Have you ever heard a phrase like this? "If if had more proof, I would have more faith."
The Holy Assembly of Jerusalem's stance: "I you had more faith, you would have more proof."
How about the phrase: "I believe but I have some reservations."
In the language of God's people this translates to: "I doubt."
Doubt, uncertainty, reservations: none of these are signs of a talmid.
"If you could just answer me this one question, then I would believe". If a person dies, never receiving the answer, do they die an unbeliever? Do you go to "almost heaven"? or do they go to "almost hell"?
"Almost" has nothing to do with faith. Faith is binary: a simple Yes or No. Do you have faith? or don't you?
"I have some faith now, but I will have even more faith when..." Garbage! You may never get the "When" as you are not promised another moment than this moment right now, every single moment beyond this is a Grace from God. So "When" does not even factor into faith. What do you have "Now". Right Now? Faith or no faith or a bad case of the "Almosts".
Why did Rabbeinu Yeshua say "Oh you, of little faith" to His talmidim? Because there is a big difference between wanting to believe and believing. Faith can move mountains, a case of the "Almost Faith" moves nothing but faithless lips.
Religion is faith based - not data based. You may believe in a chair because you see it, touch it, sit on it. Faith is to believe what none of your senses cannot fathom. Something that you cannot touch, yet it is real all the same.
Another verse, another answer, another proof....and then, the truth is the person with a case of "Almost Faith" plays this game. But for every answer, for every proof, they end up wanting more and more answers and more and more proofs. Still promising, "after this, then I will really and truly believe".
Rabbeinu Yeshua does not have "almost sheep". He does not accept "almost talmidim", and He does not care one whit, if an academic, or religionist can invest all sorts of time and energy to delve into the intricacies of religion or philosophy but invested no time applying any of this to being a real and true talmid.
Talmidim may have questions, but a chasid does not need answers to believe. They believe no matter what. The gifts of knowledge Rabbeinu Yeshua grants them, are the fruits of their complete unwavering faith.
If a person truly understood that their faith is not depending on the one more answer, that elusive bit of data, they would spend less time with their noses wedged in a religious book and more time with the heads touching the feet of the Mashiach.
Knowledge can help you make sense of your faith, but knowledge cannot give you faith.
If I told you the number of people who I have run into who claim to have faith, but falter the moment they hear something or see something that doesn't match their preconceptions, you would be shocked.
Rabbeinu Yeshua did many things in His ministry that were out of the realm of the average everyday experience, but the talmidim remained faithful because this was God and with God..all things are possible. That is faith. Those who stroll away when He says "I am the Bread of Life" were those of "Almost Faith". Those who believed under certain conditions and the moment they did not see what they expected to see or hear what they expected to hear, they prove the nature of their souls.
Give me proof and I will believe. There is always proof for those who really believe and usually when they are not demanding answers. Those who have "Almost Faith" come into contact with answers but this does not give them faith, it only generates more questions to deepen their "almost faith". So much is available to them and still no real faith.
A real chasid will live and die for Mashiach. If a person can call themselves a talmid but cannot say this, and does not see themselves being with the Adon-Gadola when they leave this earth, then whatever it is they hold out as faith, is lip service. You cannot be passionately ambiguous, and you cannot be a person of passionate faith with reservations and questions.
Faith in one's own opinions is not faith in God, since a person's opinions have no power to save a human soul. Real Faith is the ability to discern the truth, even if it goes against everything you have ever learned and or experienced.
Have faith and you have all the proof you need. Have doubt and no amount of proof will give you faith.
