So often today, when one breaks the chains of human authority
(Roman Catholicism) or near-sighted, irreligious materialism, and
embraces with deep fervor what he percieves to be real
Christianity, he is caught up in an experiential religion known
as the charismatic movement. While those in the charismatic
movement are often characterized by conservative mores, a belief
in the divine inspiration of the scriptures, and a willingness to
confess their faith before others, the singularly archtypical
element of the charismatic movement is a subjectively derived
conviction which defies rational evaluation, a faith without
objective reason.
Certainly New Testament Christianity is a walk "by faith,
not by sight" (2 Cor. 5:7). However, that is not the same as
saying a walk without reason. A blind man's decision as to when
to cross the street is made with no less reason than a seeing
man's decision. The blind man has faith in something outside
himself (e.g., a seeing-eye dog), but that faith is based on
reason (the training of the seeing-eye dog & the dog's past
performance). This is simply to illustrate that walking by faith
is not necessarily walking without reason. And indeed, the faith
required by God is necessarily with reason. Rather than requiring
faith apart from evidence, Jesus said, "If I do not the works
(miracles) of my Father, believe me not. But if I do them, though
ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know and
understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father." (John
10:37-38). The very purpose of the writing of the book of John
was to provide reason "that ye may believe that Jesus is the
Christ, the Son of God." Significantly this purpose is stated
immediately following the account of Thomas' refusal to believe
Jesus was raised without seeing the evidence (John 20:24-29).
Verse 29 is not a contrast between reasonable and unreasonable
faith, exalting the latter over the former. It is rather a
contrast of the form of the evidence which provides faith.
If reason compels you to cast aside an authoritarian religion which is based on superstition, or if reason compels you to look beyond the here and now, do not in turn forsake that reason which has brought you so far. Allow it to lead you to the truth.