A few years ago, I was asked why we needed to study the Bible—in particular, why did we need to study the context of the passages, or what the passage might have said in its original Greek. Why couldn’t we just accept what it said, the way we did when we first read them in Sunday School when we were kids? My response was that we needed to go deeper, because our understandings have changed. This is what first got me thinking about the difference between “child-like” and “child-ish” faith.
It occurred to me then what that difference might be and while I hate to over simplify, it many ways it boils down to asking questions. Over the years it’s become clear to me that many Christians say that they don’t need reasons or explanations for what they believe, because they have “faith like a child” or “child-like faith.” When they say this, they mean that they don’t ask questions about their beliefs, nor do they wonder if what they believe is true. Child-like faith is often described as a faith that does not doubt, question, or seek explanations; it just believes. But this isn’t child-like faith. I mean, children ask LOTS of questions. As any parent will tell you, the unrelenting barrage of questions from a two-year old can become quite exhausting. Therefore, it could easily be argued that true “childlike faith” is actually a faith that asks lots of questions.
Think of it this way, there are usually reasons for what a child believes—even if they themselves are not aware of what those reasons are. In other words, children do not believe anything without reason. The most common reason that children believe what they believe is because someone they trust told them what to believe. Children often simply believe whatever their parents and teachers tell them. Therefore, true child-like faith is not an unthinking faith, for the authority of the person who teaches is a factor that faith takes into consideration. Something similar occurs whenever a person has a so-called “unquestioning faith.” They do not believe without reason; they simply have not thought through what the reasons and explanations for their beliefs might be.
Instead, they believe what a pastor or teacher taught them, or what seems to be the “plain reading” of Scripture (though careful, contextual studies of the text often reveal that the “plain reading” is not the best reading). There is nothing wrong with not knowing exactly why you have the beliefs you have, but a lack of understanding about why should not be confused with a lack of explanation. There are explanations for why you believe what you believe, even if you don’t know what these explanations are. And that’s okay.
But everybody, over time, naturally and normally grows in their understanding and gains explanations for their beliefs. While initially, a belief might be gained because “I learned it in Kindergarten,” this belief will either remain unquestioned and unchallenged throughout life, or it will be challenged and questioned. If it is challenged and questioned, the belief will either be supported and affirmed, or disproven and denied. Just as children grow and mature, so—ideally—does faith. At least, it should. This is the way God made humans, and this is the way God made faith. So ask questions. Lots of questions. But also have fun. Laugh. Play. Imagine. Sing. Dance. Hope. Dream. Forgive. Create. Trust. Live life to the full. Be excited. Be adventuresome.