Knowledge Faith or heart faith or Both? Harman Bavinck answers our question.

 

I want to begin by quoting from the book of Romans and I will use this as an introduction to what Herman Bavinck is going to say.  Although in this section of his writing he does not quote these verses, I believe the Holy Logic can be seen:

"5 For Moses writes that the man who practices the righteousness which is based on law shall live by that righteousness. 6 But the righteousness based on faith speaks as follows: “DO NOT SAY IN YOUR HEART, ‘WHO WILL ASCEND INTO HEAVEN?’ (that is, to bring Christ down), 7 or ‘WHO WILL DESCEND INTO THE ABYSS?’ (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).” 8 But what does it say? “THE WORD IS NEAR YOU, IN YOUR MOUTH AND IN YOUR HEART”—that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, 9  that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; 10 for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, “WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; 13 for “WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED.” Romans 10:5-13" 

 

 

I took this picture as I thought it was beautiful.


  It is not apparently obvious but both the heart and mind of the person are at wok here.  In these verses Paul is explaining to us the importance of faith and how we can be saved(Personal and close relationship with God forever).  I can see from what has been said that if these two elements are somehow separated one can get dysfunctional Christians.  It might not be apparent yet why I have come to this conclusion but when we read Bavinck in his writings this is the only conclusion we can have.  

Perhaps the Believer is a person that doesn't care much for Christian doctrine and they just want to have the feeling of being close to God (the fix!).  Or perhaps the Believer is the person who is into his Orthodox Church and it is the confession of Faith that is the most important thing.  Being stable and having nothing to do with that mystical feeling.  But in a sense this path is like believing in a dry bone! (all is science).

There are so many dangers lurking out there for the well intentioned Christian and he/she might not know which way to jump. Let us now turn to Herman Bavinck the Master Theologian and see what he can teach us today. 

I'm not going to eisegesise his writings let him speak for himself:

"

We could also reason this way: faith is accepting God’s testimony regarding his Son on the basis of God himself. In order for us to accept this testimony regarding Christ we must already trust God, consider him trustworthy. The basis for faith in someone must precede believing in their testimony because we will accept someone’s testimony only if and after we have come to know them as trustworthy. Believing God’s testimony regarding Jesus precedes faith in God. Here is what happens when we connect these two thoughts: 

(a) we consider God trustworthy with ourselves as liars, 

(b) we accept his testimony regarding his Son, and 

(c) we trust in (that is, come to, hunger for, etc.) that Son. To which this must be added: 

(d) to be adopted as a child we go to the Father again through the Son by counting him as righteous. 

 

Now there are two Views that belong to the essence of faith that do not exclude each other and that also appear in Scripture side by side. The one is that of rational people, the other of people who rely more on feelings, the former of intellectuals and the latter of those more ethically inclined, of head people and heart people. For one, the essence of faith is what we mentioned under (b): accepting God’s testimony regarding his Son on the basis of God himself. The seat of faith is consciousness; its essence is knowledge (John 17:3). And for the other, the essence of faith is what we mentioned under (c): trust in Christ. The seat of faith is the heart (Rom. 10:10); the essence of it is trust, as we see time and again in the Old Testament, etc.

" (From Reformed Ethics by Herman Bavinck: Page 268 edited by John Bolt )

So Bavinck points out that there is an order of events before we come to faith.   This is a very serious matter when we consider how our society works.  It is trendy nowadays to block God out of our minds so that we can live out our hedonist ways.  

Why do I agree with Bavinck here?  

You might think I am being rather silly and un-knowledgeable about the facts! 

Not at all.  It seems to be the case even from a secular vantage point that hunter gatherers did not come first but religion then society as we know it.  At the moment in my spare time I am writing an abc guide Theology Handbook (un-published at the moment). Here is a sample:

"

So, the first question is What is Theology?

Theology is the ‘Study of God’.  If you think about issues that are related to a higher Eternal Being than yourself, then you are doing theology.

 

Part 1 Theology and Pre-History

Historically Verified finds of Theology in pre-history

Theology as a science can go further back than Aristotle.  In fact, our early ancestors looked at the stars and asked the questions about God.  12000 years ago, we have Göbekli Tepe. A recent archaeological site that intimates religion was the driving force for the development of Human civilization and not agriculture.  Agriculture came after!

As well as this there were finds over 125 km away that linked image depiction of animals from Göbekli Tepe.  Someone wrote that Göbekli Tepe was like a cathedral and there were smaller satellites linked to Göbekli Tepe's influence.

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/150120-gobekli-tepe-oldest-monument-turkey-archaeology

 

We also have the discovery of the Nebra Disk from about 1600BC.  This is linked to astronomy, and it explains when it is the best time to do certain farming activities.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nebra_sky_disc

 

There were many developments in the ancient world and materials such as tin from Cornwall did travel to Germany.

 

Theology then goes into prehistory before the writing invention was created.

" (My unpublished writings)

Indeed Bavinck is correct that people are liars.  The bogmen found around Europe shows legal murder. 

 https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/europe-bog-bodies-reveal-secrets-180962770/  

Please don't be mistaken my discussion of theology in history is not from the point of view of Natural theology.  This is a modern discipline that tries to prove the divine from below and it is science, science and nothing but science, cause and effect.  This is built on the idea of some form of evolution.  I cannot accept this because God is completely other to the creation.  A creature lives in the finite realm and God lives in the infinite.  If one is studying an object such as an atom this might be appropriate.  The problem with this way of doing things is that from the finite point trying to break into infinite knowledge.  This to me is an impossibility.

Each discipline must appropriate the suitable tools for the job at hand.   For me God has broken into our time and space and makes it possible to have any knowledge of God.  Having said that we can look at the archaeological evidence on the ground and say that Humans from the past before written history believed in some form of deity too. 

The main point is that from the past religion has always existed in some form and it is not irrational to have the point of view of faith seeking understanding rather than doubt seeking faith.

 Questions

Which two types of believer are there from Bavincks perspective?

What dangers does each type have for the Church?

What is the new evidence for religion and the first human societies? 

Do you agree with my point of view that God has to reveal himself first for us to have any knowledge of God? 

 Reflection

There is plenty of content here  for the Christian.  We need to sometimes stop and pray and ask God to guide us into his wisdom.  No one has all the right answers to this life.  I am convinced however that we cannot become Christians in our  own strength.  A dead twig cannot bring itself to life.  We are blessed that we have any relationship with God at all.  We need to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus because it is only he who lived this life without sinning.  No matter what type of Christian one is, everything is held together by God's grace.  






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