The Best (and Worst) of Twitter

2022 #2

Twitter. There’s a part that’s good. There is a part that is bad; and there is a part that you wouldn’t believe. Twitter, along with other social media platforms can be used for good. But, there are a lot of things you can find on Twitter’s Christian circles that are not that good. Perhaps you have seen comments on social media that are contrary to the Christian worldview. I’d like to take a look at those statements and comments to see if we can give an answer

Faith is the opposite of truth.

The aim of the author is to put faith and truth on the same epistemological level. That is to say, he wishes to make them both ways of knowing and as opposite modes of knowledge. If the author were to make a follow up statement, he would be able to assert that faith does not lead to truth. In reality, this is a strawman statement based on a misunderstanding.

A couple of definitions would be helpful at this point. The best way to define “truth” is that which corresponds to reality. Christians define “faith” as trust based on the assessment of the trustworthiness of the object of that trust. The definitions of these words immediately suggest their opposites. The opposite of truth is falsehood. If something does not correspond with reality, then it can be called false. A lack of trust which prevents the placement of faith can best be termed as non-belief.

A classic passage from the New Testament on this was penned by the author of Hebrews,

“Now without faith it is impossible to please him, for the one who approaches God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him” (Hebrews 11:6, NET).

This verse emphasizes the importance of faith. Faith is a necessary component in pleasing God. That trust is based on two propositions, belief in the existence of God and that He rewards those who seek Him. The writer of Hebrews calls on us to place our faith in those truths.

Jesus Christ did not ask His followers to believe things that were not true. Nor did He ask believers to take a blind leap in the dark. Those two things are the opposite of both truth and faith. Faith, contrary to the Twitter post above, a response to truth. It is a response to truth about reality.