Topics
Hello,
I have a really foundational question...I am writing a Bible study and including info. on the Shield of Faith. I would like to also include what the shield will not do, such as guarantee no sickness, loss and promise lots of money.
How would I search topics regarding the Shield of Fath such as:
- Does not shield from grief (loss of loved ones example)
- Does not guarantee ease. (in this world we will have trouble)
- Does not shield from loss of earthly possessions (believers stripped of wealth)
- Does not shield from physical suffering,(maybe Pauls sickness or beatings)
These are a few. If you could help me learn to search topics like this I would be so thankful and able to complete my study.
God bless you today
Comments
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Corrine,
Topical searching in Logos 4 is pretty weak. Putting that issue aside, searching for what faith does not do is a lot more subjective than what faith does do. This is because most of the Bible's teaching about faith is positive not negative.Therefore you have to infer answers to your question since you won't find many (any?) specific statements of the type "Faith will not...".
There are some topical resources available in Logos that might help with your question. For example Nave's Topical Bible or the New Topical Textbook. You might not find references under Faith but under other topics like sickness, health, money, possessions, etc. You have to supply the ideas to check out since there is not a list in the Bible of what faith doesn't do. You have to infer limits from other things that are said (as you've begun to do).
Logos can help you find every reference to faith and every promise made about faith. It is not going to provide an easy way to find what faith doesn't do.
Pastor, North Park Baptist Church
Bridgeport, CT USA
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Corinne Kinstler said:
Hello,
I have a really foundational question...I am writing a Bible study and including info. on the Shield of Faith. I would like to also include what the shield will not do, such as guarantee no sickness, loss and promise lots of money.
It's hard for me to not put in my recent study of this wonderful passage, and provide just a few observations for you to check out and consider as you study it.
What I did in my study was to do Bible Word Studies and searches ("Search this resource") on "faith" (gr: pistis), and "shield" first. I read through all the verses I could on these and tried to get a feel for how these concepts are used in the Bible. As I studied these, questions and theories arose in my mind. Then I started looking at commentaries and tried to answer those questions and explore the theories.
First, I noticed that the armor is God's armor, which means that it's armor that He wears and gives to us (this is the only way Isaiah 59:17 makes sense). So we put on God's truth, righteousness, Gospel of peace, faithfulness, salvation and take up His words (as a sword).
Notice I said (the shield of) "faithfulness" rather than the traditional "faith." That's because of my study of the word "pistis" (translated as either "faith" or "faithfulness," based on context). IMHO, since we're talking about God's gracious work for us in all the other pieces of armor, it seems right to emphasize that aspect here too. Further it makes more sense in the rest of Scripture to see that God's faithfulness protects us from our enemies, than that our, human, feeble (but growing) faith does. I would also suggest that we hold on to God's faithfulness as an act of faith, bringing that subjective side back in to the picture.
I know that my opinion on this doesn't have a lot of support in commentaries etc. (I'm not aware of any that even discuss this translation option), but I suggest it to you, as a foil for your study. Use Logos to explore the meaning of 'pistis' here (the reverse interlinear makes looking this up very easy), look at it's uses, and find places where the Bible discusses our protection from our enemies. Also look up places where the Scripture talks about a shield, especially God as our shield (the Psalms are a great place to go "mining" for such things), how do shields work, and how does the Bible use the concept of a shield as a metaphor. Then prayerfully listen to the Spirit speak about this.
The danger that you see in a shallow interpretation of this passage, is one I felt too as I first looked at this passage. It seems to suggest that we have a faith in faith, rather than a faith in God. The Spirit tells us that's not right. Yet it's not our faith/faithfulness that we're called to have faith in here, any more than we're to have faith in our truth, our righteousness, our own personal gospel, our way of saving ourselves, or our own words. Rather, this passage clearly teaches a reliance (faith) in what God has done, is doing, and will yet accomplish for us.
Okay, I'm dancing on the line between sharing my personal views and pointing to Logos as a tool to study Scripture. But I hope by laying out my methods (at least) you'll be prodded to adopt at least some of these methods to prayerfully explore God's word yourself. I've rarely gotten much significant help by doing topical studies in Logos 2, Libronix, nor Logos 4. But I do find a lot worth exploring using the methods described above.
God bless!
Help links: WIKI; Logos 6 FAQ. (Phil. 2:14, NIV)
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Richard DeRuiter said:
I'm dancing on the line between sharing my personal views and pointing to Logos as a tool to study Scripture.
Elegant dancing, I might say. Perhaps next year's candidate for Dancing with the Stars?
Seriously, particular Bible images such as armor often have periods when that particular image is emphasized. I would do a search on my entire library for "shield NEAR faith" and look to see if commentators cluster in a particular time, place or denomination. Then I would skew my research of commentaries towards that grouping.
Orthodox Bishop Alfeyev: "To be a theologian means to have experience of a personal encounter with God through prayer and worship."; Orthodox proverb: "We know where the Church is, we do not know where it is not."
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God really spoke to me in your response. More than I can say. I don't know the depth of it yet but it is not shallow.
Thank you for taking the time to share what the Spirit has shown you.
Blessings!
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Good morning Richard,
I am still exploring the "Shield of Faith". Thank you again for sharing your insight as I have found it to be very interesting and helpful. You suggested that I do a reverse interlinear? I'm not sure what that is or how to do it. I do not want to take up a bunch of your time but if you could explain that without me inconveniencing you, I would be so appreciative.
God's Blessings on you today
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Corinne Kinstler said:
Good morning Richard,
I am still exploring the "Shield of Faith". Thank you again for sharing your insight as I have found it to be very interesting and helpful. You suggested that I do a reverse interlinear? I'm not sure what that is or how to do it. I do not want to take up a bunch of your time but if you could explain that without me inconveniencing you, I would be so appreciative.
God's Blessings on you today
Check out the video here (explains what it is and how to use it better than I could).
Note: the Reverse Interlinears are included in the Bible Study base package and above (not in the Home base package).
Help links: WIKI; Logos 6 FAQ. (Phil. 2:14, NIV)
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