I Have A Question About Faith?

Question

A generally accepted definition of faith is that it's believing in something that cannot be proven. But don't fundamentalist Christians believe that Scripture is the literal word of God? Don't they take this as proof of everything they believe about God? If something is proven, then it does not require faith to believe it. Does this then mean that fundamentalist Christians are people without faith?

Here's an example of what I'm saying: The existence of God cannot be proven. If I believe in him without proof, then I have faith. If fundamentalist Christians believe that the bible is proof of everything they believe about God, then no faith is required. They have proof. Does this mean they are people without faith?

Answer 1

Faith is needed to believe the Bible is an authority at all. I have no faith in the assertion that the Bible is proof of God - though I will agree that it is a good theory for some people. Each of us feels we have personal proof of our faith - whether it is through a perceived miracle, an inner knowing, or it was told to us on good authority in a book or some other media.

I think you are saying that faith requires proof, since they think they have proof, it is faith at all - I say yes it is faith, because there is no proof that those events ever happened or that the people described in that book were not fictional. Fundamentalist merely believe it is so - they have no tangible proof either.

Peace!

PS - the definition of faith is available at dictionary.com:
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/faith

There are 9 definitions for the word.

Answer 2

Like most Christians, the fundamentalists think they have proof, but for the most part they misinterpret the scriptures. You might say that they have faith that what they read and hear is true, but what they read and hear from fellow members is distorted in most cases, Non-Christians see the flaws, but Christians wear blinders. Since no two Christians ever seem to interpret a scripture in exactly the same way, at some point faith is required to continue believing in your own interpretation.
Actually, noone needs faith until they are faced with a conflicting opinion. When they deny the obvious, the logical, they enter the world of blind faith.

Answer 3

No the bible is not proof of what they believe about God. They have faith that the bible is the word of God. The proof is only when you are trying to back up what you believe to another Christian who believes that the bible is the word of God.
I refer to scripture as proof to another Christian about a certain thing or topic. I do not refer to the bible as proof to a non believer, to a non believer I tell them scripture not as proof but only to help them understand God. There is no proof that God exists in the bible but if you do take the time to read it, it will help you to believe and have faith because everything comes together.
Anyone who believes in God but does not believe the bible is the word of God has no basis for their faith. You can't believe in the God of the bible and not take the bible literally. The bible is not an easy book to read so there is much confusion to someone who doesn't take the time to read all of it. It all makes sense if you put it all together.
But I Never ever use the bible as proof to a non christian about the existence of God. When I get asked some questions I may tell them what the bible says about it and that I believe it based on my faith of the God of the bible but its never proof.

Answer 4

1. Is the Bible Reliable?

The Original Manuscripts
susa
Excavation of Susa, city of
Queen Esther in Old Testament

There are no known original manuscripts of any of the books of the Bible. All we have are copies of the originals. No one knows for certain why the original manuscripts have perished. One very likely reason could be that the material on which they were written deteriorated and needed recopying. Or, that they were destroyed by the copyists when they made a new copy from it.

One thing we know for sure is that the Good News message within the Bible is more important than the technicalities of how we actually got a copy of it. For example, the Bible says, “Faith comes from hearing (Romans 10:17).” That verse teaches that a person can learn to trust God by hearing or reading the Bible for themselves, and not by studying historical evidence or lack thereof. After reading the Bible for yourself, then by faith you may begin to trust that the Bible is from God. It is the message in it that convicts people. Belief in the Son of God does not come by any other means than hearing the message of Him.

Answer 5

That is not how I see it. There are many who say that the bible is a fairy tale book. There are many who say that some of the things that are written in the bible are not to be taken literally and some are. When you are a Christian, you have faith in the bible. You also have faith in the things that the bible says. So when the bible tells us that Jesus is God's Son and He died on the cross for us, we have faith that that is true. When the bible gives us prophecy and says that Jesus will return, we have faith in that. And during rough periods in our life, we have faith that God is there with us through it. We have faith that as God's adopted children through Jesus Christ He will take care of us.

Answer 6

Christians these days NEED to have faith because of all the science is "proving" I mean the scientists can PROVE how the earth was made but the Christians have to learn to look past all of that and realize that God made the Earth and that the Bible is the most important thing.... and i looked at what i previously wrote. and im making a correction. But heres a NEW AND CORRECT example.

THERE WERE DINOSAURS!!! i mean we have the bones and everything to "prove" it.

but in the bible it never says anything about there being dinosaurs.
Believing in God and all that has to do with Christianity is faith.
You HAVE to have faith because of science in our world.
=]
hope i answered ur question

Answer 7

One mans proof is another mans faith. Those seeing with their eyes the miracles performed but their hearts wouldn't turn to be healed. Yet by the same instance those who saw the miracles and received the faith and then verbally spread the word, to those that received it from them would be even more faith. Yet the faith is on hearing and believing and the proof is on seeing and believing. Right?

Answer 8

well, personally, i believe what the bible says, completely and entirely. i don't believe whats not in the bible... if what they say in church is not in the bible i dont believe it.. i believe the bible, because the bible is God's Word. and I'm glad that i have my bible because once a preacher quoted a verse, and i flipped through my bible and the verse didn't exist. i don't think that the bible is proof, just something that God left behind along with the crucifixion of his Son to help us find the way to Him... the Lord left other gospels as well that are not in the be saved... look at the devil, he believes in God, but he is not nearly one of His followers. True faith is, indeed, believing without solid proof, and that is probably why we have so many atheists and antagonists today.

Answer 9

You have a point. You can believe in the God of the bible and not have faith, because he has given us proof beyond a reasonable doubt that the earth and all that is in it was created and has undeniable order and orginaztion from the adam to the universe. but you must have faith to trust in Jesus Christ for the salvation of your soul. or to get down on your knees and pray and ask the Lord for something.

Answer 10

Believing the Bible is Gods word, is faith.