Reason
One of my
most favorite passages in the Bible can be found in the opening chapter of the
Book of Isaiah. In it God says, “Come now, and let us reason together, saith
the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though
they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” (Isaiah 1:18).
This is
after God has told the rulers of Sodom and Gomorrah that their sacrifices,
oblations, calling of assemblies, ceremonies, feasts and any and all worship to
Him are useless.
God says He
will, “hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not
hear” (Isaiah 1:15) and that worship to Him is a “trouble unto me; I am weary
to bear them” (Isaiah 1:14).
But look at
what God does want. It isn’t worship and praise. God says, “Come now, and let
us reason together”.
To “reason
together” is a dialectic process requiring intellect, truth and rhetoric. It is
two people talking, discussing.
God made man
an intelligent, logical, rational and reasoning being. He made him a conversant
one too. God’s request to the rulers shifts their relationship from spiritual
and judicial to a rational, thinking process. God chose truth, logic,
straightforward thinking and plain ‘ol talk.
Most
Christians wouldn’t dare think of God and Christianity in terms of intellect,
rhetoric or dialectic process. Most academics and atheist wouldn’t either! But
this is exactly what God did! This is exactly how God made us to be! Yes we are
to feel the spirit. We are also to think and understand it, communicate and
express it and explain and defend it as well.
Christians
tend to be real good at spiritualizing and real bad at intellectualizing.
Jesus said
in His great command that, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy
heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.” (Matthew 22:37). We are
to love God with our mind as well as our heart and soul. The only way we can do
that properly, adequately is to know and learn! The mind is the faculty of
intellect, reason and logic. It is our being in conscious intellectual activity.
God really
wants us to talk and reason, not just between ourselves, but with Him!
“My people are destroyed for lack of
knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee……”
(Hosea 4:6)
“Therefore my people are gone into
captivity, because they have no knowledge….” (Isaiah 5:13)
For most,
Christianity is only in some spiritual realm. To them, revelation knowledge and
possession by the Holy Ghost are the only knowledge and insight there is.
Academia and intelligentsia are often the enemy. Hey, even the Apostle Paul
warns us about academic pursuits such as philosophy, right? Wrong!
I have heard
evangelical preachers proudly state during their sermon that they are not a “theologian”,
and wear that fact as a badge of honor of true spirituality and communion with
God. The idea is that their knowledge has been spiritually given through
various processes of prayer and worship, so therefore their knowledge is real
knowledge because it comes straight from God. Learned knowledge is lesser
knowledge for it is via man.
But let’s
take a closer look at this. The word, “theology” is a composite of two Greek
words. Theos, meaning God. Ology from the Greek “logos” meaning word. A
theologian is nothing more than someone who studies the word of God. All
professed Christians should be a theologian. Every time you open up and study
your Bible is an act of theology. So you can see that for any Christian to
state that they are not a theologian is either a misguided statement or, well,
not good.
A preacher,
or anyone who declares this type of spiritual blessedness, where God mystically
infuses them with knowledge and power is in the idol making business, with them
being the idol.
“The heart
of the prudent getteth knowledge; and the ear of the wise seeketh knowledge.”
(Proverbs 18:15)
Solomon’s Vast Knowledge and Wisdom
Solomon had
the opportunity to go to God in prayer and ask for anything, anything at all.
Solomon prayed, “Give me now wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come
in before this people: for who can judge this thy people, that is so great?” (2
Chronicles 1).
God granted
him his request. But since Solomon did not ask for riches or to harm to his
enemies, God said, “I will give thee riches, and wealth, and honour, such as
none of the kings have had that have been before thee, neither shall there any
after thee have the like.”
We find out
that the wisdom and understanding that God gave Solomon was, “exceeding much,
and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea shore.” (1 Kings 4:29)
But the
knowledge and wisdom God gave Solomon was not restricted to things concerning
faith and religion. God gave Solomon knowledge and wisdom of all things.
“And he
spake three thousand proverbs: and his songs were a thousand and five. And he
spake of trees, from the cedar tree that is in Lebanon even unto the hyssop that
springeth out of the wall: he spake also of beasts, and of fowl, and of
creeping things, and of fishes.”
People from
everywhere, from all around the world came to hear Solomon and to learn from
his knowledge. Even the Queen of Sheba came to witness his great mental acuity.
“And there
came of all people to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all kings of the earth,
which had heard of his wisdom.” (1 Kings 4:34).
So the
knowledge God imparted Solomon was all encompassing. Solomon knew of God, but
also knew of earthly things, of general knowledge in whole. One of the reasons
why God gave this well rounded knowledge is so that Solomon could know and
relate to other people.
The ability
for a man of God, a Christian, to be able to talk, relate and communicate to
others is vital. This requires knowledge, wisdom and understanding of many
things that are not just religious or academic in nature.
All of these
things become clear and evident in the very first Proverb of Solomon.
Proverbs One
1) The
proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel;
2) To know
wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding;
3) To
receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity;
4) To give
subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.
5) A wise
man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall
attain unto wise counsels:
6) To
understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their
dark sayings.
7) The fear
of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and
instruction.
These first
seven verses of Proverbs sum up wonderfully God’s intent for us in regards to
knowledge and dialogue. To
know wisdom, to teach it to the less learned, to thirst for knowledge, to gain
discernment & decipherment of knowledge, the discovery that the fear of God
is the beginning of knowledge and finally, that a fool will refuse it all.
The first
several chapters of Proverbs is dedicated to one theme, and that’s acquiring knowledge
and understanding. These chapters are best summed up here:
“Get wisdom,
get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.
Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep
thee. Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy
getting get understanding.” (Proverbs 4:5-7)
The Well Rounded and Diversely Educated
of Paul
Paul was
well versed in Judaism. As he states, “Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock
of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the
law, a Pharisee; Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the
righteousness which is in the law, blameless.” (Philippians 3:5-6).
Paul was
well versed in Christianity. He wrote 13 of the 27 books of the New Testament.
Paul was
well versed in Greek philosophy and poetry.
Numerous times in the Bible Paul is seen quoting philosophers and poets
of his time. Examples include Paul quoting Acts 17:28-Epimenides and Aratus. 1
Corinthians 15:33-Menander. Titus 1:12-Epimenides. (John was influenced by
Stoicism as seen in his treatment of “logos” or the “word” in John Chapter 1.)
Paul was
well versed in sports, athletic competition, the military and battle. It was
common for Paul to write in metaphor, simile, or make some type of analogy
employing these subject matters.
Paul was a
Hebrew yet laid claim as a Roman citizen, fully educated and aware of Roman
laws, customs and government.
Paul wasn’t
just an academic but earned money as a tradesman (tent maker).
Here Paul
shows his gratitude and indebtedness to the “wise”. The word wise is a
reference to Greek philosophers, Jewish theologians and Christian teachers
(Thayer’s).
“I am debtor
both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the
unwise.” (Romans 1:14)
Even with
impending death, Paul had the desire and need for books and learning. In 1
Timothy 4:13 Paul instructs Timothy, “when thou comest, bring with thee, and
the books, but especially the parchments.” (2 Timothy 4:13).
Although no
one knows for sure what the books and parchments were about, it does show Pauls’
need for knowledge all of the time, no matter where he went, even when death
was at the door.
“It is
impossible to determine what books are meant here. They may have been portions
of the Old Testament, or classic writings, or books written by other Christians,
or by himself. It is worthy of remark that even Paul did not travel without
books, and that he found them in some way necessary for the work of the
ministry.” - Adam Clarke
“Where are
those who think that they have made so great progress that they do not need any
more exercise? Which of them will dare to compare himself with Paul? Still more
does this expression refute the madness of those men who — despising books, and
condemning all reading — boast of nothing but their own divine inspirations.
But let us know that this passage gives to all believers a recommendation of
constant reading, that they may profit by it.” – John Calvin
Paul learned
to be, “all things to all men”, so that he, “might by all means save some.” (1
Corinthians 9:22-23). We to must learn for the benefit of edifying and saving
others.
Solomon and Paul
are two of the Godliest men that have ever graced this earth. They were also men
of the utmost knowledge, understanding and education in both matters of heaven
and earth and were able to communicate these things to a wide range of people.
Man’s
reasoning is based on the tactile and temporal. Fallen man is consumed by sin. Man
sees the world through a jaundiced eye, which affects his reasoning and logic.
But God calls man to think above and beyond this earthly domain and to grab a
hold of righteousness as a guiding light. God is calling us to think beyond the
here and now. We are to renew, or more accurately renovate our minds, our thinking
and intellectual process. Just like when a house is renovated and the old and
rotten thrown out and the new installed, we must strip out the garbage from our
minds and fill it with the righteousness of God.
“And be not
conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind,
that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”
(Romans 12:2)
“That ye put
off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according
to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye
put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true
holiness.” (Ephesians 4:22-24)
Education
can promote pride. The two can be a dangerous mix.
Aquinas
Thomas
Aquinas puts renewing our mind in proper perspective in his book “Summa Contra
Gentile.”
“No one
tends with desire and zeal towards something that is not already known to
him….men are ordained by the divine Providence towards a higher good than human
fragility can experience in the present life.”
“That is why
it was necessary for the human mind to be called to something higher than the
human reason here and now can reach, so that it would thus learn to desire
something and with zeal tend towards something that surpasses the whole state
of the present life. This belongs especially to the Christian religion, which
in a unique way promises spiritual and eternal goods.”
“And so
there are many things proposed to men in it that transcend human sense. The Old
Law, on the other hand, whose promises were of a temporal character, contained
very few proposals that transcended the inquiry of the human reason. Following
this same direction, the philosophers themselves, in order that they might lead
men from the pleasure of sensible things to virtue, were concerned to show that
there were in existence other goods of a higher nature than these things of
sense, and that those who gave themselves to the active or contemplative
virtues would find much sweeter enjoyment in the taste of these higher goods.”
Thomas Aquinas/Summa Contra Gentiles/1:5:2
When Hosea
said, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge”, he wasn’t speaking about
knowledge of earthly ways, means and reason. He was speaking of the Divine.
Thomas Aquinas is telling us that God is calling us to that higher thought.
One of the
first things Jesus did was to teach us a valuable lesson about the need and
importance of knowledge and understanding. Jesus was led by the Spirit into the
wilderness to be tempted of the devil. The devil first tries to get Jesus to
turn stones into bread. He then takes Jesus on the pinnacle of a temple and says
to Jesus, “If thou be
the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels
charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any
time thou dash thy foot against a stone.” (Matthew 4:6).
The devil
says, “for it is written”. He is referencing Psalm 91:11-12, but the devil didn’t
quote the scripture as it would appear. He sorely twisted it around in an
attempt to get Jesus to do something He shouldn’t. Jesus knew this. In fact,
the devil tempts Jesus three times and each time Jesus responds the same way
with, “it is written”. All of Jesus’s responses are nothing more than quoting
scripture. This shows the power of knowing scripture. All Jesus did to defeat
the devil was to quote scripture.
Imagine how the situation would have changed if Jesus wasn’t educated and well versed in scripture and the ways of the devil?
In 2010, Pew
Research Center garnered a lot of press when they revealed that Atheists and
agnostics scored higher than evangelical Protestants, mainline Protestants and
Catholics on their “U.S. Religious Knowledge Survey”. The apostates and reprobates
had more knowledge than the Christian.
The problems with this are numerous. One is the example that was just shown with the devil and Jesus. What if the devil had known more than Jesus?
The purpose
of Christian apologetics is to defend Christianity against objections. How can
this be done when the opposition knows more than the Christian?
Unfortunately,
there are many out there, like the devil are wresting the words of God. They
are twisting meaning and context to their advantage. The uneducated, but highly
spiritual, Christian get’s lost in discussion and loses in debate because he
knows no better.
Education is
vital for the Christian. A Christian really needs to be well versed in a wide
range of disciplines. He must have a good understanding of people and
cultures. Tools for learning the truth
such as philosophy and hermeneutics need to be utilized. Bibles must be read
cover to cover. Every attempt to understand every passage must be made. This is
an ongoing process. The Apostle Paul is a brilliant example and role model to
follow.
One final
note. The most highly educated person in the field of theology could be an atheist.
The devil himself is an expert in the Bible and Christianity. Education does
not make the Christian. The Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost do. Education is
a help. It helps you with your understanding and relationship with God. It
helps you to communicate and relate to others about God. After-all, isn’t that
what the one great commandment is all about?
Bill
Hitchcock
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