#90: Is Faith based on Feelings?

An AoMTalk speaker once said, “We reason with our emotions and think with our feelings.” [1] While this accusation is often leveled at younger generations, honest reflection reveals that this is often true of us as well. His point was that logic and careful thinking – structure and truth-testing – are often missing when we act or express an opinion.

Unfortunately, emotions and feelings can negatively influence belief and faith as well. [2]

This short essay asks the question, is faith based on feelings? In the short video below (2.5-minutes) entitled, Is Faith a Feeling?, Tim Barnett states categorically, “Faith, properly understood, is not a feeling.” [3]

If faith is not based on feelings, then what is it based on?

Barnett says that “faith . . . is active trust based on evidence.” For example, he says “There are facts about the life, death, and resurrection of Christ that inform the basis of my faith in Christ.” In other words, his study of the historicity of the resurrection – the facts surrounding Christ’s crucifixion and the events that followed his death – convinced him that Christianity is true. And as Paul tells us, the Christian faith stands or falls on the historical reality of Jesus' resurrection (1 Cor 15:3-9, 14). Christians don’t need to rely on a feeling that the resurrection is true. Careful examination of the evidence and rational comparisons of alternative explanations reveal the truth.

Barnett says faith is active trust based on evidence. There is overwhelming evidence for the truth of Christianity beyond the resurrection alone – in history, science, philosophy, archeology, beauty, and other areas. But what are the elements of faith that lead us to active trust? And what is active trust?

The rational and evidential basis for belief begins with understanding the content of our faith. What does the Bible say about God and his creation, and what is the theology underlying it? One must fully understand the object of one’s faith before it can become real. One must first understand what it is that one believes. This is the first element of faith.

But faith has a second element. One’s intellectual basis for faith goes beyond just knowing what the Bible says. A rational basis for faith requires truth-testing. A Christian must carefully examine and logically assess the content and supporting evidence to determine whether it is true.

Can we do this? Not perfectly, of course, but yes. The Lord bestowed the ability to reason on us as part of the imago Dei. Just as he expects us to study his Word – the What – he also expects us to rationally examine the truth – the Why – of his Word (1 Peter 3:15; Jude 3; Titus 1:9). The Gospels repeatedly show that Jesus expected people to think logically, evaluate evidence, and draw reasonable conclusions about His identity and message (Matthew 12:24-28; Mark 2:8-12; Luke 7:18-23; John 5:31-39; John 1:39, 46).

When we do this, we can answer the Why part of our faith and, as Barnett did, establish the intellectual basis for our faith. This is where apologetics is so helpful. Apologetics not only plays an important role in defending the faith – in evangelism – but it is also critical in discipleship. Every Christian – including our children – must have a solid intellectual basis for their beliefs. As we often say in AoM, Christians must understand the Why behind the What!

But an intellectual basis for faith is still not enough; it is necessary but not sufficient. Active trust is far more than just knowing the what and the why. Scripture tells us that the demons knew who Jesus was and feared him, but they did not place active trust in him. In Greek, the third element of faith is known as fiducia: the heartfelt belief and commitment to the person and teaching of Jesus. Active trust involves surrendering of one’s will to our Lord. To be “born again” requires an act of the Holy Spirit to change our will and our ways. 

Barnett’s active trust based on evidence then has both a mind and heart component. He knows – his mind – that Christianity is true based on the first two elements of faith, and he has committed his life – his heart – to Jesus because he completely trusts his Lord and Savior.

In my experience the Church does a wonderful job with the first element: my churches have dutifully focused on what Scripture teaches. But too often there is less emphasis on the second element – the why, the intellectual assent. As a result, Christians sometimes experience a dissonance between their mind and heart. Their hearts believe or want to believe but they cannot explain why they think Christianity is true. 

This, I’m afraid, is what often happens to children. When confronted with intellectual challenges to Christianity, they falter because they are unprepared to defend what they have been taught. They usually know what they believe but not why they believe it.

This is why apologetics matters. A faith grounded only in feelings may not withstand serious challenges, but a faith rooted in truth, supported by evidence, and strengthened by active trust will endure. Christians must understand not only what they believe, but why they believe it.

In Christ,

Doug

1 Peter 3:15

[1] Matthew Tingblad, Sightline (a CRU Ministry, https://sightlineministry.org) Author and Speaker, June 14, 2025. AoMTalk is an AoM-hosted virtual monthly event involving an invited speaker presentation.

[2] To be precise from a psychological perspective, emotions and feelings are not the same. For technical definitions, consult the American Psychological Association, https://www.apa.org (search on both terms). Neuroscientist Antonio Demasio’s summary is helpful: “Emotions are patterns of bodily and neural responses, whereas feelings are the conscious mental experience of those emotional changes.”

[3] “Is Faith a Feeling?”, Tim Barnett, Stand to Reason Ministry (www.str.org), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZO4pEe7Rh4, February 19, 2018.