Monday, September 10, 2007

Did Jesus Have Faith?

Some would argue that Jesus had no faith because faith requires free will, and Christ made it clear he was doing the will of his Father. Ethologically, free will is an illusion. Behavior is phenotypical effect governed by genetic and environmental cause. As brother Dick Adams says, "We do what we do because we are what we are". But, what if there is a Creator who wants something back from its creation? What could it be? Logically, what else but self-sacrifice (agape love) could the creation offer the Creator? It would already have everything else. Let's examine why faith is such a self-sacrifice (and therefore an act of agape love).

As many can relate, an intellectual self-sacrifice is required to accept certain things (such as there being a god). Knowing that a Creator exists would eliminate the need for that self-sacrifice (and thus, the agape love) for that Creator. Perhaps this helps explain the scripture that reads, "Without faith, it's impossible to please him." It would also help explain why "Faith without works is dead." It would certainly make one have to reconsider the idea that "Jesus had no faith". In the light of faith being evidenced by self-sacrifice, Jesus would have been a pretty good example of such faith.

The Biblical God appears to be all about self-sacrifice, and faith appears to be as much a self-sacrifice as the widow's mite. That's why, when I think of "faith in God", I don't think of "free will" acceptance of him -- I think of self-sacrifice for him. It's certainly an intellectual self-sacrifice in my case -- so much so that I can certainly empathize with those who are unwilling to make it.

Granddad

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