Belief versus (Vs.) faith or faith vs. belief, are they mutually inclusive or exclusive? Which one comes first, either belief or faith? Can human beings live without either belief or faith and vice versa?
Similar questions along with a few thoughts crossed my mind as I was taking a walk late Saturday afternoon in our Township Park. Like many others, due to a “stay-home” order by our State officials, I am unable to attend tomorrow’s morning Easter Service in any Church; therefore I thought of meditating and writing a short blog on this topic.
When this thought crossed my mind the first time it sounded like the proverbial question “Which came first, the chicken or the egg?” My desire to know more about this topic led me to study in depth the meaning of belief and faith.
The definition of belief (noun) according to Webster’s Dictionary is “Confidence in the truth or existence of something not immediacy susceptible to rigorous proof.” Likewise, the definition of “faith” (noun) by the same dictionary is a “belief that is not based on proof.”
Based on the definition of both belief and faith (nouns), it appears that they are mutually inclusive. This means the events cannot occur independently. In other words, both events occur simultaneously. But as we know for two events to occur simultaneously, there must be an action (verb). However, according to English grammar, “faith” is both a noun and a verb, whereas “belief” is only a noun. If that is the case, then even though belief and faith are mutually inclusive with synonym words, an action (verb) is required and in this case, it is the “faith” an action word.
From our Higher School education we know that “for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction (Newton’s third law of motion).” If we apply this law to an action (i.e., faith) then in my opinion we can expect the equal (i.e., belief) and opposite (i.e., skeptic) reaction results. Therefore, I think some people have faith and some people develop skepticism and doubt. In this situation, it appears as if we are fighting for our faith (1 Tim. 6:12 KJV). Otherwise, by default, we may lose the fight. Meaning, we may end up like a skeptic. For instance, Bertrand Russell in his book titled “Will Religious Faith Cure Our Troubles (Ch. 7 Pt 2: Human Society in Ethics and Politics)” states that “skeptical of religion tend to think of faith as simply belief without evidence.”
As part of my studies, I did a quick online search to see how many people are searching for “faith and belief” words. To my surprise, it turned out to be 1,340, 000,000 results in 66 seconds for the faith word, and 933,000,000 results in 46 seconds for the belief word. As you can see more people are searching for the word “faith.” What makes people search currently for words of faith and belief when the world is occupied with COVID-19 pandemic panic and fear?
In the context of “Easter” observance, how many people believe (verb) in Jesus Christ’s resurrection, and how many still doubt? As we know “faith” also means belief or trust. If skeptics think of faith as simply a belief without evidence then it makes me think that they have no trust in anyone in this world. If they trust someone, then in my opinion that is the proof of evidence.
In the context of Christianity, “faith” is an action (verb); therefore the book of Hebrews in the New Testament states that “now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for. 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 (1-3 NIV).” Most of us know that “faith without works is dead (James 2:20 NKJV). Even Jesus Christ after His resurrection told doubting Disciple Thomas by saying “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed (John 20:29 NIV).” In other words, we are blessed!
In conclusion, even though belief and faith are mutually inclusive, in my opinion, faith is a verb (action) and it comes first and belief follows after. Even we see in the Bible that “without faith, it is impossible to please God because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him (Heb. 11:6 NIV).”
At this juncture, I am reminded of Apostle Paul’s statement that “therefore since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us (Rom 5:1-5 NIV).”
Finally, in my opinion, no human being can live without trusting someone. On this Easter day let it be our prayer that any person who is skeptical about Jesus Christ’s resurrection let him or her come to know the truth about risen Christ the Savior who gives the Eternal life.
Disclaimer:
The views expressed in this blog post are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or beliefs of any organizations mentioned or affiliated with the author. The information provided is based on personal reflection and research and should not be construed as professional advice. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the information presented, readers are encouraged to conduct their research and consult with relevant experts or authorities for any specific inquiries or concerns.
Additionally, references to religious beliefs and texts are presented within the context of personal reflection and should not be interpreted as advocating for any particular religious doctrine. The author assumes no responsibility or liability for any errors, omissions, or inaccuracies in the content provided.
Happy Easter!