Men of little faith, why do you fear?

Question

Thanks philosophers for all the answers. Have a great day!

Answer 1

According to the age old English phraseology, 'men of little faith' in fact means those who have no faith at all... these people have faith only in themselves..... such people can not escape fear because fear is the natural defense mechanism in our psyche to protect us from any danger. Therefore men of little faith must have fear as an essential part of themselves.

Those who have total faith need have no faith in themselves, hence they can be totally fearless..... for instance, the kid on its mother's lap has no fear at all.

Answer 2

IF people have little faith what would they be fearing?? The lost of Heaven?? They don't believe in an after life so what would they fear?? I would think that there is little that they fear and little that could get them to change the way that they live. If you don't have a belief in God than what do they have to fear.

Answer 3

I am wearing a bomb belt and when I pull the detonator you shall go to hell and I shall go to heaven. Does that answer your question?

The Will is positive, the Judgment is negative.

Here's an interesting story: http://thetyee.ca/Views/2007/10/08/GodPolitics/?utm_source=mondayheadlines&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=081007

'God Isn't a Politician
What would Jesus do in DC? A Canadian believer's letter to progressive Christians in the USA.
By Will Braun
Published: October 8, 2007


TheTyee.ca
I write from a healthy distance: 1,566 miles, one international border and a curious cultural divide away from Capitol Hill, the global epicenter of raw power. Things must look different from out here on the snowy Canadian prairie because I just don't understand how progressive Christians -- with whom I generally agree -- have become so caught up in the machinations of super-power.

Whether it's Jim Wallis's bestselling God's Politics: Why the Right Gets It Wrong and the Left Doesn't Get It, the Network of Spiritual Progressives standing up to the Righteous Religious lobby, justice-minded U.S. evangelicals meeting with Britain's prime minister-in-waiting to make poverty history, or Barack and Hillary addressing Sojourners magazine's Pentecost event in D.C., it seems increasing attention is paid to what happens in Washington and how close one's favored kind of Christians are to the action.

I know it makes a huge difference who is president, and I certainly think citizens should apply savvy and creativity to the political process. But this capitol-intensive Christianity I see among progressives -- this form of faith so concerned with being involved in what happens at the top -- makes me uneasy. Doesn't the church have a higher calling?

So, for what it's worth, here are three admittedly unsolicited suggestions from the political backseat of the continent.'

http://thetyee.ca/Views/2007/10/08/GodPolitics/?utm_source=mondayheadlines&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=081007

Answer 4

Hi Third P.

"Men (and women) of little faith, why do you fear?"

I believe there is no such thing as "of little faith." Either you truly have faith, or you do not have faith. You believe, or you do not believe.

Maybe it should be, "people who still sin, why do you fear?" The truth is that we are all human, therefore weak; and we will sin, regardless of how hard we try not to do so.
However, the answer would still be the same — if they fear, then they have no faith.

God forgives us our sins, when we repent; therefore, there is nothing to fear. Obviously, that does not mean we have free license to go out & sin any time we want "because we will be forgiven." That would be ludicrous. When we believe in Jesus, we WANT to be like Him; but we never can be completely without sin, no matter how hard we try. To even think we can is sinful, because that would be saying we can be as perfect as God, when that is not possible.

We are humans, and we should strive to live as Jesus teaches us. However, we do know that on those occasions when we fail, God will forgive us.

Those who truly have faith have nothing to fear. God has promised us salvation. He sent His only Son to earth in human form, the ONLY perfect human. Jesus taught us how to act, how to treat each other, and, most importantly that because He would die in our place, we are assured a place in Heaven.

If you have faith, there is nothing to fear. I and the people of my church join together, not "out of mutual fear," as one person suggested, but out of mutual love & joy. We join together in communal worship, in celebration of God's perfect love for us.

I guess the saying should be changed to:

"People who have faith, there is nothing to fear."

Peace.

Answer 5

I think this is a religious quesiton, because Jesus often said, "O ye of little faith...".

He said this to his own followers. So even they were weak. Everyone is afraid from time to time. It is called being human.

Men and women of "faith" as we consider the word today will be afraid. This because no one is perfect, not one. Men and women without "faith" as we consider the word today will be afraid. This because no one is perfect, not one.

To be without fear is ideal, but it is not human.

Answer 6

a self-deceiving question...
with its own specious answer...

philosophers only [try to] know what is consistent or not consistent within a particular philosophical construct...
with its attendent a priori assumptions
that is not the realm of "faith"

theologians, however...
can only hope that they are correct

those of us that know...do not fear
those of you with a "little faith"...fear...

if you are to have faith at all...you have to have all faith so as to move mountains...and the charity to not be [so] puffed up

Answer 7

That infamous 4 letter word which begins with an f. The great identifier which is either aggressive and direct or passive and afraid. The man is the one who determines the outcome, and how the f word serves him best, or defeats him...take care...

Answer 8

I'm sorry but i think the best to answer your question are the men of little faith.I cannot speak for them nor give a sincere opinion.

Answer 9

The ones with little faith are afraid so they have to own their little guns.

Answer 10

Religious groups are really just social clubs. They join together out of mutual fear. And they call themselves people of faith out of denial.