“…Perhaps the greatest single human factor in explaining why faith does not go on as it began is the explosive power of the emotions subsequent to conversion.” The Christian faith, in fact, has a very high place for the emotions, but in coming to believe the place for understanding and choosing truth is primary and the place for the emotions is secondary.” This is not because the Christian faith is unemotional but because this is how human knowing works anyway. But however emotional it is, the emotions alone do not effect conversion. “Needless to say, conversion may be profoundly emotional because it is a complete change involving the whole person. Understanding and choice are both essential to genuine belief, and they are always more important than the emotions in conversion.” But if faith is not to be make-believe, objective considerations must finally determine whether faith is true or misplaced. “Subjective elements play their part in the decision to believe. Here’s Guinness’ great approach to emotions and reason in the the Christian faith. “I’ve sinned again I feel like such a failure – how could God ever love me?). “I feel the Spirit’s presence so much that I have goose bumps!”), but probably more often it leads to doubt (i.e. This can lead to unbiblical hyper-spirituality (i.e. Sometimes in the Christian life, emotions take the throne and reason is cast by the wayside. One of the many helpful points Guinness makes in this book is that sometimes unruly emotions cause us to doubt the truth of the Christian faith or some aspects of it. It’s a book that takes your hand and walks you through doubts – what they are, what the Bible says about them, and how to fight them and grow in assurance of faith. If you’ve been following this blog for a few years now, you’ll recognize this book (and probably remember how much I appreciate it): God in the Dark by Os Guinness.
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