eternal life by simply feeling the presence of God in flowers or music.

“You [will not] get anywhere by looking at maps without going to sea. Nor will you be very safe if you go to sea without a map.”

“It is easy for us to want to seek after an easy religion. In the example above, Nature provided an easy religion – one requiring no work or sacrifice. These easy religions have drawn flocks of followers, and it is no wonder why. The problem is, these…do not have the power to exalt. The religions whose God asked Abraham to sacrifice his son…was not any easy religion – just the true one.

Three: Faith in the Dark, Part Two

“For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away…For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.” 1 CORINTHIANS 13: 9-10, 12 (New Testament, Bible, KJV)

Imagine that our whole existence (pre-earth, earth, and after-earth life) was a single day, and our time on earth the night. God (and all spiritual truth) is the light of the sun. This is the way I see three of the religious views of this life:

(Disclaimer: I take each of these views from the most positive, optimistic possibility, and I hope I represent them each fairly – I apologize if I’m mistaken in my understanding.)

The Atheists view: We live in a dark world. There is no such thing as a sun, and there is no light, save that which we make ourselves.

The Agnostic view: We live in a dark world. There may be a sun, but I do not know. I have not seen it. If it does exist, I am without the means of knowing it. Thus, for me and for this life, there is no light save that which we make ourselves.

The Faith view: We live in a dark world. There is a sun, it shone on us once, it will shine on us again, but for now it is night. There are ways of knowing that there is a sun and you must learn to appreciate those things that indirectly give us the light of the sun. For example, if we look up at the sky, we can see the moon and stars, which reflect the light of the sun. In the mean time, anything that we (or anyone) can do to bring light into this time of night is good – but we must never forget that there is a light far greater than anything we can do ourselves, and it will rise on us at the end of this night.

Two: Faith in the Dark, Part One

Two truths I believe about this mortal life are: first – We are separated from God; spiritually speaking, we are in the dark. And, second – It is vitally important to “see” spiritually in this life.

But how? I used to be bothered when people spoke of “faith.” It seemed to be a loophole to explain away everything. Things got dismissed with a wave of the hand, an exasperated look, and the answer: “Just have faith.” I and people I loved were wandering around in the dark and someone was saying “Why can’t you see in the dark?” But faith (to me) is not to say “I can see in the dark” or even “You don’t need to see.” That isn’t faith, to say: “There are no answers – believe anyway. Walk away from the truth that you know – believe in something illogical.”

I do think a huge part of the answer is “faith”, though. But is faith to see in the dark? Faith doesn’t make things true that aren’t true. It can’t create order out of chaos, or truth out of an untruth, or logic out of nonsense.

“…Faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true.” ALMA 32:21 (The Book of Mormon)

I think faith is to say:

1. There exist things beyond my knowledge and comprehension that remain true despite whether I’m aware of them, believe in them, or comprehend them. They remain true despite me.

“…The Spirit speaketh the truth…it speaketh of things as they really are, and of things as they really will be…” JACOB 4:13 (The Book of Mormon)


2. I believe that there are different kinds of “knowledge” and that there are ways to acquire “knowledge” besides my immediate physical senses or my own ability to reason.

3. I will use what I do know to light my path – even if I do not know everything.

What do you think of faith? Again, any and all comments are welcome, but please be sincere and considerate of others, regardless of whether you are expressing faith or doubt, support or disagreement.

One: A Personal God

“And this is life eternal, that they might know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent.” JOHN 17:3, (New Testament, Bible, KJV)


BELIEF ONE: God Wants Us to Know Him

I believe in a personal God. I believe in personal religion. This is not to say that I believe either religion or God are subjective. I am not so audacious as to believe that if a being such as God exists, that his nature is determined in any way by what I want him to be. If there is a God, then he is what he is, regardless of what I believe, or what I want. There are times when I would naïvely avoid this truth. However, in the end, I resign myself to the fact that if God is or does thus (whatever I might be struggling with), then he must be right, and somehow if I only could see as he sees, I would understand.

I believe that God wants us to know him. That may seem like a simple thought, but there are many who believe in God who don’t believe in this concept. It’s an essential foundation of my faith, however. As part of that, I believe that God has left all of us here on earth with some way to know him. Apparently, in different times and for different people, he reveals more or less of himself, and/or different aspects of himself, depending upon his wisdom for that time or people or individual. Whenever I don’t understand the behavior of God towards me (or all of us), I find a rope to hang onto in these words from Isaiah 55:8-11:

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord; For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.”

I do not believe that this scripture is saying, “You cannot understand me, so don’t even try.” I can’t believe that’s what is meant by “faith in God”. Besides, this goes against my first premise: I believe God wants us to know him. I’ll explore what I think “faith” is in another entry.

Any comments are welcome. You may express faith or doubt -- as long as you are sincere, and please try to be considerate of others.

Introduction by the author

I’m writing this blog primarily as a response to some of Jared’s recent posts about God (follow the link to Jared from my page, then go to Feb & March 2006 archives -- see "The same yesterday, today, and forever"; "It's raining, it's pouring"; "Intelligent Design", parts one and two; and "Help thou my unbelief")

I told him I’d attempt to help him in his search for spiritual truth and understanding. His questions were good ones, shared by others.

Most importantly, they’re sincere, so I felt that they required more than a quick, easy answer. Sometimes people ask me questions about my faith but it’s only to challenge it, not because they are genuinely seeking an answer.

I don’t feel adequate. I’m not particularly clever, and I feel that, although my faith runs deeply and sincerely, I often feel as if it will appear to others as naïve, or preachy/false. Sometimes these spiritual lessons have a history behind them that goes beyond my abilities to describe. I’m afraid I’ll do these sacred things an injustice by my feeble attempts to describe my own understanding and experience, both of which are really only in their infancy.

But he’s my brother and I love him, and I wanted to at least try. Maybe something I have to say might help. If nothing else, it’s one more voice of encouragement, hope, and faith.

I don’t have all the answers, and I hope this doesn’t come off as if I do. But I’ll give what I can.