Required reading
Systematic Theology by Charles Hodge (Vol 3) (Available from Amazon or free here) - Continue Chapter 16 by reading up to the heading '5. Faith and feeling'.
My summary
Today Hodge continues examining 'faith'.
Firstly he outlines three different kinds of faiths:
(i) speculative/dead faith;
(ii) temporary faith;
(iii) saving faith.
Secondly Hodge answers questions about the relationship between faith and knowledge:
(i) Is supernatural revelation needed?;
(ii) Must the truths of revelation be demonstrable by reason?;
(iii) May not revealed truths be philosophically vindicated?;
(iv) May what is true in religion be false in philosophy? ;
(v) May the objects of faith be above, and yet not against reason?;
(vi) Is knowledge essential to faith?.
What grabbed me
I liked the discussion about faith and knowledge, particularly Hodge's proofs that knowledge is essential to faith:
'That knowledge, in the sense above stated, is essential to faith is obvious, —
1. From the very nature of faith. It includes the conviction of the truth of its object. It is an affirmation of the mind that a thing is true or trustworthy, but the mind can affirm nothing of that of which it knows nothing.
2. The Bible everywhere teaches that without knowledge there can be no faith. This, as just stated, is the doctrine of the Apostle Paul. He condemned the speaking in an unknown tongue in a promiscuous assembly, because the hearers could not understand what was said ; and if they did not know the meaning of the words uttered, they could neither assent to them, nor be profited by them. In another place (Rom. x. 14) he asks, "How shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard ? " " Faith," he says, "cometh by hearing." The command of Christ was to preach the Gospel to every creature ; to teach all nations. Those who received the instructions thus given, should. He assured his disciples, be saved ; those who rejected them, should be damned. This takes for granted that without the knowledge of the Gospel, there can be no faith. On this principle the Apostles acted everywhere. They went abroad preaching Christ, proving from the Scriptures that He was the Son of God and Saviour of the world. The communication of knowledge always preceded the demand for faith.
3. Such is the intimate connection between faith and knowledge, that in the Scriptures the one term is often used for the other. To know Christ, is to believe upon Him. To know the truth, is intelligently and believingly to apprehend and appropriate it. Conversion is effected by knowledge. Paul says he was made a believer by the revelation of Christ within him. The Spirit is said to open the eyes of the understanding. Men are said to be renewed so as to know. We are translated from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light. Believers are children of the light. Men are said to perish for the lack of knowledge. Nothing is more characteristic of the Bible than the importance which it attaches to the knowledge of the truth. We are said to be begotten by the truth ; to be sanctified by the truth ; and the whole duty of ministers and teachers is said to be to hold forth the word of life. It is because Protestants believe that knowledge is essential to faith, that they insist so strenuously on the circulation of the Scriptures and the instruction of the people.'
Faith and knowledge go together.
Next week's reading
Continue Chapter 16 by reading up to the heading '8. Effects of faith'.
Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
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