We live in an age of anti-intellectualism, at least in the Church. I cannot tell you how many times I've been told "You just have to take it by faith; you aren't supposed to use human logic." On what is this wisdom based?
"Knowledge puffs up" (1 Cor. 8:1). There it is, plain as day. We are called to be ... ignorant. Okay, let's be fair. There is more. "We walk by faith, not by sight" (2 Cor. 5:7). And how about the ever popular, "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding" (Prov. 3:5). Okay, it should be clear. If you want to be a Bible-believing Christian, you must not use your own mind. It's a spiritual thing ... you wouldn't understand.
What's the catch? Why would we think to perhaps not take these at face value? Well, it appears that if these are talking about a prohibition of Christian thinking, then we have a contradiction on our hands.
Let's start with this one. "How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing and fools hate knowledge?" (Prov. 1:22). Wait ... if knowledge puffs up, then why would Solomon say that fools hate knowledge? Actually, Solomon has a lot to say about knowledge. "The wise lay up knowledge" (Prov. 10:14). "By knowledge the righteous are delivered" (Prov. 11:9). "The tongue of the wise commends knowledge" (Prov. 15:2). Oh, I could go on and on.
What, then, is Paul saying? Well, it would likely be helpful if we included his whole sentence. "Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up" (1 Cor. 8:1). Paul is saying here that knowledge alone will only make you arrogant; season it with love. So when he goes on to explain that meat offered to idols is meaningless because idols are not "gods", he also includes instructions not to offend your brother just because you know this. Knowledge seasoned with love.
Indeed, the mind is an important part of biblical instruction. We are to "love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind" (Matt. 22:37). That would seem to indicate that failing to use your brain for God would be a sin. God tells Isaiah, "Come now, let us reason together" (Isa. 1:18). If reasoning is a sin, God is calling for sin. Paul says, "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind" (Rom. 12:2). That's not the neglect of the mind, but a focus on it. Peter says, "In your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you" (1 Peter 3:15). We are to be prepared to give reasons for why we believe what we believe.
There is a logical fallacy called the False Dilemma. You know the one. The lawyer asks, "Yes or no, Mr. Jones, have you stopped beating your wife?" Poor Mr. Jones. If he answers "Yes", it means he used to beat her but doesn't now, and if he answers "No", it means he's still beating her. The other option, "I never beat her", is not allowed. We are offered this same false dilemma with those who would use these Scriptures to remove reason from Christianity. Yes, we walk by faith, but that doesn't preclude reason. Yes, knowledge without love puffs up, but that doesn't preclude knowledge. Yes, we are to trust in the Lord and rely on Him for understanding, but that doesn't mean there won't be any understanding. We need, instead, to love the Lord with everything we have, including our minds.
4 comments:
hey stan what are you thinking?
dont you realize that you could be impacting innocent minds. you have to be careful with what you teach because some poor slob might actually start to think. and we cant have that. dont you realize that if someone trys to figure out what your saying they run the risk of being confused with the facts over and against there preconcieved notions about their existance. this wont do...
and have you considered the impact that would occure if someone acctually CHANGED THEIR MINDS..
they would be compelled to question everthing they thought to be true. they may even be ostrsized from their family and friends and God forbid they may even be expelled from their church.
knowlege is a dangereous thing use it wisely. as for love, yea, you better watch out, someone may actually love you. then what? now youll have to love them back.
What a nightmare.......
I am shocked how many actually believe this. I used to know people who actually would just walk into the middle of the street and say that if God ordained you to die today then nothing is going to stop it anyhow, but if it is not your time to go, then nothing can kill you. (Maybe just leave you in a vegetative state???)
I used to say, so if we are created in God's image, then could the common sense and reasoning be part of His image that we are to mimic. I mean does He not say, "Come let us REASON together?" Then the Lord explains how He desires to make them white as snow if they will just consent and obey, BUT if they REFUSE and REBEL, they will be devoured...
So God explains the options and expects us to use REASONING to come to a conclusion of the choice to make in this matter. Is it that difficult?
I know common sense and reasoning are not the exact same thing as knowledge...but this seemed to fit as an extension of the subject.
Blessings to all who are seeking His face in love of the truth, Julianne
That's me, Bob, just a trouble maker. You know how it is. "Why don't you use the mind that God gave you?" Always stirring things up. Now ... about love ... yeah, I'll have to hit that one, too. Thanks.
LOVE is the common denominator of all truth.
Consider faith... the scriptures say it is by faith you stand firm and without faith it is impossible to please Him. However if I have faith that can move mountains, I'm am nothing and gain nothing if that faith doesn't work by LOVE. Faith that works without love will result in a lot of "Lord, Lord, have we not...done many wonderful works?"
So just as without faith it is impossible to please Him and just as surely as faith without works is dead being alone, faith must work by LOVE. Then indeed we will have what Revelation calls the faith of Jesus. As it is written man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus. Then indeed we will have what Revelation calls the faith of Jesus. And even though we are not justified by the works of the law, Revelation says they that have the faith of Jesus do indeed keep the commandments of God. (see 14:12) The commandments of God as penned by God’s own finger, all ten of them including the fourth. Jesus said, if you LOVE me, keep my commandments.
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