Faith and Knowledge by L. A. S.

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Aug 5, 1902

Faith and Knowledge

By L. A. S.

The highest knowledge to which the human mind has access is reached through the avenue of faith. God is omniscient, and in the Scriptures he has set before mankind a revelation of things which only the omniscient mind could of itself know. His word is the truth; it is impossible for him to state anything that is not true. Hence man has but to accept the word of God to have a knowledge of things altogether beyond the reach of finite research,—things which are a mystery and a marvel even to the angels in heaven. The education which comes through faith is the highest and most valuable, the most helpful in all the relations of life, that any individual can attain.

Faith is not only an avenue of knowledge, but it is also a safeguard against error. The idea is quite common that faith tends to make one a fanatic; that if it is carried a little too far, it brings a person into the wild and extravagant beliefs of the religious monomaniac. But so far from being true, this idea is the very reverse of the truth. Faith cannot be carried too far; for no one can too fully believe and trust the word of God. And the more one does exercise faith in that word, the more sober and sane will he become. His zeal will be always according to knowledge. Faith is, in fact, the only sure safeguard against fanaticism. Faith is an anchor that holds the mind against the winds of false doctrine and evil influence which everywhere prevail. Outside of faith, the most extravagant and absurd ideas are everywhere received as the truth. For example, note how the absurdities of Christian Science find ready adherents among all classes of the people. Education—that which the world gives — affords no safeguard. Nothing that any person has within himself, or is able to acquire from the world, can insure him against the delusions that are arising from every quarter, gathering victims from those of every rank and station. Never did an age boast of its enlightenment as does this one, yet never were delusions more prevalent. And these deceptions are increasing more and more. Worldly knowledge all this time is on the increase, but faith is on the decrease. It is the lack of faith that has left the multitudes to become the prey of error.

The man of faith sees the things of life in their true proportion. This is so because he has the extra knowledge which faith supplies. He is not misled by any false view of the value of things in the world, or of the true end of this earthly existence. Like his divine Master, whose life he exemplifies here, he is ever calm, yet earnest, considerate of the rights and wishes of others, patient in difficulties, never seeking to exalt himself, but making the welfare of others his first object, pointing men to the prize of eternal life as being above all earthly considerations. Compare with this the course of the fanatic, and their utter dissimilarity will be apparent. Faith is the great safeguard that is everywhere needed. For the lack of faith there is lack of knowledge, and for lack of knowledge the people perish. L. A. S.