The projection of an opposition between reason and
faith» wherein the former claims objectivity and the latter
demands assent to a set of propositions that can not be proven» into the
biblical context anachronistically imposes Enlightenment categories where they would not have been intelligible.
Nothing in the Bible proposes such a
faith — quite the contrary, the entire
Biblical narrative
demands one analyze and come to conclusions.
If Christianity continues to tell you that WHEN you get your act together — God will finally open his arms, the representatives of this
faith are not understanding the premier principal of God — through Christ he loves you NOW — but when his love begins to radiate into your personal life - your very personal life - you will make choices reflecting that reality — all other things, people, dogmas,
Biblical interpretations — all of that through the long centuries of man — will be a drop in His eternal ocean and in that first eternal moment — won't matter - your needs now matter — Christ addresses need — with Himself —
demands — with parabolic events — and refusal — with the end result of free will — even the will to reject Him — when He would have done anything for you to not be rejected.