• About

From The Pew

~ A Layman's Look At The Gospel

From The Pew

Monthly Archives: February 2013

Where Believing Ends and Faith Begins

18 Monday Feb 2013

Posted by John Kurt Carpenter in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

This is one of those which came first things, the chicken or the egg. Is it “my faith is such that I believe” or is it “I believe because I have faith.” As a Christian have you been persuaded to believe the truths of religion and from that comes a certainty which becomes your faith? Paul I am sure found that faith was something you acquired and there would be events in our lives that often persuaded us to take that road of faith. Paul wrote in Romans 8:38-39 …”For I am persuaded , that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present , nor things to come ,Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Webster puts it this way, “To believe in, is to hold as the object of faith. “Ye believe in God, believe also in me.” To believe on, is to trust, to place full confidence in, to rest upon with faith.” You see you can find a little religion even in the dictionary.

In theology, to believe sometimes expresses a mere assent of the understanding to the truths of the gospel; as in the case of Simon. When Simon saw the spirit was given when the apostles laid their hands on people he wanted to “buy that power.” Could it be that Websters got it right? ” To believe on, is to trust, to place full confidence in, to rest upon with faith.” Faith begins when we are able to trust, to place full confidence in, and to rest upon the certainty of God’s promises to us.

Share this:

  • Tweet
  • Email
  • Path

Like this:

Like Loading...

A Change of Direction

18 Monday Feb 2013

Posted by John Kurt Carpenter in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

I have always wanted to write and the last couple of years WordPress has given me that opportunity. I have no degree on the wall from any school of journalistic note and spelling and grammar are certainty not my strong points. I would have to say that Mr. Gates has been my saving grace and enthusiastic supporter. I should also thank the folks at Dell and the many support programs that allow me to write anything. It has been said that good writers write about things they know about, I have however never let that hold me back. I have written a book, a western. I like to think of it as a poor man’s Lonesome Dove. You won’t find it in the stores, never got that far but it is the first thing I ever started that I finished and for that reason I think it is a good read.

I have changed the blog name and boldly decided to once again write about something I don’t know about, well not as much as I should. My generation, I will be 70 this summer, has seen a great deal of change as did my parents. I could have said the world is changing but everyone says that and it is a fact that proves itself each time a new day begins. So what’s the hook here? The Gospel…for over 2000 years the content of the message has not changed. It has been preached, studied and debated and written in many different translations but the content has never changed. I think maybe because you cannot rewrite the truth. You see the truth is that to believe is as Mr. Webster says….

“In popular use and familiar discourse, to believe often expresses an opinion in a vague manner, without a very exact estimate of evidence, noting a mere preponderance of opinion, and is nearly equivalent to think or suppose..”

I hope you will join me as I move on from believing to faith through “a layman’s view of the Gospel”

Share this:

  • Tweet
  • Email
  • Path

Like this:

Like Loading...

Recent Posts

  • The Burden of Belief… John 15: 8 My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.
  • The Power of Endurance…
  • In His Image… Imago Dei
  • Comfort….2 Corinthians
  • The Great Inheritance…A Living Hope

Archives

  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • December 2015
  • August 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • December 2014
  • April 2014
  • January 2014
  • December 2013
  • November 2013
  • May 2013
  • March 2013
  • February 2013

Categories

  • Uncategorized

Meta

  • Register
  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.com

Blog at WordPress.com.

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.
Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy
%d bloggers like this: