2 of 38

Write now Article Tools

It has been said by great western philosophers that the human mind is capable only of thinking in negations. Aristotle's apostle says positively; "it is either this or thus; or, conversely; in the negative; "it is neither this nor that". Bearing these statements in mind, we can look at the word faith and easily find its antonym: fear.

So, if one says Faith: a gift of God, the natural opposite would imply fear: a theft from the Devil. The trouble with such strong oppositional true words is that they tend to be paradoxical. That is, contradictory statements defy common sense and yet are not false.

Heraclitus's philosophy states that the all-One conflicting within itself is identical with itself. Conflicting harmony occurs as when the bow is in concert with the lyre. The two are one in motion with itself producing harmonious sound. Even this thought is caught in the ultimate paradox of negations. That is, without conflict, neither bow nor lyre alone may produce audible auricular beauty . A small consolation is derived from Heraclitus, however, when freedom from on or off thought is experienced while receiving and contemplating symbiotically produced tone.

Western religion is caught in the trap that thought and belief are the way to discover faith. False pride and arrogance stand in the way of experiencing faith. "God exists because I say so" is a statement of denial of God. As a result of this mental struggle, the greatest of philosophers have concluded that the absolutely most definitive statement thought alone can produce is: "I do not know". This statement is best expressed with the shoulders shrugged, hands upturned, and brow furled.

An easier title to address would be Life: A Gift of God. It is by action of right living that we discover the nature of God and become one with the True One. It is upon completion of living by right principles through loving, positive action that we discover the faith He has freely bestowed upon us.

Faith tells me the light turns on when I flip the switch. It also tells me that if I fail to pay the bill, the light will not turn on. And yet the Faith of Almighty God gives me the ability to earn the money to pay the bill to enjoy the light at the flip of the switch. Thank you God for the gift of faith!

Faith is described in the Bible as: The substance of things hoped for; the evidence of things unseen. So, by that definition, one could consider the task accomplished before the effort is expended and the manufacture of a finished product complete before a finger is lifted. There may be unexpected stumbling blocks along the way, but holding the thought while completing the action would certainly increase the probability of successful fruition of faith.

Learn more about this author, Michael Shepard.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

Add your voice

Know something about Faith: A gift of God?
We want to hear your view. Write now!