Does faith need evidence?
Asked by: Wilber Roob | Last update: May 19, 2025Score: 4.8/5 (62 votes)
If there were evidence, you would not need faith. In fact, faith is literally defined by the Bible as belief in what you hope for despite the lack of evidence. As it is written: Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
Does faith require evidence?
Reason requires evidence. If you have evidence for your faith, it is, in fact, NOT faith. It is knowledge. So, by definition, faith is not based on evidence.
What does the Bible say about evidence of faith?
Hebrews 11:1-6 NKJV. Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good testimony. By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.
What is the relationship between faith and evidence?
The ``act'' of faith itself is without evidence, but is also simultaneously based on evidence, in the form of trust, which has a rational basis in reality and is based on evidence. I am going to assume we mean good evidence when talking about evidence.
Do religious beliefs require evidence?
Theistic evidentialists contend that there is enough evidence to ground rational belief in God, while Reformed epistemologists contend that evidence is not necessary to ground rational belief in God (but that belief in God is grounded in various characteristic religious experiences).
Is Faith "Belief Without Evidence"?
Is it wrong to believe without evidence?
It is wrong always, everywhere and for anyone, to believe anything upon insufficient evidence” (W. K. Clifford, The Ethics of Belief). "It is wrong for a man to say that he is certain of the objective truth of any proposition unless he can produce evidence which logically justifies that certainty.
Do you have to prove your religion?
Employees are not required to meet with a leader or church to be protected under the law. They must instead have sincere beliefs and talk with their employers about how the employer can reasonably accommodate their beliefs.
Does faith have proof?
The CSB says, “Now faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen.” There are two parts to this: One is the intellectual part of the faith and the other is trusting in the thing that we cannot see or do not have direct evidence to prove.
What is evidence biblically?
<<proof, verification>> It is the confirmation or proof a thing is real, it is what it says. Our Christian faith is based on evidence – definite facts, not just wishful thinking or human ideas. Numerous OT Bible prophecies spoke about Christ coming to die for humanity hundreds of years before this happened.
How do you prove faith?
- Are you saying your prayers every morning and every night?
- Are you reading every day from the holy scriptures?
- Are you using appropriate language?
- Are you being honest?
- Are you living the Word of Wisdom?
Is faith the evidence of things?
IN HEBREWS 11:1, we see what Bible faith is: "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."
What did Jesus say about faith?
Matthew 17:20
20 He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”
Are faith and belief the same?
Faith involves reliance and trust, and it endures in the face of doubts, whereas belief is simply something we take to be true. “I can have faith in things or people without a corresponding belief, and I can believe things that I don't have faith in,” he said.
Is faith an action in the absence of evidence?
Faith is the element that builds the bridge in the absence of concrete evidence. This is exactly what the writer of the epistle to the Hebrews was talking about when he referred to faith as `the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. ' (Heb. 11:1.)
What does true faith require?
Instead, faith requires an act of the will—not just the intellect. God does not reward or punish people for their knowledge, but for what they choose. So true faith includes a free-will trust in religious authority—not just accidental agreement with that authority on other grounds.
Can we show our faith without deeds?
James 2:17-23 NIV
In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. You believe that there is one God.
What is the proof of our faith?
Also keep in mind that working faith is the proof of saving faith—not the earning of it. In other words, the evidence of our salvation is in the working of our faith. “Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself… I will show you my faith by my works'” (James 2:17–18).
Which scripture talks about evidence?
In the King James Version, the word “evidence” appears nine times: In Jeremiah 32 it appears eight times. In Hebrews 11 it appears once.
What does evidence mean in Hebrews 11:1?
Faith is the substance of things hoped for, it is also the evidence of things unseen. The Greek word “evidence” here is elenchos, a word used only here in the New Testament. It is a word which literally means “to bring to light” or “to demonstrate”.
Can you have faith and still doubt?
All people of faith have doubts at times. Doubts are a natural part of believing. Doubts do not equate with unbelief. Christian theologian Paul Tillich wrote, "Doubt isn't the opposite of faith; it is an element of faith."
Can God test your faith?
The Bible tells us that God tests our faith and trials will come, but remember, they have a purpose… To remember they are nothing compared to the glory that will be revealed in us (Romans 8:18). To comfort others in the future (2 Corinthians 1:3-4).
Is faith just believing?
The believer will open his mind to the truth on condition that it fits in with his preconceived ideas and wishes. Faith, on the other hand, is an unreserved opening of the mind to the truth, whatever it may turn out to be. Faith has no preconceptions; it is a plunge into the unknown. Belief clings, but faith lets go.
Do you need proof to have faith?
Sometimes Christians are accused of having blind faith. But faith is not believing something in the absence of facts or contrary to the facts. Faith is a reasonable response to trust based on the adequacy of the facts. Everybody makes decisions of life based on degrees of faith.
Can you have no religion but still believe in God?
A belief in God but not religion falls under the category of agnostic theism. The belief in God exists, but there may be a rejection of the institutional orthodoxy and orthopraxy of the religion.
Can religion be used as evidence?
Evidence of a witness's religious beliefs or opinions is not admissible to impeach or support the witness's credibility.