How often have you contemplated the question "who am I", why am I here, where am I going? Human beings have asked these very questions throughout the history of mankind. We come up with common answers such as I am a son, daughter, mother, father, sister, brother, grandparent, uncle, aunt, and the examples go on and on. We spend a great portion of our lives wandering aimlessly in the wilderness of society, or our minds. We are in the constant exploration of those things that we think will make us complete, make us happy, make us feel fulfilled. If only we find the right lover, the right career, get that degree, make x-amount of money we will be fulfilled. Wow, we then achieve these goals and find that the satisfaction is fluid, short lived and elusive.
As I progressed in life I began to question my own existence. Was all to life getting an education, getting married, having children, raising them, working hard until age 66 and prepare to die? That seems like a very depressing and scripted journey. It's not much different from the fish that swim up stream and lay their eggs and then die. If this is life, no wonder so many young people have decided to just drop out and enjoy life without any thought of long term goals or aspirations. The results of the former is depression, physical illness, unhappiness, social conflict, broken relationships. The latter results immediate gratification, impulsiveness, poor self control, poor problem solving skills, and probable criminal justice involvement.
This concern about human existence is called by many "existentialism" and one of the most famous proponent of this view, and a favorite of mine is Kierkegaard. Soren Kierkegaard was a Danish Christian Philosopher in the late 1800's. Austine Cline tells us that Kierkegaard's question is," how the individual human being can come to terms with their own existence, for it is that existence which is most important thing in a person's life. Who am I? why do I exist? Unfortunately, we are as if adrift in a sea of possible modes of living with no secure anchor that reason informs us will provide certainty and confidence." Kierkegaard believed that faith was a gift from God, and that the highest moral position is reached when a person realizes this and, no longer depends upon her or himself and takes a leap into the arms of a loving God.
Austin Cline in, Christian Existentialist Thought & Christian Belief, writes that "Kierkegaard's existentialism implicitly focus upon the idea that the leap of faith we must make must be one which cause us to surrender ourselves totally to God rather that to insist on a continued reliance upon our own reason."
Kierkegaard, a devote Lutheran, wrote "that God is not like a human being; it is not important to God to have visible evidence so that he can see if his causes has been victorious or not; he sees in secret just as well. Moreover, it is so far from being the cause that you should help God to learn anew that it is rather he will help you learn anew, so that you are weaned from the worldly point of view that insist on visible evidence."
What exactly is the definition of faith? The dictionary defines "faith" as a belief or trust in something, especially without logical proof. A set of beliefs or principals. It is also described as "a hope and belief in the doness or trust worthiness; of a person concept or entity." Generally speaking it is offered as a means by which the truth of the proposition that, " things will turn out well in the end, can be savored in the presence and secure in the future."(Wikipedia) Sometimes the term faith and belief are used together or interchangeable. To believe is is to accept something as true, to have firm faith especially religious faith. As Christan's we are taught, in scriptures, that Christ has made certain promises to us. It is the strength of this belief that He will honor theses promises that constitutes our "faith."
The scriptures tell us in Hebrews 11:1" What is faith? It is the confidence assurance that what we hope for is going to happen. It is the evidence of things we cannot yet see."(NLT) In Hebrew 11:3 we are told that by faith we can understand the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. Then the writers of Hebrews go on to give us example after example of those great one's of faith who depended on God's promises and believed in them.
How do we gain faith? The scriptures in Romans10:17 tells us that " faith come by hearing and hearing by the word of God." What does this really mean? It means that the Lord has in the scriptures and through the Holy Spirit given us all the information we need deal with the everyday challenges of this world. If you view the New Testament Covenant as a "Drama" written by the inspiration of God, produced by Jesus, and directed by the Holy Spirit. The script,(scriptures) teaches us, the "actors," our role and responsibilities in this "Life Drama." We are told the more we study and practice our part the more pleased the director, and greater our chance for a reward at the end. In 2 Timothy 3:16 we are told that the entire Bible is inspired by God and that we should read it and apply it to our lives. It tells us," all scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong with our lives.
What are some of the rights, promises and privileges that are available to us as believers? Well as Romans 12:2 tells us that we should not be conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." This requires that leap to faith that Kierkegaard speaks of, its our crossing the line into the spiritual realm, where all the privileges and promises exist.
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