Yesterday I warned that we need to stay engaged with difficult passages in the Bible rather than bailing out to secondary sources to get “answers.” One of my mentors responded, “to do that we have to think.” He is right and it is a challenge.
Because relating to Christ is spiritual many seem to diminish the importance of thinking clearly or reasoning, instead taking an approach to the Word and its application that is overly mystic, or that read significant allegorical meaning into passages that on a plain reading does not support their conclusions. This approach to Scripture directly informs action. “Believers” have lied to me, stolen from me, on the basis that I did not have a “right” spirit, in direct contradiction of the plain teaching of Scripture. They did this because they were “spiritually” led.
The New Testament writers used words like consider, think, test, set your mind on, to remind their readers and by extension us that our minds are given to us by God. Yes the Scripture is inspired and spiritual, but the Spirit used language that has vocabulary and grammar to transmit the nature and character of God to us. We are expected to understand mentally and rationally, 2 Corinthians 1:13 explicitly states this.
Our minds are to be engaged. We are to think. Even when it is hard.
The New Testament writers used words like consider, think, test, set your mind on, to remind their readers and by extension us that our minds are given to us by God. Yes the Scripture is inspired and spiritual, but the Spirit used language that has vocabulary and grammar to transmit the nature and character of God to us. We are expected to understand mentally and rationally, 2 Corinthians 1:13 explicitly states this.
Our minds are to be engaged. We are to think. Even when it is hard.
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