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Faith?

dybmh

ויהי מבדיל בין מים למים
No I have not heard of that I will have to look into it thanks
Take that concept and apply it to what some of the others are talking about...

Faith is a way to defeat Existential Dread ( and other things too ).
 

pearl

Well-Known Member

I'm not sure I quite understand you totally, the simple fact that I am desperate is what drives me to seek forgiveness? Does that make any sense

I think one who is in despair has given up on seeking forgiveness maybe do to a feeling of unworthiness, self judgment, without allowing oneself to see oneself as God sees her/him.
 

Alone

Banned by request
Take that concept and apply it to what some of the others are talking about...

Faith is a way to defeat Existential Dread ( and other things too ).
Okay so I did a little bit of reading on existentialism and some parts seem to fit but others are way off, what category is existentialism or socialism or any "ism" found in, I'd like to try to Google a list of them if you know that is?
 

Alone

Banned by request
I think one who is in despair has given up on seeking forgiveness maybe do to a feeling of unworthiness, self judgment, without allowing oneself to see oneself as God sees her/him.
Not sure I understand, I am not God, so how can I know how God sees me? As far as I know the Bible that I read says that I am not worthy.
 

dybmh

ויהי מבדיל בין מים למים
Okay so I did a little bit of reading on existentialism and some parts seem to fit but others are way off, what category is existentialism or socialism or any "ism" found in, I'd like to try to Google a list of them if you know that is?
Exactly.. some parts fit. but others are way off.... I agree 100%.

I'm not sure that a list would be helpful in the context of Faith. I think a general understanding is all that's needed.

But that's just me.
 

Alone

Banned by request
Exactly.. some parts fit. but others are way off.... I agree 100%.

I'm not sure that a list would be helpful in the context of Faith. I think a general understanding is all that's needed.

But that's just me.
Oh I was only wanting the list to gather information on different perspectives. It's not really that important.
 

dybmh

ויהי מבדיל בין מים למים
@Alone, I personally find that a practical approach to Faith is most intellectually satisfying. It's a utility, a tool. A very powerful tool that has many uses. But that's not all it is. It's just one dimension. When my brain get's tied up in knots about it.. I unravel it... one way that I do that is try to think of it from a practical perspective.

To me the most obvious practical application of Faith is to help relieve the discomfort from Existential Dread. But it's just one example. And it's coming from the practical perspective.

There are other dimensions of Faith. But maybe it's easier to look at from a practical perspective while you're exploring and trying to connect the dots. Maybe think of it as "tabling the discussion of the deeper implications and nature of Faith for another time". That way, again, just being practical... your brain is free to think of other things, and figure other things out.

That's just what works for me. And it's ongoing. My brain gets tied up in knots all the time. I just try to unravel it, go with whats practical.

Do my best, forget the rest... yada-yada-yada
 

Alone

Banned by request
@Alone, I personally find that a practical approach to Faith is most intellectually satisfying. It's a utility, a tool. A very powerful tool that has many uses. But that's not all it is. It's just one dimension. When my brain get's tied up in knots about it.. I unravel it... one way that I do that is try to think of it from a practical perspective.

To me the most obvious practical application of Faith is to help relieve the discomfort from Existential Dread. But it's just one example. And it's coming from the practical perspective.

There are other dimensions of Faith. But maybe it's easier to look at from a practical perspective while you're exploring and trying to connect the dots. Maybe think of it as "tabling the discussion of the deeper implications and nature of Faith for another time". That way, again, just being practical... your brain is free to think of other things, and figure other things out.

That's just what works for me. And it's ongoing. My brain gets tied up in knots all the time. I just try to unravel it, go with whats practical.

Do my best, forget the rest... yada-yada-yada
Well I understand exactly what you're saying, however there is not a switch in my brain to just turn it off for some reason I'm incapable of just forgetting things?
 

Alone

Banned by request
Well I understand exactly what you're saying, however there is not a switch in my brain to just turn it off for some reason I'm incapable of just forgetting things?
Maybe this is why I have separated myself for the time being, I can read things that may or may not make perfect sense yet the application eludes me, therefore I feel like an outcast, in other words other people can do things that I cannot, so I feel burdensome and out of place and so on
 

pearl

Well-Known Member
Not sure I understand, I am not God, so how can I know how God sees me? As far as I know the Bible that I read says that I am not worthy.

None of us are 'worthy'. 1John does not state that God loves, but that God is love.
Both Hebrew Scripture and Christian Scripture abound with God's love for us.
You, Lord, are forgiving and good, abounding in love to all who call to you. Psalm 86:5.
As far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our sins from us. Psalm 103:12

Peter asks Jesus how many times he must forgive, Jesus replied 70x70.
God's unconditional love is his gift of self, we are free to choose to accept or reject.
 

dybmh

ויהי מבדיל בין מים למים
Well I understand exactly what you're saying, however there is not a switch in my brain to just turn it off for some reason I'm incapable of just forgetting things?
Agreed. I was imaging drawing a bow-string, not a light switch... ( it's a primitive over simplified analogy, but that's what I was thinking about )
 

dybmh

ויהי מבדיל בין מים למים
None of us are 'worthy'
That's why people desire fellowship? It makes this realization less painful?

Faith can come in and "pick up the slack" so to speak? Because Faith says: "You are worthy". Or even better:

"We, working together, are worthy"
 

Alone

Banned by request
None of us are 'worthy'. 1John does not state that God loves, but that God is love.
Both Hebrew Scripture and Christian Scripture abound with God's love for us.
You, Lord, are forgiving and good, abounding in love to all who call to you. Psalm 86:5.
As far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our sins from us. Psalm 103:12

Peter asks Jesus how many times he must forgive, Jesus replied 70x70.
God's unconditional love is his gift of self, we are free to choose to accept or reject.
Ok
 

Alone

Banned by request
That's why people desire fellowship? It makes this realization less painful?

Faith can come in and "pick up the slack" so to speak? Because Faith says: "You are worthy". Or even better:

"We, working together, are worthy"
I am sorry, there's another person talking about being worthy also and I just do not feel that way, I feel like I am not worthy and there is absolutely nothing I can do to make myself Worthy! I feel that only God can say whether I am worthy or not, not I.
 

dybmh

ויהי מבדיל בין מים למים
I am sorry, there's another person talking about being worthy also and I just do not feel that way, I feel like I am not worthy and there is absolutely nothing I can do to make myself Worthy! I feel that only God can say whether I am worthy or not, not I.
No need to be sorry. I completely relate to how you're feeling. I'm just slightly better at keeping it in check. it takes practice.
 

Neuropteron

Active Member
Hebrews 11
1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
I know the Bible teaches that salvation cannot be earned by works that being said my question is this.
How does a person prove to himself whether or not he has faith based on this verse?

"Just as the body withour spirit is dead, so also faith withour works is dead".(James 2:26)

So according to James, a person's actions should harmonize with his faith.
 

roberto

Active Member
Faith?

Just thinking out loud...............

Taking my vehicle to the mechanic to fix and he tells me he believes(has faith) that he can fix it.

Would I appoint this guy to work on my Mercedes Benz ?
 

roberto

Active Member
I know the Bible teaches that salvation cannot be earned by works ...............

It depends on what kind of works is spoken of here.

Can the works of fixing a vehicle "save" one?

There are two kinds of works spoken of in the bible;

Works of Torah(first 5 books) and works of men(man made laws)
 
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