What is faith?
By cleverland
@cleverland (150)
Philippines
June 1, 2012 5:50am CST
I read an article in yahoo about a pastor who died from a rattlesnake bite.
One of his habits was to hold dangerous snakes while preaching as he considered it as a "test of faith". He was bitten several times before but he managed to survive.
Recently, as he was holding a service. He sat next to the rattlesnake and the snake bit him in his thigh. Later, he died in the hospital from poisoning.
Was it a stupid act or it's just really that he had some extreme and solid faith to God? Because for me, it's best to trust God with all of your heart, but I don't think literally putting yourself into danger would be a good example as trusting God. Putting yourself in danger wouldn't be a basis for having a strong faith. It sounds more of a shallow definition of what faith is.
What do you think?
2 people like this
9 responses
@chiyosan (30186)
• Philippines
1 Jun 12
Though shall not put your Lord, God to the test. and that is exactly what the pastor did in this case. God meant us no harm but we were given our own choices and free will to do what we want. God can only do so much at a given time. What he did was not to prove his faith... he proved to be stupid (sorry for this, and do not get me wrong - i am a christian myself) but this is never the kind of faith that God wants to see in us, and the church is not some game of fate. He did put himself to the kind of danger that is sure to bite one way or another... IT is only just a matter of time. God probably did help him out the first few times... but he too has to teach the lesson to others that he shan't be tested.
Faith can be proven in many circumstances, in many things, and in many of our doings on a daily basis. When you close your eyes and plan for tomorrow, isn't that enough faith that God will still allow you to wake up the next day?
@wildflow3rz28 (180)
• Philippines
1 Jun 12
Faith is the greatest thing that a man could possess but we shouldn't test God. We should also take good care of the life that was given to us. Faith is one thing, negligence is different.
@jricky1 (6797)
• China
1 Jun 12
Well,maybe there is such a big difference among different people for their faith.Honestly,i would never ever do such things to challenge my life.It is like to take your life lighten.I would turn something into my motivation and then try to make my life better living.
@justcrafttalk (108)
• United States
1 Jun 12
To me, the act of using poisonous snakes and such isn't true faith in God
it's just daring God!
I have a huge faith in my Creator but not by testing Him.
I wouldn't put faith in a wild animal and that's what that pastor did.
"...faith is the substance of things not seen..."
@megamatt (14290)
• United States
1 Jun 12
I think that there is a fine line between having faith and being absolutely reckless. Let's face it, no matter how strong your faith is, you are not going to get special treatment by the higher powers, if you do something utterly and completely boneheaded. And really, I could have a strong faith and jump off of a tall building. Does not mean I'm going to live.
Then again, some people are just really out there with how they interpret their faith. It can be looked at with many different ways, but there are just many times where those of faith tend to really walk the fine line and really, you can't trust dangerous actions to come out okay. Sometimes that will come back to bite you. Literally in this case.
@Dominique25 (9460)
• United States
1 Jun 12
I think you are right. It was wrong to do this. In the Bible it states that not even Jesus put God to the test when Satan tempted him by telling him that he should hurl himself over a cliff because the angels would have rescued him. Jesus stated that we must not put God to the test in that way. That pastor obviously did not read that part of the Bible or listen to it. Sometimes I like of pastors do things like that in order to get more people into their service and therefore more money. It is very sad.
