download - Sekolah Tinggi Theologia Aletheia Lawang

147
body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave
himself for me.‖ (Phil.1: 21; Cal. 2:20)
The Essence of Faith --- The Word of God
Philosophical analysis yields the fact that anything that shares
eternal meaning or eternal values must have direct relation with the
Truth. Man cannot live without faith. This is due to the fact that
God has burden eternity on men (Ecclesiastes 3:10). The eternal
soul becomes an endless drive, pushing man to pursue what is
lasting and eternal--- the Truth. We all know that the
phenomenological manifestations of truth in physical world are
concrete facts. We also certainly know that the concrete
manifestations of the truth (facts) is not necessary the Truth itself.
Nevertheless, we still endlessly seek the facts, as if truth is the sum
total of facts. This is absurd, yet we are still willingly and
continuously suffering so much even on such a vain pursuit.
Taking Kantian postulative structure framework of understanding,
such a continuous pursuit clearly indicates that we are certain that
the truth does exist. We even willing dedicating ourselves to it
unending pursuit and cheerfully submit ourselves under it.
In Christian view, the truth does not only rests in the eternal
God per se; it also rests in the revelation this God has given to man.
This is the reason for us to say that the essence of faith is not in the
facts, or the beliefs, nor in the trust we have on such facts, but in
the revealed Word of God. As the Word comes from the Eternal
God, the Word is his witness. The Word has become flesh in Christ
and lived among us. It is proclaimed and preserved by the church
Christ has redeemed. For this reason, theology takes the Church as
guardian of Faith, as one who has the deposit of faith, where the
Bible states that the church is the Pillar and the foundation of the
Truth. (I Tim. 3:15)
One who is in the Church will not only has faith of the gospel
(fides evangelica) to become a child of God, he will be well
nourished in the Word of God and increase in faith and being
fulfilled. Therefore, true faith is not only initiated by the Word, it