A Mustardseed of Faith

In the gospels we are taught that if you have faith even as just a mustardseed nothing will be impossible for you.

However it can be very misleading even dangerous to read scripture as literal or out of context. As a classic example but not quite so often misunderstood but well can be, take for instance the Apostle Paul as claiming: "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me".

Surely as stated in the Bible it is not meant literally, when compared for instance to physically walking water as a supernatural act.

Paul's claim is quite obviously not true outside of its correct context, and neither as literal fact. Still many people probably do believe it so. Clearly the verse is not meant that way at all, and even less in ways such as apparent fashionable beliefs in the media of all kinds of so-called super powers and super heroes and "gods" that are very popular in the films nowadays.

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In Christian teaching the verses of a mustard seed in the New Testament are easily understood wrongly and sometimes even deliberately so. One should always read in context. Isn't it more like a parable? Quite obviously it is meant as symbolic. In these cases the meaning is simply (often on purpose) totally misunderstood.

Jesus often spoke in parables and I believe this is an instance of such symbolic imagery and probably not understood by the disciples. What does "faith" mean here? Many could easily completely misunderstand these verses. One has to always read scripture in context and as well as not "between the lines" as such.

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We are living in incredibly exciting times. Even feasible now is the idea of a physical material Kingdom of God from the seed of Abraham, the vow and promise to Abraham of descendents, children many as the grains of sand and stars. A blessing of the Earth and the people. Then the vow carries through Isaac, Jacob, the people of Isreal, Judah and David.

Our creed is of One God, the Creator, the fall of Man, Christ's birth of the Virgin Mary, His life, crucifixion, resurrection and ascension. Our religion is monotheism. God is the Holy Trinity.

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Faith has also to be a firm belief of existence of ultimate and universal truth. There has to be strong logical reasons for spiritual beliefs, and faith as discipline and obedience to God.

Think of reasons for a plan to work and could be carried through. Instead of thinking all the time of everything and of the many things that might go wrong. Most of these problems don't ever even materialise and then it was a waste of effort.

In essence,

Ask: What if? Why not?

And Not: And if? Why?

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Yes things will never be the same again but that is not to say that they cannot be better. Follow a meaningful philosophy of truth and insight, and along the lines of where there's a will there's a way. And, he who has a why can overcome almost every how. It is in the spirit of Viktor Frankl.

So that we should much rather have an approach like: We will cross that bridge when we come to it! What if? Why not? Think in terms of method and purpose, of oppurtunity and possibilities rather, not of reaching a goal as an end but of reaching landmarks as part of a journey, not a destination.