Another tangent unrelated to what I said.
Considering that you've become tangentially unrelated to the point of where you want to spend your eternity, I'm not bothered by your complaint here.
Only you haven't explained. You just respond to A with Q and no indication of B, c, d...
I've spent years explaining.
You have refused to listen, and run amok with tangential rabbit trails.
So God's word is assurance of what you read in God's word?
God's Spirit affirms his Word, and encourages us, in our obedience to his Word.
And sugar is what makes food sweet.
Still doesn't tell me what sugar actually is.
Perfect example of a tangential rabbit trail.
Faith IS the assurance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen.
Ever flown a plane? Ever heard of IFR? Instrument Flight Rules.
It's the way pilots fly in storms, and conditions where they are not able to use their senses.
They have to depend on the instruments to fly.
It's the same with biblical christianity.
We follow Jesus by using the bible. I.e., the bible is our IFR.
The "does" is in the context. Faith provides something. Assurance.
Faith IS the assurance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen.
Consider the IFR example.
Better yet, go talk with a commercial pilot who has flown via IFR.
I didn't "know" I could actually open the door. I had previous experience with doors and locks and keys.
Which goes to the point of- you had faith that the individual who handed you the key gave you the right key, for that particular door.
The assurance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen.
Having "faith" that I had the right key and that the door would act in the same way other doors did, was no "assurance" that it would actually open.
The assurance was demonstrated by you inserting the key into the lock, and rotating it.
Its working confirmed that it was the right key, and you could then have confidence that it was the right key for that door, and from that point forward, be confident.
You exhibited faith in the initial experience of taking the key, inserting it into the keyhole, and rotating.
Had it not fit the hole, or fit, and not rotated, then you would have learned it was not the right key.
But each step you took demonstrated that you expressed faith, and then you received the assurance that your faith was well-placed and the evidence of things not previously seen.
The fit of the key, and the key's rotating in the keyhole.
The door unlocking/opening is the proof.
Jesus said that he is the door, and by him alone we access God.
By calling on his name, and believing him, we are inserting the key into the door lock, and then turning it, and opening the door.
The right key to the right door.
What do you think confidence is? It's a feeling.
If you say so. I think it's the result of experiencing success in previous endeavors. The bible says that confidence is the result of righteousness.
Isa 32:17 WEB The work of righteousness will be peace, and the effect of righteousness, quietness and confidence forever.
Isa 30:15 WEB For thus said the Lord Yahweh, the Holy One of Israel, “You will be saved in returning and rest. Your strength will be in quietness and in confidence.”......
Confidence is based on experience. On experiencing success and failures. You learn what works, and doesn't work. You continue to do what works, and learn a different way of doing what failed so you can succeed and do what works.
In learning to do what Jesus said, I learn that I can rest in peace doing what Jesus said because it works, and I can have confidence in him.
In doing this, he demonstrates himself to us. We actually experience peace with him. We actually experience His presence in our lives. We actually experience His joy in our hearts. By learning to follow Jesus and do what he said is right, we experience him
Paul describes in Philippians 3, we experience being conformed to his death, so we may experience the power of his resurrection.
In 2 Corinthians 1, Romans 8, 2 Corinthians 4, we experience the struggles and heartaches of being people who follow Jesus, and in this God demonstrates himself faithful to his word and he comforts, encourages, strengthens and establishes us.
Repetition gives you the sense that it's trustworthy.
Thus, confidence.
No you can measure an atom of Gold. It's just easier with a lump.
If you actually have a mand made device to do so.
It's invisible to the human eye.
You know it's valid through repeated use. Achieving the same result under the same conditions.
Confidence.
So I should just believe, regardless of having no reason to believe?
Where I come from, the initial experience is that of "taking a chance."
I took a chance with my wife when we first met.
I took a chance at applying for jobs. I took a chance at buying a car. I took a chance at driving. I took a chance at buying a house. I've taken a lot of chances in my life. Some succeeded. Some failed.
Those which succeeded encouraged me, and gave me confidence. Those which failed, and mattered to me, I moved into learning a different way, or just moved into something else entirely.
If you plainly perceived it then you wouldn't have had to ask God if he was real or just BS.
It seems it's only plainly perceived once you believe.
Plainly perceived by engaging Jesus on his terms.
If you had actually followed my thinking you wouldn't have asked that question?
No. It wouldn't make it true. Just as claiming "The heavens themselves declare YHVH's glory" doesn't make that true.
Actually, it just means that you don't want it to be true.
What I perceived in considering the nighttime sky was awe, and wonder.
How could something so profound come into existence.
The idea that it just magically appeared never actually occurred to me.
