RE: Question about "faith"
September 17, 2020 at 10:16 am
(This post was last modified: September 17, 2020 at 10:17 am by Mister Agenda.)
(September 16, 2020 at 3:35 pm)John 6IX Breezy Wrote:(September 16, 2020 at 3:22 pm)The Grand Nudger Wrote: If we thunk really hard, we'd find that the dictonary's description of faith as trust was an effect of secular use...which doesn't express the fullness of a religious faith.
To the contrary, faith as belief without evidence is a byproduct of secular, more modern uses of the word, no doubt influenced by the rise of modern atheism.
Faith is a rather old religious word, crossing several languages, and dating back to periods when everybody thought God existed. That is why I quoted my definition from it's etymology. The Greek word used for faith in the NT, the only definition that matters, also leans towards trust. You can see remnants of that definition in English as well. Note that a faith-ful person is a loyal and trustworthy person; not a person that believes things blindly. Biblehub's Greek concordance describes faith in terms of a trust or warranty.
Why would faith go from being a bad thing (blind belief) within Christianity and become a good thing (trust) in secular parlance lol. It's clearly the opposite. Faith as trust is the religious use of the word. And as society became more secular it naturally took on the negative connotation of blind belief.
Faith comes from the Old French 'feid' which comes from the Latin 'fides' meant simply 'trust' or 'fidelity' in the 1200s when it became part of English, the separate religious sense of the word was necessary as the sense of trust involved was distinct from trust in mundane things. Words can have multiple senses, it's due to usage, and the idea that atheists have the power to change the dictionary definition is not just ludicrous but arguably paranoid. It's a complicated word with multiple senses, and has been for a very long time.
I found this definition in an 1828 dictionary:
FAITH, noun [Latin fides, fido, to trust; Gr. to persuade, to draw towards any thing, to conciliate; to believe, to obey. In the Greek Lexicon of Hederic it is said, the primitive signification of the verb is to bind and draw or lead, as signifies a rope or cable. But this remark is a little incorrect. The sense of the verb, from which that of rope and binding is derived, is to strain, to draw, and thus to bind or make fast. A rope or cable is that which makes fast. Heb.]
1. Belief; the assent of the mind to the truth of what is declared by another, resting on his authority and veracity, without other evidence; the judgment that what another states or testifies is the truth. I have strong faith or no faith in the testimony of a witness, or in what a historian narrates.
2. The assent of the mind to the truth of a proposition advanced by another; belief, or probable evidence of any kind.
3. In theology, the assent of the mind or understanding to the truth of what God has revealed. Simple belief of the scriptures, of the being and perfections of God, and of the existence, character and doctrines of Christ, founded on the testimony of the sacred writers, is called historical or speculative faith; a faith little distinguished from the belief of the existence and achievements of Alexander or of Cesar.
4. Evangelical, justifying, or saving faith is the assent of the mind to the truth of divine revelation, on the authority of God's testimony, accompanied with a cordial assent of the will or approbation of the heart; an entire confidence or trust in God's character and declarations, and in the character and doctrines of Christ, with an unreserved surrender of the will to his guidance, and dependence on his merits for salvation. In other words, that firm belief of God's testimony, and of the truth of the gospel, which influences the will, and leads to an entire reliance on Christ for salvation.
Being justified by faith Romans 5:1.
Without faith it is impossible to please God. Hebrews 11:1.
For we walk by faith and not by sight. 2 Corinthians 5:7.
With the heart man believeth to righteousness. Romans 10:6.
The faith of the gospel is that emotion of the mind, which is called trust or confidence, exercised towards the moral character of God, and particularly of the Savior.
FAITH is an affectionate practical confidence in the testimony of God.
FAITH is a firm, cordial belief in the veracity of God, in all the declarations of his word; or a full and affectionate confidence in the certainty of those things which God has declared, and because he has declared them.
5. The object of belief; a doctrine or system of doctrines believed; a system of revealed truths received by christians.
They heard only, that he who persecuted us in times past, now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed. Galatians 1:23.
6. The promises of God, or his truth and faithfulness.
shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? Rom 3.
7. An open profession of gospel truth.
Your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. Rom 1.
8. A persuasion or belief of the lawfulness of things indifferent.
Hast thou faith? Have it to thyself before God. Rom 14.
9. Faithfulness; fidelity; a strict adherence to duty and fulfillment of promises.
Her failing, while her faith to me remains, I would conceal.
Children in whom is no faith Deuteronomy 32:20.
10. Word or honor pledged; promise given; fidelity. He violated his plighted faith
For you alone I broke my faith with injured Palamon.
11. Sincerity; honesty; veracity; faithfulness. We ought in good faith to fulfill all our engagements.
12. Credibility or truth. Unusual.]
The faith of the foregoing narrative.
I'm not anti-Christian. I'm anti-stupid.