Faith: Essential or Outdated - A Talk By Michael Ramsden
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- čas přidán 24. 07. 2017
- 'Is Faith Reasonable?' is a partnership of Christian organisations and churches in Birmingham have come together to co-host events to open up conversations about faith and reason. For more info: visit
/ isfaithreasonable
Michael Ramsden is the International Director for RZIM and has been part of the organisation since its foundation in Europe in 1997. He is joint Director of the Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics. Michael was brought up in the Middle East and later moved to England where he worked for the Lord Chancellor’s department investing funds.
While doing research in Law and Economics at Sheffield University, he taught Moral Philosophy and lectured for the International Seminar for Jurisprudence and Human Rights in Strasbourg. He has also been a Scholar-in-Residence at the Wolfsberg Executive Development Centre in Switzerland.
Glory To GOD!!!
Thank you Michael Ramsden!
Thank you for sharing this!
Michael I generally enjoy and am edified by your presentations. This in particular grabbed my attention when I read the first word faith …..then the second essential, you had me at faith.
That has to do with my own view of the term as well as how I see it most normally applied.
I want to break that all down but before that I want to address the question you start with, that being the need of faith?
For the Christian I hope this is not a question because we are all looking for a city built without hands, which has a door, a narrow door, the key of which is faith.
For by grace are you saved through Faith; and this not of works lest any should boast it is a GIFT from God.
Grace came on the cross but to take advantage of that grace a person MUST have faith.
For so many that has become a matter of believing? When I look at a person coming to most belief, I see a work.
If it is a work that would present a problem as the scripture says a gift and not by works. Even more of a problem is that many believers in scripture are cast into darkness.
I want to sight a few verses to confirm that assertion.
Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able.
Here I submit the many are all believers if not why seek to enter?
Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’
They call Him Lord they believe but are lost all the same.
Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’
Here again are those that consider themselves Christians and every one of them a believer.
Why are they not saved? They are lost because they have no faith.
Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
So yes faith is essential both in this life and the one to come but what faith?
Biblical faith? or websters faith?; there is a difference.
I want to explain the why for any that are interested but its going to take a little time.
Also, I want to note what I am offering is scripture not opinion.
I think we are all clear on the ways we come to knowledge, both the things we actually do know, as well as those we are confident in.
We're taught by one of a number of means, or we gain by experience.
I want to take an example where both might be the case. (Betrayal) This can by learned of in stories, explained to use by a teacher, parent, friend; we could find a definition on line, very likely there is a CZcams video; but I think the truest knowledge of betrayal comes by suffering it personally. In any event if asked do you believe you have an understanding of betrayal; regardless of how we came to it most would answer yes.
What if rather than a term its God?
Believing something happens on a sliding scale. At one end you think you know but are not absolutely sure….at the other end you are willing to bet your life….is that faith?
I say that is secular faith, websters faith.
Biblical faith is knowing….how can we move from believing to knowing? The same way you can learning of betrayal, living it.
Romans 10:17 says ἄρα ἡ πίστις ἐξ ἀκοῆς, ἡ δὲ ἀκοὴ διὰ ῥήματος Χριστοῦ.
Michael, I think its likely you can read this, but most including myself cant; so conveniently its translated for us into English, basically that translation reads…..
So faith from hearing - and hearing through (the) word of Christ.
Inconveniently this translation is ambiguous, so much so that this faith, this essential faith, is kept from most. Here is why….
Paul says ῥήματος (rhēmatos) that’s the term translated (word) when it gets to English. In Greek there are two terms we translate as word the other being λόγος (logos).
When John opens his gospel in the beginning was the Word/Logos. When we read the Word/Logos of God, the scriptures; but Paul says faith comes by the ῥήματος (rhēmatos) of God.
These are not the same things in fact one can be taught and learned while the other can only be experienced.
The translation of Romans 10:17 should read so then we receive the gift of faith when we encounter God personally.
This can, considering the Mormons testimonies or the apparent light grasp on reality of many charismatics, be received negatively. Particularly by those who want to maintain the intellectual legitimacy of their claims.
There is nothing wrong with a strong reasoned argument, but that is not the same as experiencing God and I would adjure any that do believe to read scripture with an eye open to the number of times a personal relationship is stressed.
The God we trust in is a living powerful person.....That is the Christian God. Never mind the trinity, maybe that's confusing, what is clear is His being a person as we are. If I wrote an autobiography 20,00 pages long and you read it would you know me? If you showed up at my house and said let me in I'm a friend. Would I say, sure come on in, or depart I tell you I don't know who you are?
Very helpful and enlightening. :)
thank you...YHVH bless you
I love listening to Michael Ramsden and I frequently search for his sermons
With luxury surrounding you, God seems distant. But money can't make you happy.
Oliver Wolf Sacks lived until 2015
♥†
Is this audience dead LAUGH AT HIS JOKES