Believers: The Meeting of Reason and Faith

Introduction

• Must a person have some psychological weakness in order to be Christian?
• Must we be "gullible" in order to be Christian?

Romans 8:7 — Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

gullible: easily persuaded to believe something; credulous (having or showing too great a readiness to believe things.)

skeptical not easily convinced; having doubts or reservations.

critical thinking the objective analysis and evaluation of an issue in order to form a judgment.

• Is there a place for 'critical thinking' in Christianity?

• Is there room for questions in a life of faith?

• Christianisms

  • "You cannot know the answer to somethings until eternity."
  • "You just have to take it by faith."
  • God Said It; I Believe It, and That Settles It! [But did God say? Usurping God's Authority]

• How gullible is the naturalist? (the philosophical belief that everything arises from natural properties and causes, and supernatural or spiritual explanations are excluded or discounted.)

  • Has science disproved religion? (definite, directed faith)
  • Naturalism says there is no person like 'god'. Stronger than even Atheism.
  • Science: techniques for gleaning reliable knowledge from the natural world. (is not in its nature a contradiction to the supernature.)
  • Technique #1: Skepticism. Spend time disproving your favorite ideas so that you do not get sucked into wishful thinking.
  • Technique #2: Impericism. We are not smart enough to understand the world just by thinking about it, We must go out and LOOK AT IT, Observe.

Why Should We Believe

• Everyone should believe 'somethings'. (Impossible to believe in nothing.)
• To believe "nothing" is be vulnerable to critical fallacies. ('Default' beliefs)
• Faith gives answers to the Origin, Design, Purpose, Meaning of things or life. It gives a source of truth for Right and Wrong.
• "The Universe does not care about you." (Naturalism)

What Should We Believe

Who Should We Believe

Questions Asked by Believers

• The Gospels record 113 questions that Jesus answered.

Scriptures on Beleivers

Mark 16:17 — And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;

John 1:12 — But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

Ro 3:22 — Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:

Romans 4:11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also: 1Co 1:21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. 1Co 10:27 If any of them that believe not bid you to a feast, and ye be disposed to go; whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience sake. 1Co 14:22 Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe. Ga 3:22 But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. 2Th 1:10 When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day. Heb 10:39 But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.