Faith of Belief
What must have it been like for Abraham to hear the YHWH? To hear from the Creator of the Universe, the God who had made a covenant with him, to hear Him command that he, Abraham, take his son of promise (Isaac) and sacrifice him?
The question that arises then is: Why would Abraham obey God?
The pat Christianese answer is "Because Abraham has faith." Which is true, but how many people nowadays would actually go out and sacrifice their child of promise just because YHWH commanded it? How many people nowadays would not attempt to reason or bargain with God (which can be done just see Abraham's plea for Sodom and Moses' plea for the Hebrews). If one is honest this phrase, while truthful, get's thrown out to people because it's the easy answer, but no one actually stops to think about what it means.
Most people would probably turn tail and abandon God because at that point He seems no better than the pagan Gods or declaring there is "no God" seems better than worshiping a God who demands you to sacrifice your child.
But Abraham doesn't do that. Why would Abraham obey God?
Some might argue that Abraham actually didn't love Isaac. That's ridiculously because Isaac was a miracle son in an age where having sons was important for the continuation of bloodlines and tribes; nor was Isaac a child from a handmaiden or a dead-brother's wife. This was his long awaited and promised son through his head wife Sarah. The one YHWH had promised him and delivered.
Why would Abraham obey God?
I argue that Abraham obeyed God, not because he believed YHWH in the end would spare Isaac, but because he had faith that his son would be spared. Belief and faith are two different things though in today's Western culture those two appear to be almost interchangeable, probably because the two are so closely related.
"Faith is the reality of what we hope for, the proof of what we don’t see." Hebrews 11:1 (CEB)
"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." (ESV)
Abraham had faith that YHWH would not allow his son to actually die or, perhaps if not that, giving him another son or even raising Isaac from the dead (Hebrews 11:17-19). But Abraham had faith that YHWH would not actually allow his son to die. He might not have believed that. In order to believe something, one must be assured of it, but Abraham had no such assurance. He only had the assurance that his faith would be rewarded because his faith had been rewarded before with Isaac being that living proof.
This obedience of Abraham through his faith is much different than the blind faith many churches seem to preach. Most probably don't mean to preach blind faith. Blind faith is "doing what God commands because God commands it" as if there is no anxiety involved with obeying God. How can it be true faith if there is no wrestling? No late night wonderings if this is truly what God has commanded and asked of you?
Faith grows when one acts in faith and it becomes belief. Abraham had faith that YHWH would not actually allow Isaac to die, but he was prepared to have Isaac die anyway because unless he went out and did as YHWH commanded then he had no faith. His faith was rewarded with belief and the life of his son. Abraham's faith became belief. His belief begot nations and his belief begot the promised Messiah, Jesus Christ.
What's the point then? What was the point of this test? Was it so that thousands of years after Abraham we could have a symbolic story of Jesus Christ being laid upon the altar? Of the sacrificed son? Maybe. There's definitely symbolism there.
On this point I argue that the point was to teach faith through obedience. Not belief per se, but faith. If faith is as I argued above being different from belief, then it's a lesson on faithfulness through obedience. One does not need to understand the Lord in order to obey. The Lord does not ask for our obedience because He is God and what He says goes. He asks us for our obedience because He has promised us greater things than what this world has to offer.
Our faith may turn to belief. That is a good thing. It means we're growing in our walk with the Lord. But not everything will be without anxiety and therefore we always return to faith even when we believe. I believe in the Scriptures, I believe in God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit. I believe the tenants of the Christian faith because I have faith that God moved and spoke from before time began; I believe because I have faith that the Holy Spirit guides me and that the gospel which has been given to me was God-breathed and guarded throughout the ages.
This tension exists between faith and belief and it's beautiful and complicated and I have faith that every moment of faith I walk in will someday turn to belief. Whether for me or for others. A faithful good-work that begins with me may not come to pass until after I am long gone and dead. I have faith that the children who I teach in catechesis will grow up to guard the gospel which is being given to them in the days of their youth; but I have no guarantee of it.
Why would I obey God?
Because I have faith in Him.
The question that arises then is: Why would Abraham obey God?
The pat Christianese answer is "Because Abraham has faith." Which is true, but how many people nowadays would actually go out and sacrifice their child of promise just because YHWH commanded it? How many people nowadays would not attempt to reason or bargain with God (which can be done just see Abraham's plea for Sodom and Moses' plea for the Hebrews). If one is honest this phrase, while truthful, get's thrown out to people because it's the easy answer, but no one actually stops to think about what it means.
Most people would probably turn tail and abandon God because at that point He seems no better than the pagan Gods or declaring there is "no God" seems better than worshiping a God who demands you to sacrifice your child.
But Abraham doesn't do that. Why would Abraham obey God?
Some might argue that Abraham actually didn't love Isaac. That's ridiculously because Isaac was a miracle son in an age where having sons was important for the continuation of bloodlines and tribes; nor was Isaac a child from a handmaiden or a dead-brother's wife. This was his long awaited and promised son through his head wife Sarah. The one YHWH had promised him and delivered.
Why would Abraham obey God?
I argue that Abraham obeyed God, not because he believed YHWH in the end would spare Isaac, but because he had faith that his son would be spared. Belief and faith are two different things though in today's Western culture those two appear to be almost interchangeable, probably because the two are so closely related.
"Faith is the reality of what we hope for, the proof of what we don’t see." Hebrews 11:1 (CEB)
"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." (ESV)
Abraham had faith that YHWH would not allow his son to actually die or, perhaps if not that, giving him another son or even raising Isaac from the dead (Hebrews 11:17-19). But Abraham had faith that YHWH would not actually allow his son to die. He might not have believed that. In order to believe something, one must be assured of it, but Abraham had no such assurance. He only had the assurance that his faith would be rewarded because his faith had been rewarded before with Isaac being that living proof.
This obedience of Abraham through his faith is much different than the blind faith many churches seem to preach. Most probably don't mean to preach blind faith. Blind faith is "doing what God commands because God commands it" as if there is no anxiety involved with obeying God. How can it be true faith if there is no wrestling? No late night wonderings if this is truly what God has commanded and asked of you?
Faith grows when one acts in faith and it becomes belief. Abraham had faith that YHWH would not actually allow Isaac to die, but he was prepared to have Isaac die anyway because unless he went out and did as YHWH commanded then he had no faith. His faith was rewarded with belief and the life of his son. Abraham's faith became belief. His belief begot nations and his belief begot the promised Messiah, Jesus Christ.
What's the point then? What was the point of this test? Was it so that thousands of years after Abraham we could have a symbolic story of Jesus Christ being laid upon the altar? Of the sacrificed son? Maybe. There's definitely symbolism there.
On this point I argue that the point was to teach faith through obedience. Not belief per se, but faith. If faith is as I argued above being different from belief, then it's a lesson on faithfulness through obedience. One does not need to understand the Lord in order to obey. The Lord does not ask for our obedience because He is God and what He says goes. He asks us for our obedience because He has promised us greater things than what this world has to offer.
Our faith may turn to belief. That is a good thing. It means we're growing in our walk with the Lord. But not everything will be without anxiety and therefore we always return to faith even when we believe. I believe in the Scriptures, I believe in God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit. I believe the tenants of the Christian faith because I have faith that God moved and spoke from before time began; I believe because I have faith that the Holy Spirit guides me and that the gospel which has been given to me was God-breathed and guarded throughout the ages.
This tension exists between faith and belief and it's beautiful and complicated and I have faith that every moment of faith I walk in will someday turn to belief. Whether for me or for others. A faithful good-work that begins with me may not come to pass until after I am long gone and dead. I have faith that the children who I teach in catechesis will grow up to guard the gospel which is being given to them in the days of their youth; but I have no guarantee of it.
Why would I obey God?
Because I have faith in Him.
Comments
Post a Comment