I want to thank you, Brian, for a very fair and clear question even after you believe I have been unfair to you – it shows real commitment to honesty.The short answer to your question is this: the second coming of Christ is a future event which requires something other than evidence to believe – because it is a future event, a promise which God has made, and you can’t actually have evidence for something that hasn’t happened yet. I would list all of the consequences of the Second Coming, including the final resurrection of all men, as matters accepted without evidence.
Underlying your question, however, is something important upon which to keep a firm grip: the definition of “faith”. M-w.com, for example, lists 3 major groupings of definitions of “faith”, leading to 9 discrete meanings which are not at all esoteric. For example, definition 2a(1) is quite different than 2b(2). In that, we must be clear about what the Christian is talking when he uses the word “faith” to describe his relationship with God – because it is not just some great leap out of an airplane with a somewhat-blank confidence that the hand of God will stop one’s fall.
The formative definition of faith for the Christian is found in
His point – and the point I would make eagerly – is this: faith is trusting God to do what He says He will do.
This is centuri0n, aka Frank Turk, who has been an internet apologist for about 10 years and has never really gained anything for himself through it but a handful of friends and a lot of ill-will. Most people, honestly, do not like to argue with him because he doesn't know how to let it go. He's a blogger of some minor note, and he's a "calvinist".
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