Belief, Hope, Faith and Knowledge

[Traveler]

I think that within the religious community that it is not uncommon for someone to be somewhat confused with believing, hoping, exercising faith and having knowledge.  So here is a thread to explorer what we think concerning these terms.  I think that these terms are most often confused, especially with youth while expressing their testimony during Fast and Testimony meeting that is part of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  I do not intend to criticize anyone – but rather express my personal inability to understand certain expressions.

Though all the terms are related I will attempt to express what each means to me:

Belief: Sometimes I believe what a person expresses concerning their religious belief and what they really think and do is not consistent.  But the reality is that what we believe is what we do.  There is a saying – “What you do thunders so loudly in my ears that I can hear a word you say expressing what you believe.”  If a person is honest (especially to themselves) I am of the notion that when expressing their testimony – what they believe is the most powerful expression and the most profound connection to G-d.  Our belief is developed throughout our entire experiences and is more of what we are than we tend to realize.  I think that expressing one’s belief is good to do – even to write down our belief is important to clarify, especially to ourselves, what exactly it is that we believe.  You cannot believe in paying a full tithing unless you pay a full tithing.  You cannot believe in mercy unless you are merciful.  You cannot believe in truth and tell little white lies.

Hope:  I think that hope is often confused with faith.  I think the reason for this is because (I think) hope is the first step of faith.  When we utter a first prayer – I believe it is because he have hope that our prayer will be heard.  Some think that such a step is a “leap of faith”.  I do not like that term, “Leap of faith”.  I think it would be better expressed as a “Leap of hope”.  For me hope is a desire or intent to discover what is or what we think possible.  Having hope and a good think and a powerful tool that can get us to do things we would not otherwise.  I do not think we should ever be ashamed of hoping for good things.

Faith:  Perhaps I have a different idea about faith.  I do not think there is much of a difference between faith and knowledge.  Because the line is so fine, I think many confuse themselves thinking their faith is knowledge and that what they think is knowledge is in reality faith.  I will use an example and use as a symbol of faith with a reference to electrons (electricity).  Some study electrons and think they know what an electron is – but in truth no one has ever seen an electron.  But we have all had lots of experiences with something that we all call electrons (electricity).  Our faith is so strong in electrons that we never doubt that electrons exist and work.  If we hit a switch to a light and the light does not come on – no one ever thinks, “Oh no electrons (electricity) no longer works”.  Rather we think the light bulb has burned out.  If we replace the light bult and the light still does not come on – we think the switch has quite working, or a breaker and shut off the electricity – or after we have checked everything in our home then we think the power is off.  No one ever loses faith in electricity.  We continue to “hope” we will find out why the light does not come on.  But our faith in electrons persists.   But note that in order to have faith – some knowledge, hope and belief is required.

Knowledge: I am expressing my understanding.  Knowledge as I understand is the divine revelation that that what we experience is true.  The problem with knowledge is that it is fleeting and can be lost and become a uncertain memory.  I do not believe someone can know a thing unless it is true, and G-d has made that truth known by the power of the Holy Ghost.  This means that the only way a person can know or have knowledge is to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost (by covenant) and then to be loyal to that covenant.  As soon as one disconnects from their covenant, doubt will muddle their thinking and their knowledge of the truth will be become uncertain.  This is why it is impossible to know truth without a witness of Christ in that truth.  It is why all truth gives witness of Christ.  The caveat to this is that for whatever principle of truth someone discovers – they discover something of Christ.  But if they have not herd the truth of Christ they may not realize that they are learning of Christ.   Thus, someone can know a truth and deny that they know anything concerning Christ.  Because they do not understand that they only deny their false understanding of Christ.

 

The Traveler

[zil2]

19 minutes ago, Traveler said:

You cannot believe in paying a full tithing unless you pay a full tithing.  You cannot believe in mercy unless you are merciful.  You cannot believe in truth and tell little white lies.

President Uchtdorf disagrees with you:

Quote

Some might say, “I know a member of your Church who is a hypocrite. I could never join a church that had someone like him as a member.”

If you define hypocrite as someone who fails to live up perfectly to what he or she believes, then we are all hypocrites. None of us is quite as Christlike as we know we should be. But we earnestly desire to overcome our faults and the tendency to sin. With our heart and soul we yearn to become better with the help of the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

 

[Anddenex]

This is one of the aspects in the gospel I find intriguing. How the same principle can be defined in different ways, and in ways that seem to contradict. I assume though, this is why we grow grace for grace, line upon line, and precept upon precept so we can more fully understand correct principles.

Belief is to Faith/Hope as Knowledge is to Wisdom. Our belief is a declaration of what we accept as true or false. I agree with your first sentence regarding belief, that people will have outward belief's that are not consistent with what they really think (inward belief). This is the crux of those who endure a "faith crisis." It might be better said that what they "really think" is their actual belief while their religious belief is what they are unsure of but hope it to be true. I would also say, we don't know what we really believe (or have faith in) until a trial that conflicts with or tests the nature of that belief.

I would disagree with the totality that if you believe in truth you will never tell a lie, because it depends on the heirarchy within a person's belief system. I believe in "self-preservation" and I believe in truth; however, if telling the truth would interfere with self-preservation then I will tell a lie. What your statement reminds me is the words from Socrates, "To know good is to do good." I might add, their is a difference between temporal belief and knowledge that results from a spiritual witness. The evidence is Christ's words to Peter when he said flesh and blood did not reveal it unto you as to who he (Christ) was/is.

Hope/Faith -- I'm not sure that people confuse faith with hope. Faith and hope are interwoven. We know from scripture that without hope you cannot have faith, and without faith you cannot hope. I would say the relationship between the two is the confusion. The idea presented between "leap of faith" vs. a "leap of hope" confirms this. As we cannot have faith without hope, a "leap of faith" is the correct term as it combines both hope and faith in the same phrase. Hope is a potential idea, a potential truth, that we are willing to believe. We show we have faith and hope due to the action of that belief; the combination of hope and faith. Without faith, a person would never get on their knees, because we can "believe" without taking action. I can believe reading books betters one's life. I can have hope that if I read this particular book it will better my life (i.e. Book of Mormon). The reading of the book is the combination of hope and faith. My belief is truly shown when I act in faith/hope of that belief. I'm in agreement though as to the relationship with hope and faith is that hope is the first act, and then faith becomes evident by our action. Then the cycle continues, to increase in faith our hope is first increased toward a new goal, a new height, and then we act (faith).

Knowledge -- At the moment, my understanding of knowledge is what you have shared. This is why I'm bothered by members who say, "You can't know anything, thus you can't say 'I know' in testimony." It is clear from scripture that the witness from the Holy Ghost is knowledge -- knowing. It is clear from scripture the more knowledge we obtain, from the spirit, the more it can condemn (if we act against it) because we no longer merely believe a truth we were given knowledge of that truth. This is why to "know" God as one knows the "sun" at noon day is damnation if one ever rejects it (son of perdition). If we didn't know a thing, then we can't be held accountability to the fullest extent of the law. This is why we are supposed to "trust" or have confidence in the knowledge we have received from the Holy Ghost, and to increase in knowledge that is higher than the ways of this temporal (telestial) earth. The "faith crisis" for many is that they are willing to believe/accept telestial truths over heavenly (celestial) truths. They want the heavenly to be diluted to earthly. They want heaven to bend, rather then their willingness to submit to ultimate truth, real truth.

Edited December 30, 2023 by Anddenex