Faith and Tension: Proof and Faith

Yesterday I introduced a bit on the topic of proof and faith.  Today, I want to take a look at how we often call for faith on things that can, in reality, have a foundation of proof, and then, how we look for proof at things that we can only take on faith.

Perhaps one of the worst examples of taking something on faith that can actually be proven tends not so much to be matters of faith, but simply, what we believe the Bible teaches about certain things.  I have noticed that people tend to come to me with questions, and I find it really easy to simply tell them "this is what the Bible says and teaches."  And yet, what I do when I answer in that way is to have a person take something on faith that can actually be proven. 

I know we now live in a time where knowledge of the Bible is not very great.  For example, after Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, did you know that the Pharisees plotted to put Lazarus to death?  I'm always amazed at how many people don't know that.  What this points out is that, to some degree, we do have to take the word of those who make it their life's effort to study and know God's Word. 

Yet, I also wonder if that doesn't do a disservice to God's people.  Rather than take the word of someone else, this is actually something that they can look up, which they can find the "proof" of for themselves.  I have found myself more and more directing people to relevant places in the Bible so that they can discover the proof, and to have it stick with them a bit more.

The other side of that coin is looking for proof in matters that simply must be taken on faith.  We as humans have a tendency to look for signs telling us how God is disposed toward us.  If things go well, we tend to think that this is proof that we're good with Him, and if things are bad, we must have done something wrong.  Yet, this kind of "proof" is awfully misleading.  What if God is trying to teach you how to persevere through some situation rather than just make it nice and easy?  Or what if Satan really wants you to think that the easy road is God's way, when it is leading away from God in reality?  Looking for "proof" in such matters often contradicts our belief that God can work and bring good out of any and every situation.

Believe me, there are a lot of different scenarios I can paint on this topic.  These two are simply to help you think about the proper roles of faith and proof.