Christians: If you know for "sure" god exists. Why do you need faith?

Question

Please click on the link below for the definition of faith.

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AlxHFRJSJONALirbthoqvkjd7BR.;_ylv=3?qid=20071207122919AAqtwGp

Answer 1

That is an excellent question.

The ORIGINAL meaning of that word has something to do with knowingness and being "in Spirit" and is not about mere belief. So the Original meaning was far beyond what people think these days.

This resource explains being "in Spirit" It is much more than mere belief... it is more like "knowingness" that comes from direct experience.

Answer 2

To paraphrase Simone Weil, I know God exists and I know God does not exist. Wherein lies the tension? I know God exists in the same way I know my love is no mere illusion. I know God does not exist in the sense that I am certain there is nothing in reality that corresponds to exactly what I mean when I say that word.

I need faith and I think certainty is really just projecting our fear of uncertainty onto others. Atheists who attack Christianity with passion and fundamentalists who know all have that in common - it is scary and unsatisfying to think life and existence is, at its core, a mystery beyond our understanding. Certainty is easier.

Answer 3

faith is believing in something you can't see, but know exist.

the best way to explain it to you is the following story:

a kid asked his dad what was faith and the dad took him to the attic and left him at the top of the stairs wiled he want to the bottom of the attic. The lights where off so it was very dark and the kid could not even see a thing. Once the dad reached the bottom of the attic he then told his son to jump from the stairs down for he would catch him. The kid was scared for he couldn't see a thing, but the father keeps on telling him to not to worry for he would catch him. finally the kid decided to jump and so he did and the dad caught him in the air. You see son that is faith believing on something you can't see, but you know is there.

That is faith.

for Christians faith is believing in what you can't see, but know it exist (God).

When you have true faith is when you put your trust in God 100%

meaning you don't worry about your problems even though debt collectors are colling you, your past due on every single payment, you don't have any money and your kids are all sick. For you know you put your part (worked all your hours at your job, but still dont make enough money) and trying your best to follow God's Word (by not sining) and you Gloryfy Him (not worring about it for you know he has everything under control). You wait patiantly for God's Blessing untill you reseive it.

That my friend is Faith. if you don't have faith then you don't beleive.

Answer 4

Faith and logic are antithetical. If religious adherents would admit that they believe for PERSONAL, rather than logical, reasons, THEN they would be honest about their "faith". But claiming faith on a logical, rational, basis is dishonest -- faith is a personal position . . . not a logical conclusion or rational choice.

Faith and doubt always go hand in hand. Faith without doubt is BLIND faith. It takes a closed mind to sublimate doubt to the point of blind faith. Normal people leaven their faith with a little common sense. Doubt always nibbles at the edges of faith. After all, without doubt, faith would have no context, no purpose, no meaning, no point. Would it?

Because there is no evidence for anything supernatural (including God), NOBODY can claim ANY knowledge of it. Anybody who does is a liar or delusional. It takes suspension of disbelief to believe in the supernatural: one must convince oneself that the impossible is possible. This is the opposite of curiosity. You have one life, one quest . . . and you choose to surrender it.

When people talk about faith, they're usually talking about the supernatural: God, angels, miracles, etc. There is, of course, lots of doubt involved because the supernatural is entirely outside the human (natural) realm. It's not so much that God, or angels can't exist . . . the real point is that NOBODY has access to the supernatural and thus NOBODY knows ANYTHING about it. Anybody who claims to have faith in something he knows absolutely nothing about is actually confessing to placing his imagination before, and above, his intellect.

Imagination has its place . . . but not where life decisions are involved. Placing imagination above intellect is surrendering your quest for meaning. You are surrendering the meaning of your life to your religion . . . to your version of God.

And that's fine. Just be honest about it. You gave up and made a leap of faith. Your faith is a personal position . . . not a valid logical conclusion.

Answer 5

it is not faith that God exists...it is faith in what He promises and says. it takes faith to forgive those who wrong you because in our hearts we naturally want to retaliate and God says forgive those who sin against you. it takes faith to do God's will which in many ways goes against our natural human nature and tendencies. do you understand? there is no doubt to a true christian that God exists...it believing He loves us as much as He does...with an "unfailing love".

Answer 6

Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things unseen.

Answer 7

No one knows for sure whether or not God exists. We are all agnostics one way or the other. I am pretty sure He exists, I have faith in Him, but I cannot be sure until I die.

Answer 8

Because we are Blessed by this faith.

John 20:29
"Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed."

Answer 9

We know for "sure" because we have faith.

Answer 10

For him to exist.