Posted by rayww on December 26, 2002, at 15:20:53
Since this is the "faith" board, I would like to ask what you think the difference is between faith and belief.
A few weeks ago there was a question here on faith that prompted many to share their good definitions. If faith can move mountains, why can't it protect us from harm? Or can it?
I once asked my brother what his religious belief was. Without going into detail, he basically said he still believed all he had been taught as a child. I was surprised by his answer because at that time he hadn't darkened the door of any church for over 10 years, and he was heavily into drugs and other things prohibited by that religion, which he claimed to believe.
His answer has caused me to question faith, and I have concluded that faith is like a seed. Belief without faith does not have power. Growing in faith is what makes belief strong. It takes faith to grow faith, and growing faith produces more faith to grow more faith. Faith enables us to repent and to do the commandments. If a seed is properly nourished it is impossible to prevent it from growing. Faith is like that. If faith was the seed of a giant RedWood, and that seed was planted next to a rock, which would move which?
It takes faith to believe, and it takes belief to have faith. How can you tell if you have faith? By the fruit of the seed. A good seed produces fruit. A bad seed withers and dies. The things we do are the seeds we sow. To "proof" the commandments, or to discover for ourselves if the principle is true, just do it. If you "do it" and the seed begins to grow, you will know it was true by what it produces. The faith seeds planted by belief can remain dormant for a long long time.
My brother decided 20 years ago to start nourishing his seeds of faith. That was when he started to mature, grow up, lead out, help others, raise a family, branch out, protect others. I use my brother's example because it is something I can see with my eyes, therefore it takes no faith to believe. But to believe in God, whom we can't see, takes faith. First you pray, then you receive an answer so your faith grows and you pray again. Things you cannot see become real and you grow step by step.
Many people today are wondering how they can develop the spiritual side of their life. I say, grow faith.
My opinion, if I'm allowed to think this through is, faith is stronger than belief because it grows the power within us to repent. Bad things still happen to good people, but as Dinah said, God helps us through.
Faith is by the grace of God, a gift bestowed upon us for trying.
poster:rayww
thread:1462
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/faith/20021001/msgs/1462.html