Again, it is illogical to base
faith upon the private interpretation of a book. For
faith consists in submitting; private interpretation consists in judging. In
faith by hearing, the last word rests with the teacher; in private judgment it rests with the reader, who submits the dead text of
Scripture to a kind of
post-mortem examination and delivers a verdict without appeal: he believes in himself rather than in any higher authority.
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12495a.htm
Why are these people declaring the divinely inspired Word of God to be a dead thing?
FAITH is two different things;
three if you consider God.
1. Faith is a mental attitude based upon experience. (ie: I have faith that the sun will come up tomorrow morning.)
2. Faith is an encouragement from another human being. It may be a transmittal of emotional values or intellectual persuasion or just an observation. (How's the weather up there in Alaska or down in Florida?)
3. Faith is the SUBSTANCE of things hoped for, the EVIDENCE of things not seen (meaning spiritual things). (For example; God gives personal knowledge of Him to those who earnestly seek Him.)
Since I have faith that the faith of definition #3 is the faith in question, I believe that those don't have faith would of necessity mock those who do.
It is as ludicrous as the blind mocking the sighted because the latter admits to seeing a rainbow.
With regard to heavenly/spiritual matters, FAITH is actually something you can hold on to.
It is much more than an intellectual or emotional persuasion.
In fact, much of Christian teaching encourages the faithful to conform their mind and hearts to the spiritual substance of faith they have received.
Bottom line is that if you don't have it, you have no idea what you're talking about.
The solution is to get some and Jesus is the guy who hands it out.......for free. All you've got to do is ask for it.
You can't fluff yourself up to faith. It isn't the same as excitement at a football rally. It's not a mental attitude such as what a salesman must strive for.
It is only something you can get from God.
It is real. It is substantial. And its free for the asking.
