Faith! What is it?
Faith is the complete trust and confidence in someone or something.
Can it be taught?
This is a complicated question. Faith and fear share the same definition; the only difference is one is positive, the other negative. Humans build trust and confidence in others by the reliance on their repeated, consistent actions. These actions shape our experiences which create a form of knowledge we come to rely on. Since all knowledge is learned, the true answer, as it applies to faith; and fear by proxy, is yes it can be taught as long as the entity creating the actions can be depended upon or is heavily relied upon. All actions matter!
How do we acquire faith as it pertains to our God?
The spiritual lessons learned from our guardians are passed down to us as children. They are usually our first experiences with God, with religious denominations, and religion in general. As children mature, they experiment with other religions, dive deeply into their current denomination or choose to evade their spiritual persona all together. This is a normal process; to question what one believes. It is the method we use to seek out any truth. All the Saint went through the exact process. During this examination process, some people even go so far as to create their own denomination so they can control the doctrine they believe to be true and are willing to follow. Sadly, most people don’t want to know the truth, they only want the constant reassurance that what they believe is the truth.
To have faith in God or His Church, we once more must depend on the Power of the Wisdom of Three. The faithful must possess three-character traits. We must have a strong undeniable belief in the eternal living nature of God. (The living God truly does exist.) We must implicitly trust what we know and believe of God to be true. (My knowledge of God is true.) Finally, as a follower, we must have unshakable confidence that God will always act in our best interest. (I can always depend on God.) Truth leads to Trust which brings Confidence.
God existed long before any man-made religion or denomination. Religion is man’s way of trying to understand our creator by using a church’s doctrines and traditions to bring us closer to our God and to His eternal truths. The man Jesus came into the world as a Jew and Christians believe He left as a Christian but not before teaching all people the dogmas and traditions He/God wants us to follow.
If this is my last post, I want all to know there was only one purpose for all that I have written; to have made a positive difference in the lives of others. “Inquisitio veritatis”
Jules Boquet “Conversation on Truth”
August 14, 2021
Tony Boquet
I excerpted three points from your writings.
1.
“Inquisitio veritatis” = investigation into
truth…seeking and searching to find Truth.
2.
“Truth leads to Trust which brings Confidence.”
3.
“Sadly, most people don’t want to know the truth, they only want the constant reassurance that what they believe is the truth.”
Tony,
Your search for truth is refreshing in a world which wants to only reaffirm that their opinions are right.
This worldly process of opinions becoming truth has steps: first, a person’s thoughts become opinions; second, their opinions become their beliefs; third, their beliefs become their truth upon which their lives are based and built.
The only problem…most of the time what people believe is not true. And when a person’s truth is not true, it leads a person down a hazardous path of confusion and instability in life. The person doesn’t even know that they have become a victim of their own belief system.
Truth is different.
Truth is true, regardless what a person thinks. It is the reference point of life where the ground is stable. It is not based upon opinion. It is based on reality, a preexistent standard that is always the same.
Truth leads to a life built on stable beliefs. When problems arise, truth is the instant compass to see what to think and what to do next.
Jesus defined Himself as the Truth. The truth leads the Way to Life. He is the Way, the Truth, the Life.
Jesus speaks about life now as an eternal continuum. It is life eternal. It goes on forever if you believe. Believe the truth, that is.
This kind of eternal life is based in truth. This kind of truth is not based on personal opinions. It is based knowing God.
True knowledge of God must be sought out. Seek and you will find. “Inquisitio veritatis” is an investigation into
truth, a seeking and searching to find Truth. Those who seek God shall find Him. Seeking the True God results in finding Truth.
And those who know truth shall be set free: free to be who you are created to be. Freedom to do what is right. Freedom to go in the right pathway that is found in knowledge of truth.
Truth comes first, then trust. As you reasoned in your quest for truth, “Truth leads to Trust which brings Confidence.” Confidence is the reassurance that the life you are living is based upon truth. Truth that is true. Truth that you can stand upon. Truth that you can confidently share with your loved ones, because you know that the same truth that set you free will set them free.
In fact, this truth that is true will set captives free. You can share this kind of truth with the world, because it is true and it is true for everyone.
As you wrote, “Sadly, most people don’t want to know the truth, they only want the constant reassurance that what they believe is the truth.” That is why repentance is needed in every life. Repentance from that which is falsely believed, a turning away from godless paths; from your opinion that has become your god; and turning to the TRUE God (the God of Truth) as your source of truth for your life.
When you do that, you are free from the domination of your own opinion, and the opinion of others. Your life is no longer based upon a constant reassurance of you being right. Instead it becomes a search for what is right, what is Truth. It becomes a search for truth that is found in what God thinks, not what you think. It is a search for the via, veritas, vita. The way, the truth, the life.