How Reasoning Increases Your Faith

Abraham reasoned that God could even raise the dead, and so in a manner of speaking he did receive Isaac back from death.  Hebrews 11:19

True faith is never blind or unreasonable. 

Because faith comes from hearing and believing what God says, and because what God says is truth, you can draw certain conclusions about your life based on what God has promised you.

For example, God promised Abraham a son, Isaac.  He promised Abraham that through Isaac Abraham would be the father of nations.  So when God commanded Abraham to kill Isaac as a sacrifice, Abraham reasoned like this:

1.  God promised that through Isaac I would be the father of nations.
2.  God commanded me to kill Isaac.
3.  Therefore, God, who cannot lie, will raise Isaac from the dead.

Notice how Abraham's reasoning assumes two things:
1.  God's faithfulness.
2.  Abraham's obedience.

In other words, Abraham assumes that he will actually go through with killing his son. He expects Isaac to actually die, and thus for God to actually resurrect him.  This is reasonable, if it is a given that God cannot lie. 

True faith is never blind or unreasonable.

Let's take another example.

Jesus said that if you seek first God's kingdom and righteousness, God will provide your needs.  Say you are seeking God's will for a trip you need to go on.  You need to repair your car in order to make the trip, or so you believe.  God reveals to you that it is His will for you to make the trip, and that you will indeed make it to your destination.  Now these things must follow reasonably:

1.  God will provide you with the money you need to repair your car and make the trip.
2.  The money you already have is enough to repair your car and make the trip.
3.  If you have no money, and God does not provide the money, then your car will make the trip without being repaired (or he will provide another car.) 

One of these three things has to be true if God indeed promised you would make the trip. 

True faith is never blind or unreasonable.

If you start with what God says, commands, or promises, knowing that God cannot lie, you can draw certain conclusions from His words, and those conclusions are expressions of faith.

What has God promised you?  As a result, what must be true in your life?