It is interesting to note that a careful contrast of one’s faith and fate shows a huge difference. Why faith and fate differ? Why our survival in life depends on the leap of faith? What would be one’s fate without the faith? What is the source of faith and fate? Which is the survival guide for faithful?
One of the definitions of “Faith” by Webster’s dictionary is the “strong belief or trust in someone or something.” Faith is both a noun and verb. As we know that nowadays trusting someone has become very difficult. For instance, our faith in the government in most of the countries in the world has been badly shaken by recent scandals, corruptions, and lack of leadership, etc. Even most of the families are divided due to distrust and marital infidelities. In fact, it requires a giant leap of faith for us to believe in someone who is telling the truth.
On the contrary, “fate” by Webster’s definition is “a power that is believed to control what happens in the future.” In other words, fate implies an inevitable and usually an adverse outcome. Fate is also both a noun and verb. It is the prediction of a future happening or condition.
I noticed “fate” and “destiny” have distinct connotations. In addition, I observed an interesting contrast in an individual’s beliefs and its adverse outcome. For instance, a person who just believes himself and thinks he or she can control the final density based on his or her own efforts, and discredit the final destiny or resting place of the “soul.” A person, on the other hand, believes and trusts in someone who controls both the present and future life of his or her soul.
We know that historically the concept of fate and faith has played large roles in an individual’s belief in the existence of life in this world. Moreover, we also see that one’s belief in god controlled final destiny played an important role in various religions in the world. For example, Ancient Greek religion believed in Zenus as a responsible god for deciding and carrying out destiny. Fate in Gnosticism is the belief that salvation only for the “chosen ones.” In Indian religion (i.e., Hinduism and Buddhism), “Karma,” according to Britannica encyclopedia is “the universal causal law by which good or bad actions determine the future modes of an individual’s existence.”
In my opinion, one’s state of mind in which trust is placed in some person or thing determines the final destiny. In this context, I think faith and fate differ because one’s belief system plays a key role in predicting the future or destiny. For instance, a person who believes in future life or births conditioned by actions performed during one’s present life (“Karma”) for him or her life’s present survival good or bad deeds will determine the final destiny. For a person who believes that the events fixed by fate are unchangeable by human nature for him or her present life’s actions may or may not play role in determining the final destiny.
On the contrary, people who believe in God of the Bible who controls one’s final destiny, and trust in His Son Jesus Christ, who came to give everyone an eternal life. In this case, one’s actions or deeds follow faith in Son of God. As a result, one’s faith determines the final destiny, which is the eternal life. Christ said, “he who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him (Jn.3:36 NKJV).”
As we can see the prediction of one’s future condition in Christian belief system is the everlasting life. In this belief system one’s present and future life depends on trust in Son of God. This can be validated according to Christ’s statement that “no one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father. Very truly I tell you, the one who believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life (Jn. 6:46-48).” It is clear that fate of a person without the faith leads to final death as Christ stated that “do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell (Mt. 10:28 NIV).”
Based on aforementioned facts, the source of faith and fate depends on one’s religious beliefs system. In Christian beliefs, God of the Bible does not want anyone to be destroyed but to have an eternal life. Therefore, Jesus Christ said, “for God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life (Jn. 3:16 NKJV).” Even Apostle Paul assured us by stating that “if you declare with your mouth, Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved (Rom. 10:9-10 NIV).”
In regard to the survival guide for the faithful according to His word is the “Holy Bible.” In my opinion, due to one’s religious belief system, faith and fate differ; therefore, a choice is left one to decide as to whom to trust!