The Jewish outlook., 1907-11-22
Stumbling
Blocks in
Religion

titled ''Trust, Faith,
Belief, Creed;" an article worthy OF
perusal by all men and women. 1t.
however, falls short in one vital re-
spect, common to all Christian theOlO-
gians who regard Christianity as the
fulfillment of Judaism and to have SUI
perseded the latter. We will clarity
this in our present article. Subject
i've Jewish silence and objective
Christian silence are both to be de-
plOred.
The Hebrew word Bitachon," rem
dered into English as "trust, indi-
Gates confidence" not alone Il feeling,
but also a condition of safety. And
Emunah admits of subjective and
objective meaning. 1t implies faith
fulness on the part of the individual ;
but it is also frequently used to desig-
nate belief, the concrete article OF
faith. 1t is furthermore II synonym
of Bitachon, and also means trust,
confidence, but even here its Use is
more objective and would convey to
us something which gives us Bitachon
or the feeling of confidence and safe
ty. Trust and faith are good in them
selves and of incalculable value to
man. Belief and creed are useful ex-
pedients, temporary and ephemeral.
The danger however, becomes great
when trust hardens into belief and
faith crystallizes into creed. Trust
leads to and becomes faith: faith.
however, is not exactly belief. al
though belief itself may mean and
generate creed. Judaism, the mother
of Christianity, whence the latter de-
rived all its grand and inspiring moral
qualities and quantities, lays great
stress on trust and OH faith. 1t re-
CARDS faith as II conviction proceeding
from and informing the will. This
faith must be realized in worship. eX-
pressed in service. Judaism will have
none of that sitting justification by
faith alone. Faith not accompanied
by deeds of goodness degenerates into
lifeless form and superstition. and
consequently loses its force, vitality
and usefulness Belief is another mat
ter. Belief conveys and contains an
element of doubt and hesitancy. The
scriptures make Abraham to believe
in God, for which belief he was cred
tied with degree Righteousness Gen.
Is :6). His faith, however. is not
sure. 1t is negative quantity. In
the same way the children of Israel
are made to "believe in the Lord and
i'm His servant Moses" (Exod. IA :3D
Belief thus actually posits doubt, at
least a certain amount of doubt. 1t
leaves us uncertain. In fact, there is
no command in the old testament Or
dering us to believe, whereas we are
everywhere told to trust and have
faith. We find the lapse, however, in
the new testament, where belief is dis
tinctly ordained as something sure
and convincing. Here indeed is a
degeneration. Belief is psycholog-
ical attitude of the individuals mind
or will. AS soon as we pass through
the periods of belief, we emerge into
the state of absolute faith. All doubts
and uncertainties vanish at a flash.
and we are confident. The attitude
of the new testament, then, does not
prove a development and progress.
but a deterioration and retrogres
sion. 1t is impossible for belief in
Christ to be identical with trust in
God. Belief is empirical; it is lad
der, if we care to call it so, whereby
we ascend to faith. But belief in a
mediator can in no wise bring us to
trust and faith in God. The mediator