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People prefer certainty in general. Risk is dangerous. Risk of death and risk of loss.
Clarity is basically understanding. The more a person understands something, the better they can determine the risk.
When it comes to existence after physical death, understanding and afterlife concept does not necessarily equal a feeling of certainty of its existence.
Faith is really only the evidence that a choice has been made to accept a given understanding as real.
Thank you for beautifully identifying a hang-up many of us seem to have. Clarity in what I believe moves me past any uncertainty. Nicely said!
Just came back to find my previous comment gone. Nice.
We know Christ lives within us “by the Spirit He gave us,” (1 John 3:24) — by supernatural revelation as “The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.” (Romans 8:16) As we allow ourselves to be led by the Spirit (Romans 8:16) we will develop an ongoing heart-to-heart “revelationship” with the risen Jesus.
Pray for revelation beyond your own understanding. (Proverbs 3:5) Then surrender your heart to God and humbly receive supernatural insight and the ongoing glory of His presence. Revelationship makes you perceptive to God’s eternal perspective.
God’s revelation is best received with an open, honest, and humble childlike heart. Otherwise, it’s easily overlooked. Religion can easily distract people from and quench God’s supernatural revelation. (1 Thessalonians 5:19)
Christians and churches should continually expect and receive supernatural revelation, not fear it or avoid it. (Matthew 16:17) Revelationship sails beyond human understanding. It cruises with the wind of God’s Spirit. It makes the words of the Bible burn in your heart. (Luke 24:32) Do you have an ongoing revelationship with Christ?
Human understanding tries to knuckle down and figure God out. Faith opens up and welcomes God to come in and take control with Divine revelation. (1 Corinthians 2:9-10)
Christ builds on the Rock of supernatural revelationship, not on the sand of human understanding. The more you try to figure God out, the less you will let Him come in and take control of your life. The more you analyze, categorize, and box God up, the less you will be open to a revelationship with Him.
Vanity is self-focused insanity that torments humanity. God’s revelation cuts through it and drives it away.
God wants you to have a direct personal revelationship with Him so that He can reveal great and mighty things to you that you don’t know. (1 Corinthians 2:9-10 & Jeremiah 33:3) Will you let Him lead you beyond the fog of religious analysis into the Light of His presence?
Is not the creed a statement of certainty? It seems some certainty (light vs darkness) leads to clarity which fosters faith.
I found and listened to “Luther’s preface to the Epistle to the Romans ” after you mentioned it the other day. So much of what you spoke of is included in that work. It really no wonder it so inspired Wesley. I can’t help but consider what Descartes said about questioning everything we know and how apropos that is in regards to this subject. I recall in one of Ekhart’s writing he referred to, and im paraphrasing, “at the end of knowing God, one must desend back into unknowing” highlighting how the divine, while conceivable, is ultimately wholly unattainable within the limits of the human mind.
I really enjoyed this morning and every morning.
Thanks!
Hi,
In class I learned that John Wesley secretly wrote in code to his brother Charles that sometimes he doubted and faltered in assurance of his salvation. It was shared by the professor that John closely guarded this secret from others.
Just food for thought.
Next.
What is the difference between clarity and certainly?
Clarity is an intellectual brightness of understanding. The word is founded on the background of light.
Reflect:
” I can see clearly now. The rain is gone. I can see all obstacles in my way. Gone are the dark clouds that had me down. I can see bright, bright sunshine days.”
That’s clarity.
That’s not necessarily faith.
Faith is not seen, but hoped for and known through certainty. Our hope is in Jesus, The Author of our faith. Jesus is our Hope Personified.
Certainty requires faith, faith in the unseen, fully realized objective and subjective and experienced hope in Christ Jesus Alone. Yes, some clarity is prerequisite. I must clearly have knowledge of the foundational Truth of the Gospel according to Jesus. Not according to human constructs of wavering flavors of belief. Humans can be clearly wrong.
Reflect:
In James Chapter 1, James clarifies some things.😊
What, if any, purpose does suffering serve?
Suffering trials and tribulations makes us complete, lacking nothing.
No, I didn’t include the whole of this passage. I did refer to it for a reason.
Holding fast to Jesus through all that this life involves results in a Certainty that cannot be shaken. Living faith becomes solid and certain. No wavering. Simply rest in relationship with our Savior and LORD. Questions may still abound. We are not God that we will ever be omniscient. God Alone is Omniscient.
Yes. Clarity is important, but it has limits. Our human understanding is limited. God is Not limited.
God is Light. As far as each of us has Light, that is how much clarity we have because clarity is based upon Light received and perceived.
Remember Job:
Job asked for clarity in a sense. But he received The One WHO Gives what HE Chooses to Give us. HIMSELF.
Job says he has heard of God, but now he has seen God. But God didn’t explain all answers to Job. God introduced HIMSELF TO Job. That, as they say, you can take to the bank. Why? That is certainly. That is experience. You experience your God, your Creator, your Savior, your Friend, your Rock WHO never leaves or forsaken you. That is faith. Unseen. Experienced. Unwavering. Certain. Our Hope that is incapable of disappointing us. Jesus, our Hope. Clearly Certain.😊
Assurance requires being extended in relationship with God beyond human understanding by experience.
“And, HE Walks with me. And HE Talks with me. And HE Tells me I am HIS own. And the joys that we share as we tarry there, none other has ever known.”
Peace of Christ Jesus, Cecilia Murray
Thank u JD for coming back to this entry. I had read it last week and underlined soooo many good nuggets in ur text. It was even better the 2nd time around. I absolutely love the God-confidence vs self-confidence.
HELP! I always thought in the past, that my conscience was the Holy Spirit talking to me. Now I feel JD is saying it’s not my conscience. I’m a little confused. I believe that Jesus is the son of God, I believe he died and was buried and raised on the third day. I believe he rose as a human being, not jut a spirit. I read my Bible daily, I’m just a little confused on the Holy Spirit. I like things in simple plain words.