Re: How Are We To Believe? Is not the Love we receive from Jesus the assurance we have in Him, the fact that He knows us, and loves us, and has a relationship with us? Is it not through this love He expresses to us that we are shown all things of His Kingdom? A scholarly approach to the Bible is great for argument, especially with the unbeliever, or the person who hasn’t learned to trust faith, but isn’t the revelation of the Truth, given by the Holy Spirit, the aim of scripture? There is nothing easy about believing, and I have found that the greatest stumbling block is me, my thinking, my need to think that I can understand.
I agree with what you’ve written here, but as the questioner said, many from other religions have these same feelings about their gods. The question had to do with knowing that our beliefs are justified. And that’s what makes the Bible unique. By applying the method I outlined how we can prove that there’s more to our belief than just our feelings, we have the weight of evidence to back them up. After that, believing becomes easy. So if believing is still hard for you, I suggest you apply the method for yourself.
By the way, this idea is not unique to me. Numerous times God Himself has admonished us to do this. The 11 chapters that make up Isaiah 40-50 are especially rich in this regard, and should be read by everyone. Here’s one example among many.
“Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me. I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come” (Isaiah 46:9-10)
Remember, you’ve entrusted your eternal destiny to your faith that what you believe is true. In His word God has shown us how to prove He is who He claims to be. He expects us to take Him up on it.