Philosophy

In the Christian walk with God, the principles of faith and knowing are often put in direct opposition with one another, but this does not have to be the case. Though it might seem that faith and knowing do not go hand in hand, they are actually two very important ideas that must be considered together for any Christian. Faith involves having belief in things that you are not sure of, but there are certain things that Christians cannot be sure of. In this way, the things that Christians know provides the framework for their relationship with the Holy Spirit. Faith, on the other hand, is how Christians are to reconcile those things that they do not immediately know. Faith and knowing can be had together, and a strong foundation of each can help to enhance the other.

One of the things that drove Descartes was the idea of certainty. He held that individuals could be certain of many truths, though it was impossible to know all things. This theoretical framework was important in the formation of Christian ideals. He held that one could prove that God exists, which is a part of knowing. Christians can know that God is out there, though there must be faith that God is acting in a certain way. There are things about God that can never be known for a Christian, but what can be known is that he does exist. This is what much of Descartes work was about, and it helps to enhance the theoretical framework with which Christians are able to work. Faith takes this knowledge that God exists and it takes it to another level, asserting what the certainly present God wants individuals to do.

Bacon and his idols are important items to consider, as well, as they provide an explanation for how human beings think. According to Bacon, individuals are expected to ask questions and they rarely take things at face value. This is a universal truth for all human beings, as they seek to make sense of what they see in the world. Putting aside this basic human need is something that individuals must do if they are to walk in faith. Individuals want to know more about God and they want to convince themselves that they have all of the answers. The better approach for Christians is to stop with what they do know, and to rely upon a certain faith that the rest will fall into place. Bacons idols provide a context for the struggle faced by many individuals who seek to have a close relationship with God. At some point, the questions must stop and faith must take over, as individuals recognize that there are some things they just cannot know.

An important thing to note is that the ideas of faith and knowledge are always in flux for Christians. As one has an enlightened walk with God, more things are revealed and knowledge grows. Likewise, individuals can only gain this greater knowledge of what God is all about by having faith and by trusting that the things revealed are the truth. In this, one can see where Lockes principles are so important in this relationship between faith and knowledge. He holds that God is the Supreme Being, which means that all men should seek to understand him. The combination of knowledge and faith then becomes essential to the understanding of Gods wants for Christians, as this is the only way truly discover the complete picture.