Logical Conclusions

Sometimes we don't follow a thought to its logical conclusion. In 1 Cor 15, for instance, Paul traces the argument, "There is no resurrection from the dead" to its logical conclusion -- our faith is useless. You see, someone held a position they didn't think through. Bad thing.

Sometimes, though, we like to take things to their logical conclusions when we should not. You see, sometimes it is logical to go down a path with a thought process, but it's wrong. A prime example of that would be the faulty choice of many churches in the 17th century when they decided, "Well, if God chooses whom He will save, then we don't need to send missionaries." I mean, it is a possible conclusion to come to ... but it's the wrong one. How do we know that? It's not because the premise is faulty. It's because we are specifically commanded to take the gospel to the ends of the earth.

There is a paradox that occurs in Scripture where, if we only look at one side, we can do this error of the logical conclusion that is, in the end, the wrong place to go. On one hand, look at all the multiple passages that tell you to "work, work, work!" You need to "work out your salvation" and you need to "bear fruit" and you need to "remain in the faith" and you need to obey Christ and ... on and on and on. The logical conclusion is, "Well, then, I suppose that my work is what determines if I'm saved." And that is a possible, reasonable conclusion, even if it's patently false. How do we know? Well, look at all the passages that tell you that it's God working. We have His sovereignty and His plan and His Holy Spirit at work and His promise that we won't fall and His power to save and ... on and on and on. Oh, then, the logical conclusion is that it's quite clear that what we do is irrelevant and God will save regardless of what we do. And that, again, is a possible, reasonable conclusion that is, again, patently false.

You see, Scripture holds both concepts in careful tension. You need to work; God is at work. You need to plan; God has a plan. You are responsible; God is sovereign. It's a very fine line, this truth. Off of one side of the line is legalism ("saved by works") and off the other is antinomianism ("works don't matter") and both are errors. We aren't saved by works but we must work. God is at work in us, but we are responsible to work. A very fine line.

We are commanded to love the Lord with all our mind. We are commanded to think, to examine, to reason, to renew the mind. We are required by God to use the brains that He gave us. Just remember that the heart is deceitful and desperately wicked, and it's an easy thing to stray off of some of the carefully laid out truths that God has given us. Think through what you believe and see if it holds up. On the other hand, just because it's logical doesn't mean it's correct. Test everything. Let Scripture be your guide. It's really your best defense against yourself.