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[Newbie]

Does knowing (not just believing) that god exists preclude you from having faith?

Say, hypothetically, you know that god exists, that he loves us and that he is the god described in the bible. Does this mean you can't have faith, or is it impossible for humans to know this? My youth-group leader said to us once "sometimes we all think god doesn't exist, we all think that sometimes and that's ok, just don't ever believe that god is anything other than this." This question is partly inspired by the movie Constantine when Gabriel (Tilda Swinton) says to Constantine "No, you don't believe in god, you know god exists," but I am actually serious.

[jimwalton]

I define faith as an assumption of truth based on the evidence (and faith is always based on evidence) that makes it reasonable to make that assumption. When I go to sit in a chair, I can't be 100% that it will hold me (chairs occasionally do break). But I've sat in this chair 100 times, my eyes tell me it looks the same, and so I plant my rear in it, believing and assuming it will hold me. It's the same when I turn the key to start my car (I have faith it will start), going to the store (I have faith it's still there), or thousands of other things in daily life. It's what the author of Hebrews claims in Heb. 11.1: “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” There is a certainty based on evidence, though because it is not seen it is subject to faith, just like the store in my previous example. A blind person cannot distinguish color, but color is a real thing, and its reality is unaffected by whether or not the blind person is able to appreciate them.

Christianity is based in evidences, not blind beliefs. That's why it's historical, and not philoso-theological like Hinduism, Buddhism, and even Islam. The earth is here as evidence of a creator. The existence of the Jews as a people group is evidence of God's work in history. The evidence of Jesus as a historical figure and in his death and resurrection is presented in affirmation of his deity. Faith in the Christian definition is distinctly evidentially based, and not just an "out there" kind of "well, you just hafta believe."

There are different kinds of "knowledge." I see the computer screen in front of me, so I know that exists (well, I can't guarantee I'm not dreaming, but in real life, I feel that I can legitimately distinguish between reality and non-reality, so I consider that I know the computer is there and is real). I can't see my car in the driveway right now, but I "know" it's still there because I put it there last night when I came home and I have faith that it hasn't been stolen or miraculously (or tragically!) disappeared or fallen into a sinkhole.

There are all times when we wonder about God and his existence. That's where I base my faith (my knowledge) on the evidence and not on a blind leap. You'll notice that in the Bible faith was always based on knowledge. God showed himself to Abraham before he asked Abe to believe. God showed himself to Moses at the beginning. Jesus did miracles and taught things before he asked people to believe in him. I have evidence for the things I believe, even though right now I may not be able to see it (just as I can't see my car right now).