Faith is not knowledge

My students learned things that they have never heard before. They also unlearned many things they held dear or comfortable with. One of them cited this: "Faith is not knowledge but loyalty to God and to Christ. It is vibrant living for God's righteousness through Jesus" (p. 89).

An Ideal Human from a Perspective of Creation Myth

I am thinking about ideal humanity. What is the best life we can live, given the reality of what we are? The conclusion is we need humility, confidence, and empathy. The gist of biblical anthropology may be looked at in Gen 2:7, according to which the human is made up of two elements: dust from the ground and the breath of life. The result is an interesting being, called nefesh in Hebrew. Let us see each element and the result of the combination of the two.

 

First, Gen 2:7 says the human (הָֽאָדָ֗ם) is formed from the dust (עָפָר֙) of the ground (הָֽאֲדָמָ֖ה). So humans are dust (הֶעָפָ֛ר), which returns to the earth (Eccl 12:7). I am weak, fragile, and nothing. "I am no-one." So, humility is what we need.

*C.f., Eccl 1:2: הֶבֶל (hebel); Buddhism: Annica (zhū háng wú cháng, 諸行無常)

Second, also in Gen 2:7, the human is also given "the breath of life" (נִשְׁמַ֣ת חַיִּ֑ים) by the Lord. So humans are also the spirit (רוּחַ), which returns to God (Eccl 12:7). We are more than the earthlings. We must live, looking up to heaven, never giving up easily, valuing and enjoying the time-bound life on the earth. We should be confident in ourselves. "I am some-one." 

*C.f., Buddhism: Anutpanna Aniruddha (bù shēng bú miè, 不生不滅)

Third, the human (Adam) becomes nefesh (a living being or soul, נֶ֫פֶשׁ) with the combination of the dust and the breath of life. This means our being (nefesh) is not perfect. We cannot live alone. We need empathy. We must embrace others as ourselves. "I am one-for-others." 

*C.f., Confucianism: rén zhě rén yě (仁者人也); cè yǐn zhī xīn (惻隱之心)

The above idea of human transformation has been explored in my biblical interpretation.

Study Today

"If you don't study today, don't say there is tomorrow. 

If you don't study this year, don't say there is next year." 

("The Precious Mirror of Bright Mind")

I wrote this piece more than 30 years ago. 

It reflects who I am now.