In looking for a definition of “faith” in the New Oxford American Dictionary I found the following: “strong belief in God or in the doctrines of a religion, based on spiritual apprehension rather than proof.” I suppose that’s how a lot of people understand faith. “I just believe even though I have no objective reason to believe.” But that’s not the approach the Bible takes. Consider the following language: “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life-- the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it--” 1 John 1:1, 2; “Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand . . . For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ . . . was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then . . . to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive” 1 Corinthians 15:1-6; “Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus,” Luke 1:1-3. Does it sound like John, Paul, and Luke expect their readers to possess a belief based upon “spiritual apprehension” alone “rather than proof”?
God does not expect a “leap of faith” at any time during our discipleship. What he expects is that we “connect the dots.” He asks us to trust him for the future based upon what he has done in the past. A “leap of faith” would be required if we had not reason to believe that the accounts left for us are true or that God, who promised that he would act to secure eternal life for his people, has really done nothing but sit upon his non-existent hands.
But we know better than that. He promised redemption and he fulfilled that promise by sending his only-begotten Son to do for us what we could not do for ourselves. Our faith confesses, therefore, that if he “did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?” Romans 8:32.
