(Repost from 4/29/09)
I believe there is a false dichotomy between faith and reason that is the cause of much religious angst in the Christian community. For some reason or another, an idea has developed that says faith is exclusive of reason and vice versa. Many would say that if you accept things by faith as truth, then you are necessarily excluding the reasoned basis for accepting those things as truth. Contrarily, if you choose to accept something as true based on a reasoned analysis, then you have, by definition, ruled out accepting that very same thing "by faith".
Since I want to explore the theological issues behind the reluctance of missionaries to be responsible for their own security, I must start here at the core of the issue: How does Faith interact with Reason? I am of the opinion that reason is the basis for faith, not its antithesis. Let me explain using the Hebrews 11 passage (again).
1 Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. 2 This is what the ancients were commended for.
3 By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.
3 By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.
The author is not arguing here that faith is ignoring what is seen. He is not saying that faith means we throw out things that can be empirically verified, tested, or observed. Neither is he saying that that faith is believing in something that is "unknowable". Rather, the author is accepting that things can be known (the "universe" in verse 3), observed, and tested. He is not ignoring what is seen, what is rational, but he is extending beyond it to things that he cannot see.
He offers the historical as part of his evidence: When the world was created, we accept that what we can see, taste, touch, smell, and hear, was created from things that we can't experience with those senses. We can know that the world exists, and we can know that some things are still beyond us, but we have faith that those things are still true. So faith and reason are both parts of knowledge. They are two sides to the same coin.
Let's take this conceptual framework and make it practical. You accept God's promises as true because you have seen evidence of them, and have experienced them yourself. Take this promise:
He offers the historical as part of his evidence: When the world was created, we accept that what we can see, taste, touch, smell, and hear, was created from things that we can't experience with those senses. We can know that the world exists, and we can know that some things are still beyond us, but we have faith that those things are still true. So faith and reason are both parts of knowledge. They are two sides to the same coin.
Let's take this conceptual framework and make it practical. You accept God's promises as true because you have seen evidence of them, and have experienced them yourself. Take this promise:
Heb. 13:5 as quoting Deut. 31:8 "I will never leave you or forsake you".
Partner it with this promise:
Matt. 6:28-30 "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?"
Now we would all say that we trust God to provide for our needs and take care of us. And yet, if any one of us were to stop working, stop dressing ourselves, stop making any effort to supply ourselves with sustenance and say "the Lord will provide", we would be universally condemned as fools. If you stop lifting your fork to your mouth, do you believe God will do it for you? No! It doesn't pass the common sense test! God gave you a brain for a reason, and to reason!
You do not live your life on "blind faith", though you may give it lip service! So then I must ask this question: Why then would a person, who is called by God to enter a dangerous environment to preach and live out the Gospel of Christ, knowing the dangers they are bound to face, do nothing to protect their life and health, saying "the Lord will protect me"? Courage becomes foolishness when it is not combined with reason.
Next Time: Security as Stewardship
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