AS a Christian, I often ponder the nature of belief. When asked “do you believe in the virgin birth, crucifixion, resurrection and ascension of Jesus?” I reply “yes”. I know they consider my belief misguided and/or irrational. Strangely, few ask why I believe.

I can explain the biblical foundation of my belief, but this assumes others accept the Bible as evidence. I see God speaking to humanity in the Bible where others see only an ancient text.

When reading the Bible we learn about Jesus but we cannot know Jesus through the Bible alone any more than we can know C.S. Lewis by reading his biography. There is a supernatural aspect to belief where we tentatively reach out to God in belief then suddenly, and sometimes mysteriously, God responds.

In Mark’s Gospel, a man asks Jesus to heal his son. Jesus asks the man if “he believes”; he responds: “I do believe; help my unbelief ” Mark 9:24 (NASB). In the tension between belief and unbelief, Jesus reaches out and heals the boy.