THE DOCTRINE OF FAITH
A. Definition. 1. Basically there are three systems of human perception. a. Faith is a non-meritorious system of perception based on confidence in the authority and the veracity of another. Faith is not based on one’s own knowledge, as is rationalism or empiricism. b. Rationalism is reason from the source of knowledge in itself, superior to and independent of any other source of perception. Rationalism says that reality is what you think to be true. Rationalism requires a high I.Q., from which systems of philosophy are often developed. c. Empiricism is knowledge from perception by observation and experience rather than by theory. All ideas are derived from some sensuous experience using the eyes, ears, nose, touch, etc., having no innate conceptions.
2. Perception by faith is always non-meritorious. It depends on the authority, veracity, and ability of someone else. Faith requires authority. 3. Faith also means a system of doctrine or a creed perceived by faith; i.e., what is believed.
B. Etymology.
1. Hebrew.
a. The verb AMAN means to believe, to support, to use someone as a prop, a crutch; to use someone else to be supported. The root meaning is a foundation on which you build something. This word is transliterated from Hebrew to Greek and to English as “amen.” It means, “I believe it!” When repeated as in “Verily, verily,” it is “amen, amen” it means something that is a point of doctrine.
(1) In Isa 28:16, the hiphil means to cause to believe. The hiphil in Gen 15:6 uses AMAN for the salvation of Abraham, meaning to use God as a prop and foundation.
(2) Further, AMAN means to prove oneself, to stay faithful to, to remain or continue.
(3) Metaphorically, AMAN means to be faithful, trustworthy, and sure, as in Prov 19:8; Gen 42:20; 1 Kg 8:26; Hos 5:9.
b. The noun EMUNAH means faithfulness, security, or that on which security is based, e.g., the integrity of God.
c. The noun EMUN means integrity, fidelity, reliability.
d. The noun OMEN means doctrine, truth, faithfulness.
e. The noun EMETH means faithfulness, ability.
f. The verb BATACH is a wrestling term, which means to trust in the sense of slamming your troubles on God; this has a faith-rest connotation. In Ps 37:3 and 91:2, it also means to confide in someone.
g. The verb CHASAH means to hide in the cleft of a rock, as a rabbit does when chased by a fox. This verb is used for suffering and adversity. It means to trust in the sense of taking shelter or taking refuge in Bible doctrine; to believe in the integrity of God, Ps 57:1, 2:12,5:12, 25:20, 7:1.
h. The verb YACHAL means to trust the Lord in time of great pain or disaster, Lam 3:21,24. In Job 13:15, it means to have hope and to wait. It is used for faith under great pressure, intense suffering, and pain.
i. The verb QAWAH is the strongest word for faith, used in Ps 25:3. It depicts a fine thread woven into a giant rope that cannot be broken. It is used in Isa 40:31 for the faith of a mature believer. In Lam 3:25 it means to wait. This word means that faith that gets its strength from outside of itself, connoting the non-meritorious aspect of faith. All merit lies in the object of faith.
2. Greek.
a. The noun PISTIS.
(1) Used as an attribute, PISTIS is what causes trust or faith, reliability, faithfulness, or integrity, Tit 2:10; 2 Thes 1:4.
(2) In the active sense, PISTIS means faith, confidence, trust, faith as a recognition of and acceptance of Bible doctrine. In the active sense, faith is used in three ways.
(a) Saving faith, Eph 2:9; 1 Jn 5:4-5. (see below*)
(b) The three stages of faith-rest , Rom 3:20; Heb 4:3.
(c) The learning of bible doctrine.
(3) The passive meaning of PISTIS is Bible doctrine, meaning that which is believed, i.e., doctrine, the body of belief. PISTIS is also translated “doctrine” in such passages as Gal 1:23; 2 Pet 1:5; 1 Tim 1:19, 4:1,6; Heb 11.
b. The noun PISTOS, used as an adjective in the passive sense means being trustworthy, worthy of trust, faithful, dependable, and inspiring trust. In the active sense, it means trusting or believing.
c. The verb PISTEUO means to believe, to trust something to someone, to use someone as an object of faith, Gal 2:16. It only takes a little more than no faith at all to be saved, Acts 16:31.
d. The verb PEITHO in the passive means to come to believe, to obey, to be persuaded or convinced. The perfect passive means to have confidence, to be absolutely convinced, to be certain. The active meaning as in Gal 1:10 means to convince, to persuade, to appeal, to win over. The perfect tense with a present meaning means to depend on someone, to trust in someone, to have confidence.
e. The verb PISTOO means to show oneself faithful; to be convinced; to have confidence, 2 Tim 3:14. (Part 2 of 3)
http://wisdomknowledge.wordpress.com/2010/01/08/the-doctrine-of-faith/
http://wisdomknowledge.wordpress.com/category/faith/
Resources: http://wisdomknowledge.wordpress.com/category/faith/: Ariel Ministries; Berachah Church; Biblical Framework; Dean Bible Ministries; Divine Viewpoint Bible Studies; Fredericksburg Bible Church; Grace Memorial; Bible Church; Pine Valley Bible Church; Pre-Trib Research Center; R. B. Thieme, Jr., Bible Ministries; Rick Hughes Evangelistic Ministries; Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries; The Invisible War; Wenstrom Bible Ministries;
"Perception is the opinion or the view of a person on a subject. We only see what we are prepared to see. We gain our knowledge only through our perceptions. Whatever our mind is prepared to understand, our eyes perceive.
“Our perception mainly depends on where we stand and what kind of a person we are” said C S Lewis.
The broader our perception, the wider is the world. This perception refers not only to the sight but also our attitude towards other’s perception. “It is one of the commonest of mistakes to consider that the limit of our power of perception is also the limit of all there is to perceive” said C W Lead beater." http://www.searchquotes.com/Faith/quotes/about/Perception/
“If the doors of perception were cleansed every thing would appear to man as it is, Infinite. For man has closed himself up, till he sees all things thro' narrow chinks of his cavern.” -William Blake, The Marriage of Heaven and Hell
“There are things known and there are things unknown, and in between are the doors of perception.” -Aldous Huxley
“Every man takes the limits of his own field of vision for the limits of the world.” -Arthur Schopenhauer
"The eye sees only what the mind is prepared to comprehend.” -Robertson Davies, Tempest-Tost
"Everything you add to the truth subtracts from the truth. When truth is discovered by someone else, it loses something of its attractiveness." -Alexander Solzhenitsyn.
Originally posted by Grampy Bobbythanks for clearing that up
"c. Empiricism is knowledge from perception by observation and experience rather than by theory. All ideas are derived from some sensuous experience using the eyes, ears, nose, touch, etc., having no innate conceptions."
One of three means of human perception, Kelly.
KJ
Originally posted by LemonJelloI'll just read a little more than add to the discussion. 🙂
Yes it would, KJ. This is another reason why the content of the blog is confused and confusing, given the way 'perception' is commonly employed. Alas, neither the blogger nor GB seem congnizant of this source of confusion. They are using a sense of the word that relates more broadly to general understanding, I think.
Kelly
Originally posted by Grampy BobbyChrist, what gobbledygook. Amazingly, you've managed to make this thread even more rife with misinformation than the previous installment (Thread 153656).
Kelly, here's a one sentence summary:
The factual benefits of Empiricism and Rationalism depend on your authority;
with Faith Perception, another person's factual authority benefits you.
Originally posted by LemonJelloLemonJello, I accept your factual authority on all such archive matters with thanks.
Christ, what gobbledygook. Amazingly, you've managed to make this thread even more rife with misinformation than the previous installment (Thread 153656).
Originally posted by Grampy BobbyCool. In that case, you'll accept it with thanks on the basis of my factual authority on archival matters when I state that your characterizations of 'faith' (or 'faith perception' ) bite the big one; relatedly, if other forum goers are interested in thinking about such concepts, they would be better served with archival offerings such as Thread 102108.
LemonJello, I accept your factual authority on all such archive matters with thanks.
Originally posted by LemonJelloAn interesting RHP Classic from 2008. I miss many of those articulate contributors who have disappeared from public view. What is the present meaning of the word "Faith" as compared with Empiricism and Rationalism in your view?
Cool. In that case, you'll accept it with thanks on the basis of my factual authority on archival matters when I state that your characterizations of 'faith' (or 'faith perception' ) bite the big one; relatedly, if other forum goers are interested in thinking about such concepts, they would be better served with archival offerings such as Thread 102108.
Originally posted by Grampy BobbyI miss those contributors as well.
An interesting RHP Classic from 2008. I miss many of those articulate contributors who have disappeared from public view. What is the present meaning of the word "Faith" as compared with Empiricism and Rationalism in your view?
What is the present meaning of the word "Faith" as compared with Empiricism and Rationalism in your view?
I don't understand this question, specifically in regards to the call for comparison of 'faith' with empiricism and rationalism. In my view, empiricism and rationalism are competing theses regarding epistemic questions of how dependent (or not) we are on sensory experience or sense-perception. On the other hand, whatever 'faith' is, it is not a thesis, let alone a thesis regarding epistemic questions. So I feel as though you are asking me to compare apples and oranges.
In my view, 'faith' should be construed as some sort of mental, perhaps doxastic-like, attitude or complex thereof. But the interesting questions here would be questions like (1) exactly what sort of attitude is it? (2) what sorts of things does the attitude serve to express? (3) is it exclusively or predominantly cognitive; exclusively or predominantly conative; some mixture of the two? (4) what sorts of conditions would justify (or not) one's having the attitude? (5) etc. As a starting point, or food for thought, I would recommend bbarr's first post in the 2008 thread to which I linked. As a way to probe these waters, he offers various construals of 'faith'....
Originally posted by LemonJello"I don't understand this question, specifically in regards to the call for comparison of 'faith' with empiricism and rationalism." (LemonJello)
I miss those contributors as well.
What is the present meaning of the word "Faith" as compared with Empiricism and Rationalism in your view?
I don't understand this question, specifically in regards to the call for comparison of 'faith' with empiricism and rationalism. In my view, empiricism and rationalism are competing theses regar ...[text shortened]... to which I linked. As a way to probe these waters, he offers various construals of 'faith'....
Definition of faith in English: "1. complete trust or confidence in someone or something: this restores one’s faith in politicians; 2. strong belief in God or in the doctrines of a religion, based on spiritual apprehension rather than proof; a system of religious belief: the Christian faith; a strongly held belief or theory:the faith that life will expand until it fills the universe" (Oxford Dictionary)
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Full Definition of FAITH: "a : allegiance to duty or a person: loyalty. b (1) : fidelity to one's promises (2) : sincerity of intentions. 2 a (1) : belief and trust in and loyalty to God (2) : belief in the traditional doctrines of a religion. b (1) : firm belief in something for which there is no proof. (2) : complete trust. 3 : something that is believed especially with strong conviction; especially : a system of religious beliefs <the Protestant faith> — on faith. : without question <took everything he said on faith." (Merriam Webster)
LemonJello, how do these definitions of the word "Faith" compare with the words "Empiricism" and "Rationalism"?
Originally posted by Grampy BobbyI don't understand what you're asking. "Compare" in what sense?
"I don't understand this question, specifically in regards to the call for comparison of 'faith' with empiricism and rationalism." (LemonJello)
[b]Definition of faith in English: "1. complete trust or confidence in someone or something: this restores one’s faith in politicians; 2. strong belief in God or in the doctrines of a religion, based on s ...[text shortened]... do these definitions of the word "Faith" compare with the words "Empiricism" and "Rationalism"?[/b]
Let me try this again. Faith, as I understand it, commonly refers to some sort of mental state/attitude/complex. Empiricism and rationalism, as I understand them, commonly refer to theses regarding, to first order, how we acquire knowledge. Now, question for you: do articles of 'faith' sometimes constitute knowledge; are they, in your opinion, the type of things that could count as an instance of knowledge? If so, then your asking me how the definition of faith compares with words like empiricism and rationalism would be like asking how the definition of 'volcano' compares with competing views regarding how structures like volcanoes form.
Originally posted by LemonJello“There are things known and there are things unknown, and in between are the doors of perception.” -Aldous Huxley
I don't understand what you're asking. "Compare" in what sense?
Let me try this again. Faith, as I understand it, commonly refers to some sort of mental state/attitude/complex. Empiricism and rationalism, as I understand them, commonly refer to theses regarding, to first order, how we acquire knowledge. Now, question for you: do articles of 'faith' ...[text shortened]... inition of 'volcano' compares with competing views regarding how structures like volcanoes form.
Let's simplify further: how do human beings apprehend/acquire "things known" through "the doors of perception"?
Originally posted by Grampy BobbyI see how this works...you ignore what I write and ignore the questions that I ask and instead ask more ill-formed questions of your own....
“There are things known and there are things unknown, and in between are the doors of perception.” -Aldous Huxley
Let's simplify further: how do human beings apprehend/acquire "things known" through "the doors of perception"?
Not sure I understand your new question fully, but I think the simple answer is that human beings perceptually apprehend stuff through their senses. That is, in fact, what 'perception' commonly refers to in a good chunk of the literature -- the apprehesion of stuff through sight, smell, sound, taste, touch. That's why KellyJay pwned you on the first page of this thread (though you apparently didn't realize it)!!! And it is also one reason (of many) why the blog you quoted is so prone to confusion.
You should just drop the word 'perception' in this discussion. You should stick with "knowledge" or "understanding" or some such. Your blogger's point was that he/she thinks there are three different theses regarding how we acquire knowledge: (1) something like empiricism (2) something like rationalism (3) something having to do with 'faith'. Problem is, your blogger hasn't shown that he/she understands what 'empiricism' and 'rationalism' actually refer to, as documented over the ages in the immense literature on the topic; hasn't shown that a third category here is needed or appropriate; hasn't justified her/his implication that the third category as he/she outlines it is independent from the first two; hasn't clearly described what the content of the 'faith' category even is; etc, etc. Basically, that blog is just a mess. Why are you trying to salvage it? It's beyond salvaging.
Originally posted by LemonJelloWhat does the word/concept of faith mean to you?
I see how this works...you ignore what I write and ignore the questions that I ask and instead ask more ill-formed questions of your own....
Not sure I understand your new question fully, but I think the simple answer is that human beings perceptually apprehend stuff through their senses. That is, in fact, what 'perception' commonly refers to in a goo ...[text shortened]... Basically, that blog is just a mess. Why are you trying to salvage it? It's beyond salvaging.