Factual Faith
As Pinnock said, "The facts backing the Christian claim are not a special kind of religious fact. They are the cognitive, informational facts upon which all historical, legal, and ordinary decisions are based."Christianity appeals to history. It appeals to the facts of history that are clearly recognizable and accessible by everyone. Luke, the first-century Christian historian, demonstrates this truth in his Gospel and in his Acts of the Apostles. Luke said that he strove to provide an orderly and accurate historical "narrative of those things which are most surely believed among us, just as those, who from the beginning were eye-witnesses and ministers of the word, delivered them to us" (Luke 1:1,2).
Among these historical and knowable events was the resurrection of Jesus Christ, an event, Luke says, that was validated by Jesus Himself through "many infallible proofs" over a forty-day period before numerous eye-witnesses.
This may surprise some folk, but Christianity is an intelligent faith. APOLOGETICS is very much about proving the facts of Christianity, as it is about defending the Christian faith as a whole. Christianity is not a faith without grounds in right reason. I believe in Christ because it is rational to believe in Him. My faith in Christ goes beyond reason, not against it.
The Christian faith is faith IN Christ. Its value or worth is not in the one believing, but in the One believed - not in the one trusting, but in the One being trusted.
In Him,
Spirit
*I acknowledge the work of McDowell, J. as a reference for this material.
posted by Jovi @ 12:18 AM
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