Assessing the Authenticity of a Shaky Heart Faith
Assessing the Authenticity of a Shaky Heart Faith
The authenticity of a believer's faith is often questioned when their heart is shaky or doubting. According to Charles Hodge, faith is not simply a matter of the will or feelings, but rather it is an act of the mind that is influenced by the Holy Spirit [2]. The Westminster Confession of Faith articulates that true believers, despite their struggles with doubt, can be assured of their salvation through faith in Jesus Christ [7].
The biblical anchor for assessing the authenticity of faith lies in the inward testimony of the Holy Spirit. John Calvin notes that faith is not based on human reasoning or external evidence alone, but on the internal witness of the Spirit [1]. This is echoed by Charles Hodge, who states that true faith is due to the "demonstration of the Spirit" and the inward teaching of the Holy Spirit [5].
A shaky heart faith is not necessarily unauthentic. Augustine notes that even those who have received baptism from someone who has not themselves received it can still have valid baptism if done with sincerity of heart [3]. Similarly, Calvin argues that faith is not about the absence of doubt, but about the presence of a sincere heart [4].
The Reformed tradition emphasizes the role of the Holy Spirit in authenticating faith. According to Hodge, the Spirit's testimony is what distinguishes true faith from mere speculative or intellectual assent [8]. The Westminster Confession also highlights the importance of the Spirit's work in giving believers assurance of their salvation [7].
In assessing the authenticity of a shaky heart faith, one must look beyond external appearances or feelings. Calvin warns against judging faith based on external appearances or emotional experiences [1]. Instead, the focus should be on the inward reality of the believer's heart and their relationship with God.
The patristic tradition also provides insight into this issue. Augustine's writings on the nature of faith and the role of the Holy Spirit in conversion highlight the complexity of assessing the authenticity of faith [6].
Sources
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 57: Il me faut mourir. Voicy un changement de la main de Dieu;”—I said I must die. Behold a change in the hand of God. As if desperate, he adjudges himself to destruction. 292 292 See Calv adv. Pighiium, near the commencement. He not only confesses that he is agitated by doubt, but as if he had fallen in the contest, leaves himself nothing in reserve,—God having deserted him, and made the hand which was wont to help him the instrument of his destruction. Wherefore, after having been tossed among tumultuous waves, it is not without reas”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 13: § 5. Faith and Feeling. It has already been seen, — 1. That faith, the act of believing, cannot properly be defined as the assent of the understanding determined by the will. There are, unquestionably, many cases in which a man believes against his will. 2. It has also been argued that it is not correct to say that faith is assent founded on feeling. On this point it was admitted that a man’s feelings have great influence upon his faith; that it is comparatively easy to believe what is agreeable, and difficult to believe what is disagreea”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 4: Augustine — Anti-Manichaean, Anti-Donatist — CHAP. 53.--101. The question is also commonly raised, whether baptism is to be held valid which is received from one who had not himself received it, if, from some promptings of curiosity, he had chan (part 1): 513 without deceit, that is to say, with full sincerity of heart: or whether it be worse to receive it deceitfully in heresy or in good faith in a play, if any one were to be moved by a sudden feeling of religion in the midst of his acting. And yet, if we compare such an one even with him who receives it deceitfully in the Cathol”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 96: a thing is done with the whole heart, when it is done sincerely and cordially. Of this description are the following passages:—“With my whole heart have I sought thee” ( Ps. 119:10 ); “I will confess unto thee with my whole heart,” &c. In like manner, when the fraudulent and deceitful are rebuked, it is said “with flattering lips, and with a double heart, do they speak” ( Ps. 12:2 ). The objectors next add—“If faith is increased by means of the sacraments, the Holy Spirit is given in vain, seeing it is his office to begin, sustain,”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 1, section 30: anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in Him.” These passages teach what all evangelical Christians admit. First, that true knowledge, or spiritual discernment of divine things, is due to the inward teaching of the Holy Spirit; and secondly, that true faith, or the infallible assurance of the truths revealed, is due in like manner to the “demonstration of tine Spirit.” ( 1 Cor. ii. 4 .) The Apostle John also says: “He that believeth on the Son of God, hath the wit”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 5: Augustine — Anti-Pelagian — CHAP. 29. -- GOD IS ABLE TO CONVERT OPPOSING WILLS, AND TO TAKE AWAY FROM THE HEART ITS HARDNESS.: Now if faith is simply of free will, and is not given by God, why do we pray for those who will not believe, that they may believe ? This it would be absolutely useless to do, unless we believe, with perfect propriety, that Almighty God is able to turn to belief wills that are perverse and opposed to faith. Man's free will is addressed when it is said, "Today, if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts."[9] But if God were not able to remove from th”
- Westminster Confession of Faith (Reformed) “Westminster Confession of Faith (Reformed, 1646), CHAPTER 18 (part 1): CHAPTER 18 Of the Assurance of Grace and Salvation 1. Although hypocrites and other unregenerate men may vainly deceive themselves with false hopes and carnal presumptions of being in the favor of God, and estate of salvation (which hope of theirs shall perish): yet such as truly believe in the Lord Jesus, and love him in sincerity, endeavoring to walk in all good conscience before him, may, in this life, be certainly assured that they are in the state of grace, and may rejoice in the hope of the glory of God, which hope sh”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 11: nature and of such power as to produce a perfect revoluticn in the soul, compared in Scripture to that effected by opening the eyes of the blind to the reality, the wonders, and glories of creation. There is, therefore, all the difference between a faith resting on this inward testimony of the Spirit, and mere speculative faith, that there is between the conviction a blind man has of the beauties of nature, before and after the opening of his eyes. As this testimony is informing, enabling the soul to see the truth and excellence of the “t”