Journal: Journal of the Grace Evangelical Society
Volume: JOTGES 29:56 (Spring 2016)
Article: Belief As A Cognitive Phenomenon, Especially In Regard To Salvation: An Expanded Discussion
Author: Richard M. Biery

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JOTGES 29:56 (Spring 2016) p. 57

Belief As A Cognitive Phenomenon, Especially In Regard To Salvation: An Expanded Discussion

Richard M. Biery

M.D., MSPH

The BroadBaker Group, Kansas City, MO

I. Introduction

Careful thinking requires careful use of language. This article is an exercise in carefully understanding and using the language of belief. Correctly understanding the nature of belief is vital to good soteriology and theology, because the doctrine of salvation by faith apart from works has so often been challenged by redefining faith to include doing good works.1 Hence, this paper will explain and defend a Free Grace approach to belief.2

II. Avoiding The Dangers Of Sloppy Thinking Concerning Belief

Generally, a proposition is an assertion about something, and the context normally will tell us whether the speaker intends it as a truth statement or a hypothetical one. As used here, a proposition is an assertion that something is true or that it conforms to reality.

JOTGES 29:56 (Spring 2016) p. 58

Both Biblically and in the vernacular, to believe is to be convinced or persuaded that a proposition is true. There is no difference between believing something in the Biblical sense and believing something in the secular sense.3 We believe propositions, and our belief system is fundamentally propositional.4

Belief is classed as a mental event that produces a new state of mind, perspective, or attitude toward the proposition as to its truth.5 It is not a decision, but something different than a decision6 and, therefore, neither is it an “act of the will.”7 In neuroscience studies, the “aha” of a new belief occurs in a different part of the brain than decision activity.8 We cannot, by will, decide to believe things we are not convinced are true or know are not true. We can, however, change our willingness to believe it. This is an important difference.

Also, since we become aware of it as having happened in our thinking, (i.e., our state of opinion has changed), and not the result of a willful decision, we perceive it as a passive mental event. We use expressions such as “the light went on,” or “I saw the light,” to try to express our...

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