Where Faith and Hope Meet
I think faith is a virtue about the past.
Paul says that faith is evidence of things not seen. Evidence means what has already happened. What you have already observed.
In his famous sermon in Alma 32, Alma introduces the topic of faith, tells his listeners to ‘remember,’ and then tells that the increased faith is the result of successful experiments on the word. Increasing faith by telling people to ‘remember’ is what Book of Mormon preachers always do.
My personal definition of faith is taking what you used to know and acting as if it still held true even though you no longer have the same sense of knowing. In other words, faith is when you have had experiences in the past that made you feel great confidence in God, and you continue to act now as if you had confidence even though what you are actually feeling is fear, distress, and uncertainty.
Hope on the other hand is clearly a virtue about the future. You are acting as if greater things than you have already experienced are possible.
The present is where faith and hope both meet.
But charity is eternal.
Bookslinger
September 30, 2020
Bullseye.
“My personal definition of faith is taking what you used to know and _acting_ as if it still held true even though you no longer have the same sense of knowing.”
Faith = Action.
“In other words, faith is when you have had experiences in the past that made you feel great confidence in God, and you continue to act now as if you had confidence even though what you are actually feeling is fear, distress, and uncertainty.”
Faith = Confidence, a.k.a. Trust.
“Hope on the other hand is clearly a virtue about the future. You are acting as if greater things than you have already experienced are possible.”
Extrapolation -> action-> progression -> growth.
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The need for the confidence/trust aspect of faith is touched upon in Lectures on Faith.
LoF has been difficult for me to get through as I seem to trip over the presentation method. Perhaps it is easier to digest listening to an audio recording. (They were intended/composed as _lectures_.) I’ll go look for existing audio on line.
Does anyone happen to already have a link/source for LoF audio?
Sean G.
September 30, 2020
“In other words, faith is when you have had experiences in the past that made you feel great confidence in God, and you continue to act now as if you had confidence even though what you are actually feeling is fear, distress, and uncertainty.”
I try to remember as best I can how I feel in those divinely inspired moments so that when I do choose faith, it’s not an arbitrary choice. I realize that I respect the man I was in that moment infinitely more than the cowering loser with anxiety that I am in my moments of doubt and fear. The choice is simple!
I think I made it to somewhere in Alma when I stopped reading the BOM. Maybe time to pick it up again. Great post and great writing prompt.
JRL in AZ
September 30, 2020
I have long thought that this is why we are told to REMEMBER, REMEMBER, REMEMBER so often in the Book of Mormon. The scriptures remind us of what God has done in the past for others and what He has promised to do for us now and in the future. Remembering is a huge part of my faith’s foundation – remember my own experiences with God and remembering others’.
Abby & Brittany
September 30, 2020
Interesting illustration.