Relationship Between Faith and Reasoning Faith

 With Henry D. Magodo

        

“What is faith? It is the confidence, assurance that what we hope for is going to happen. It is the evidence of things we cannot yet see.”Heb 11:1 (NLT). “faith is the confidence, assurance.” This is a state of being fully convinced, this is when satisfaction comes to its totality that nothing will change your mind no matter what may even happen if somebody point at you with a gun and being fully convinced in your spirit no one can change it. This goes far beyond hope and trust. The scripture says again “the evidence of things we cannot see yet” this is a state were you totally know that the thing you want is yours and you don’t need someone to tell you because you already know that you have it. On the other hand, at this moment you don’t need a prophet to give you a prophecy about it because you are fully aware that it belongs to you. These are moments when the spiritual man receives the message of faith and embrace it fully. The highest level of faith is when the spirit man is in one with the revelation of Christ (the word of God), when you’re synchronized with the word of truth. On the other hand, were there is no difference between you and the word. “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abides in the vine; no more can ye except ye in me”. John 15:4 (KJV).

“So you see, it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that there is a God and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.” Heb 11:6 (NLT).  Faith is the first response of a human soul (a person’s total self) to the word of God. According to the scripture above “it is impossible to please God without Faith”, which shows that this is the main key for you to enjoy your life in Christ in its fullness. There is no way you can dine with God if you haven’t responded to faith and “believe” that He is alive: He exists. Faith is different from believing and trusting. With believing you will be using hope, hoping that one-day God will do it for me. With trust now it’s different, you just trust in the Lord whether things are in good shape or not but with faith, its far different; Faith says “I have it, it’s already mine”. It gives confidence and boldness for things you want.

Most of the children of God have died of diseases, even some of the ministers of the gospel have died in pain and it was not God’s problem. Also now some of the children of God are currently suffering because they don't fully understand how powerful is God who lives in them. Only through faith He can do more than what you ever imagined “No -one has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who loves him.” 1Cor 2:9(NLT).

“For by it elders obtained a good report.”Heb 11:2 (KJV). This scripture doesn’t motivate me but it shows me who I am (the real me), it is also easy for me to do it because they have shown us the way; it’s now in my D.N.A and history can also repeat its self. The elders (our fathers of faith, Moses, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob) through faith have made a good report. They have sailed through in good and tough times.  Abraham one of the fathers (elders) through faith, we were made God’s children and was also the definite cause of us being blessed. “That the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith” 3:14 (KJV). 

 Moreover, because of faith God honoured Abraham and was made the father of faith. We cannot talk about Christianity and live the name of Abraham plus the written names above. They have done great things that no one need to be reminded of. Look my brethren, this is our time to take over the land through faith to rule over because it’s ours. Through faith we are never limited like our elders who have obtained a good report. This is a call to act.

“these all died in faith, not having received the promise, but having seen them far off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.” Heb 11:13 (KJV). These are some of the effects of faith in a Christian walk. Our opening scripture is enlightening us about some man who have seen the promises of God in the spirit for generation to come and only through faith they have persuaded them and enjoy them “when He the spirit of truth comes; he will not be presenting his own ideas; he will tell you what He has heard. He will tell you about the future.” John 16:13 (NLT). They were shown things about the future. Through the Holy Spirit they have managed to enter the future, grab what they had seen in the spirit and enjoy the benefits of what they were shown in the future by the Holy Spirit. Even you, the Holy Spirit, can show you anything to come whether good or bad.

In addition, through faith you can enjoy things in the future before the time comes or before you even know about that thing, the Holy Spirit can minister to you and deal with it or celebrate it. “but we who live by the spirit eagerly wait to receive everything promised to us who are right with God through faith.” Gal 5:5 (NLT). It’s only through faith to access all the promise of God for us. 

“He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God.” Rom 4:20 (KJV). I like something about Abraham our father of faith. He was a strong man in terms of his beliefs, he holds on to his stance of faith until what he wants was in position. To (stagger) hang back. So Abraham did not hang back on the promise of God but he kept on persisting through faith and he was made the father of faith as he was promised through faith. He already knew about the deadness of Sara’s womb and he never considered his body dead because he was a hundred years old (Rom 4:19 KJV). Abraham kept on holding to his faith, the words he was given by the Lord.  He knew that the words from the Lord are spirit and life even if they were old enough to give birth, the words of the Lord have quickened their bodies.

 “and because of Abraham’s faith, God declared him to be righteous” He was made righteous because he was faithful, prayerful, was wealthy? No brother, a big NO. It’s because of faith sister!  Can you imagine if it was you? God declaring you righteous, it’s possible and that should be in your Christian life style everywhere you go. Brethren through faith your life can totally change because that’s the only way to enjoy the promises of God.

Reasoning

According to the dictionary reasoning is the ability to assess things rationally by applying logic based on new or existing information when making a decision or solving a problem. Reasoning allows you to weigh the benefits and disadvantages of two or more courses of action before choosing the one with the most benefit or the one that suits your needs. It also helps you solve problems, handle uncertainty, verify claims and assess situations carefully to ensure the decision you make is in your best interest.

Moreover, we understand the word reasoning in deferent forms and ways.Reasoning comes in different ways, on a daily basis your decision-making processes has to be powerful when solving problems or completing tasks. You can find formal reasoning in established disciplines such as mathematics, logic, artificial intelligence and philosophy. Throughout all circumstances, however, you can categorize reasoning into seven basic types. Understanding the types of reasoning can help you to calculate or evaluate and make a better decision.

        I.          Critical thinking

Critical thinking involves extensive rational thought about a specific subject in order to come to a definitive conclusion. It's helpful in fields such as computing, engineering, social sciences and logic. Critical thinking plays a vital role in problem-solving, especially when troubleshooting technical issues. It's used to assess the authenticity of works of arts, literature, films and other artistic expressions. Critical thinking also plays a vital role in mental and emotional matters, gray areas and other fields that deal with subjects less understood.

      II.          Break down reasoning

Break down reasoning is the process of breaking things into factors to understand the function of each factor and how it contributes to the operation of the item as a whole. By analyzing each part independently, Break down reasoning allows an observer to draw powerful conclusions about the whole. You find this approach in several disciplines, including science, engineering, marketing, product development, game development and software development.

    III.          Inferring reasoning

Inferring reasoning is a type of reasoning that uses formal logic and observations to prove a theory or hypothesis. In inferring reasoning, you start with an assumption and then make observations to verify or support the assumption. You can use inferring reasoning to apply a general law to a specific act or test a case. The results of inferring reasoning typically have a logical certainty.

   IV.          Abducting reasoning

Abducting reasoning is a type of reasoning that uses an observation or set of observations to reach a logical conclusion. It's similar to inductive reasoning, moreover, abducting reasoning permits making best guesses to take place at the simplest conclusions. Abducting has applications in troubleshooting and decision-making, especially when dealing with doubt. Abducting reasoning is especially useful when explaining an observation or miracle/ wonder that the observer has very little or no existing knowledge about. The conclusion of abducting reasoning may not always be certain and may require further verification.

      V.          Effect -and- Cause reasoning

Effect -and- Cause reasoning is a type of thinking in which you show the joint or a problem between two events. This reasoning is used to explain what may happen if an action takes place or why things happen when some conditions are present. This type of reasoning commonly guides everyday decision-making, in cases where people draw on personal experience and a desire to improve. Organisations and professionals also use assumption and forecast planning. This type of reasoning can help people trust your arguments, especially if you are accurate most of the time.

   VI.          Analogical reasoning

Analogical reasoning is a form of thinking that finds similarities between two or more things and then uses those characteristics to find other qualities common to them. It's based on the brain's maturity to notice patterns and relate things. Once the brain recognizes a pattern, it can associate the pattern with specific things, and this leads to analogy reasoning. Analogy thinking can help you develop the way you understanding things by looking for similarities between different things at a time.

 VII.          Inductive reasoning

Inductive reasoning uses theories and assumptions to confirm observations. In some ways it's the opposite of referable reasoning, as it involves reasoning from a specific case or cases to derive a general principle. The results of inductive reasoning are not always certain because it uses conclusions from observations to make generalizations. Inductive reasoning is helpful for extrapolation and assumptions.

In conclusion, the relationship between Faith and reasoning, Faith is in the opposite direction with reasoning and it does not operate on common sense or assumptions based on usual activities according to the flesh/ human site. Religious faith is over and above reason and is not to be subject to criteria generally used by reasoning beings. To use reason on matters of faith is not only inappropriate but irreverent and faithless.

1 Corinthians 2:10 “But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God” 12 “Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God”13 “Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual” 14 “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (KJV).

Faith says” what I’m hoping for its already mine, I have it already before I have It live” but reasoning says “how can I say I have something without holding it in a present state or it’s impossible to walk on top of the water like what Christ did in Matthew 14:25 “Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake” 26 “When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear” (NIV).