Mere Christianity - Faith

Some straightforward, but serious considerations about what genuine faith looks like according to C.S. Lewis.

"Now faith in the sense in which I am here using the word, is the art of holding on to things your reason has once accepted, in spite of your changing moods."

"...If what you call your 'faith' in Christ does not involve taking the slightest notice of what He says, then it is not Faith at all- not faith or trust in Him, but only intellectual acceptance of some theory about Him."

"...if you have once accepted Christianity, then some of its main doctrines shall be deliberately held before your mind for some time every day. That is why daily prayers and religious readings and church-going are necessary parts of the Christian life. We have to be continually reminded of what we believe."

Lewis' use of the word 'deliberately' is key here. This quote reminds me of portions of Colossians 3 where Paul encourages us to "set our hearts and minds on things above" and to "let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another...and as you sing psalms hymns and spiritual songs." What Lewis says here is particularly important for worship leaders and pastors to keep in mind. It is so easy to get caught up in making the music great, or being therapeutic in your message, or making sure every last detail is covered (so the 'program' runs as smooth as possible). But we must deliberately set out to help our congregations set their minds on the truth about God, and our identity in Him as followers of Christ. That is where the focus ought to be. Obviously this quote is also a good reminder to all Christians as to why both corporate worship and personal prayer/devotional times need to be a priority in life.