Letter of Faith

Was writing a series of meditative reflections to share with an old friend who has just been introduced to the faith, when I was granted another glimpse God’s theological concepts lurking within specifically the Chinese language. I’ve mentioned another such example briefly in an earlier post, Movie Mayhem, analysing the movie The Last Swordman, dissecting the pictographic meaning behind the character 义.

The Chinese translation for the word “faith” is 信仰, literally meaning “belief to the extent of awe”, the first character 信being the symbol for belief, and the second character 仰 being the symbol for prostrating or bending till one topples over. Today, I’ll examine specifically the first character 信.

The Chinese language is a complex system derived from a series of pictographs, and in fact it is the last pictograph-derived language that is still in common use. Each pictograph is actually made up of combinations of different components or abbreviations of other pictographs, to develop another symbol which captures the essence of the new word. In the word 信, the left part is actually an abbreviation of the word 人, which is human being. Meanwhile, right portion 言 in isolation, means speech.

A common concept in theology is about how we human beings are unique in the aspect of being created in the image of God. This is stated very clearly in the first book in the Bible.

Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”

Genesis 1:26 (NIV)

If one uses deductive logic to interpret the literal pictographic meaning of the word信, you could take it to mean “the speech of human being”. It is by no coincidence that in the Chinese language, when people say that they believe someone or some concept, they use the two characters 相信, the first character being a symbol for the adverb “mutually”, thus the term相信meaning that there is mutual belief and understanding between two parties who regard each other respectfully. However, pardon me for having digressed a bit.

Thus, one could go onto further deduce that if a person wants to showcase his faith to God, he or she must conduct himself or herself in all mannerisms befitting that of a human being, which is a creature in God’s image. This would include the person’s thoughts, which are then translated into speech and later action.

As to what exact code of conduct to follow that would befit a believer, the relativity of the context of situation and personality often interferes, making some argue that about the validity of this concept in the first place. However, in view of two verses, then maybe the relativity of the concept is not so bothersome afterall, as there is still a rock-solid consistency present.

“If you love me, keep my commands”

John 14:15 (NIV)

Next then, clearly stated in as many as three of the four gospels (Matthew 22:34-40; Mark 12:28-34; Luke 10:27), the commands are clear stated and defined by Jesus earlier.

Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Thus, in whatever situation we face as believers when in doubt, we should conduct ourselves according to the answers we have of “how would God want me to love Him in this case” and “how would God want me to love myself as well as others in this case”.

During an earlier period of my faith journey, a very regular grouse I had against God was about how much I failed at understanding Him and His plans. It is after grasping the enormity of what it means to be created in His image, I dare not hold this against Him again. After all, I sometimes don’t even understand myself that well. Along the same train of thought, it is only when I am fully able to comprehend myself and every other human being in the world, then maybe, will I gain full realisation of God’s character.