Believing is seeing, not the other way around!
I am
in the middle of reading a very thought-provoking book by Don Harris, called The Red Letter Questions: Meditations on the
Questions Jesus Asked. The central claim Harris makes is that Jesus, rather
than giving neat-and-tidy answers to the various issues we confront in our lives, often
asks questions of us instead. These questions are not just rhetorical in
nature, and so have their answers already suggested within them; but are open questions which, if we mediate upon
them seriously and so don’t view them superficially, apply to us all
personally, provoking us to radically rethink our lives and our place in
the world.
Harris
identifies and explores over 150 questions that Jesus poses throughout scripture
which fundamentally challenge our views concerning, for example, conventional
morality, our understanding of God, of established religious doctrine and
practices, our attitude to others, our concepts of the Messiah, the bible, ministry,
amongst many other things. Via these explorations, the meaning and character of
faith is also unpacked by Harris in response to one the most important questions
of Jesus, found in Luke 8:24-25: ‘Where is your faith?’ - this being posed just before Jesus calmed the storm to save
his disciples from drowning. The point is that the disciples did not see
the effects of Jesus’ miraculous power first, before they then believed, but
rather, had the faith to ask Jesus for help in the midst of their fear and trepidation.
Faith is, therefore, a
phenomenon which does not start with seeing
as a basis of belief, but rather invites us to step out in faith first, after which we then see the world aright and in the way
God intended. It is only at this point we can then ask the question the
disciples asked after the storm was calmed, namely: ‘Who then is this that He commands the wind and the sea, and
they obey Him?’ (Luke 8:25).
Click on book cover image on this blog's home page for information on my book Nine Steps to Well-Being: A Spiritual Guide for Disconnected Christians and Other Questioning Journeyers - first three chapters are FREE!!
Click on book cover image on this blog's home page for information on my book Nine Steps to Well-Being: A Spiritual Guide for Disconnected Christians and Other Questioning Journeyers - first three chapters are FREE!!
This speaks to me. I have been going through the long process of stepping away from many fundamental beliefs, (which I see as a certain type of "religion", or man- made rules and traditions). I have found the foundation of spiritual belief and faith in God to be wrapped up in the teachings of Jesus, as recorded in the New Testament. I don't get wrapped up in the arguments about how much of the Bible is true, accurate, myth, added to or taken away, etc. The main themes and lessons that can be learned from the texts are what is important. Jesus showed us that we were supposed to THINK! That idea is frightening to anyone who seeks power and control. Christianity (and all religions) is fraught with those who imposed their ideas upon the common people to dictate what made them spiritual - what made them good followers. Sadly, for the common person that did produce followers, but followers of another human being and not followers of God! So... ask the tough questions, if you are sincere in your desire to know God - he will find a way to communicate with you.
ReplyDeleteExcellent comments - yes this is precisely what I am trying to get at and what Harris is getting at too - especially that Jesus' questions, as you say, get us to think and to deepen our faith, which is the main point. Not to package up so-called 'sound doctrine' into neat-and-tidy once and for all answers which we all must then follow. Certainly doctrine is important but it is not everything and certainly should not replace the lived out relationship that we can all have with Christ as we grow and develop in him.
ReplyDeleteI agree. Also, by focusing more on doctrine (rules), instead of people, we become just like the Pharisees that Jesus commented about saying that they were more concerned about the letter of the law - and we lose our compassion. That is why is it hard to be like Jesus - finding the middle ground between grace and truth.
ReplyDeleteYes indeed OKWoman - your comment reminds of Mathew 23:24 and Jesus' warnings to the Pharisees: 'you strain out gnats and swallow a camel'!!
ReplyDelete