Faith Seeking Understanding
- Describe the meaning and significance of the description of Christianity as “faith seeking understanding.”
Faith seeking understanding translates to understanding intellectually what we already believe. According to Christianity, faith comes from hearing and obeying God’s word, then seeking to understand the gospel’s divine and distinctive concepts. Daniel J. Treier, in his book, Introducing Evangelical Theology states that ‘In faith, we hear God’s speech; in seeking we prayerfully contemplate the sources of this divine revelation; in pursuit of understanding we practice theological disciplines.’ The book claims that faith is personal and involves a whole person as in Mark 12:29, where we are commanded to love God with everything we have.
When Ahaz disobeyed God by forming a foreign alliance because he did not believe that God would save Judah, God told Ahaz in Isaiah 7:14, “Unless you believe, you shall not understand.” Without faith, we cannot hear God’s word and without seeking understanding and will tend to twist the scriptures according to our own understanding[1]. The Holy Spirit aids us in hearing God’s Word, interrupting our vague understanding, and interpreting God’s work for us. Prayer is a way of showing faith seeking understanding as Christians await the fulfillment of God’s promises in the bible.
- Can humans access a natural law? State why or why not in practical terms.
Yes, humans can access the natural laws but only by the power of grace, as it is nearly impossible. One’s subconscious should be in harmony with God’s consciousness to receive insight from above. One should also live as created in the image and likeness of God. This can be achieved through worship, deep prayer, and meditating on the word of God.
[1] Treier, Daniel J. Introducing Evangelical Theology. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Publishing Group, 2019.