Got another interesting comment today. This time it’s over at SuccessCREEations where I wrote about Feeding Your Spirit For Success.
Someone named Step says that you have to check your brains at the door in order to believe in Jesus and the Bible.
What do you think? Is it possible to be a reasonably thinking person and still follow Jesus? Or do you have to leave your brains behind?
Obviously… seeing as how we’re in the boat already… the answer is “Yes”. But the functioning of principles like FAITH are never going to be able to be rationalized by using what the world conciders sound logic. Because it’s SUPERnatural. But this is not just a “brains” question. While teaching rescently about spiritual gifting and going through the ups and down of each gift, one that caught my eye was that those who are gifted teachers, often struggle with giving total control to God and allow themselves to fully function in faith… BUT…
Once they do and fully experience the principle in action, they are able to put together a logical, rational, and unshakable argument as to why it’s real. Interesting
So, Dave, are you saying that there comes a point when folks must set their brains aside for at least a moment? But then they can re-engage their minds once that step is past?
I’m not necessarily disagreeing, just trying to understand what you are saying.
The whole subject of faith is a complicated one that I certainly don’t fully understand!
I don’t think that its checking our brains at the door… and I make this point with caution… but using what humans generally concider logic (which encompasses proof leading to belief) we’ll never fully embrace our Christian faith.
I’ve been thinking a bit about this concept lately…Because “faith is the substance of the things unseen” and “without faith it’s impossible to please God” are foundational principles of our Christian faith, it is a requirement to actively move where there is no visable proof that our actions will suceed. Follow me
WE know that God is real because we’ve “tasted and seen”. I know He’s alive because I can feel him in me. But I couldn’t have gotten here without stepping out the boat without verifiable proof that God is real. Faith is acting on the unseen.
Where people get into saying “Christians check their brains at the door”, is when they choose to concider the simplest form of logic to be the only. Using their premise, they are correct. But what I was talking about before about those who have the teaching gift… for them, once they’ve seen faith work for them… try and convince them otherwise… I dare you.
I just finished an extended project for a church member, and I addressed this topic in some small way. From said project:
“[concerning human reasoning and logic] … I firmly believe it is impossible for the human mind to fully grasp the things of God. Still, I do believe that the Lord gave each one of us a mind, and the capacity to put it to its most effective use. One cannot reason God with human understanding alone, yet human understanding can certainly supplement our study of the things of God. Therefore, our logic should not be ignored in, nor should it be the sole basis for, our exploration of Biblical truth …”
I have several friends who look at my personal belief and reliance on God and consider it foolishness. The problem in these situations is in the area of approach. For them, logic, science, and society itself successfully refute the existence of God or, at the very least, cast doubt on the Bible and of Jesus as the Messiah.
On the other side, I know dedicated Christians who reject all science and logic, thinking that the only result is an attack on God and serves no purpose but to destroy faith.
But in these cases, I can’t help but think of the many instances in the Bible of the word “mystery,” especially in the letter to the Ephesians. Just a a few verses which stand out in my mind:
Mark 4:11 — And He said to them, “To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables,
1 Corinthians 2:7 — But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory,
1 Timothy 3:16 — And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached among the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up in glory.
To those who have believed in Christ through faith, it makes perfect sense that He is real. But for those who reject this “heart belief,” all we say, do, and believe is a mystery, just old fables and empty hopes. For myself, science, logic, and the human condition strengthen my faith in Jesus Christ, and they serve to further prove to me the existence of God. However, as I mentioned, the approach is the key. For so many, the attitude is, “Let my mind and all around me prove the existence of God,” while my attitude is, “Let God prove to me the deep mystery of Himself through my mind and all that is around me.”
I’ve been told, “You’re too smart to believe in God.” Well, for me (and I don’t say this in a boastful way), I think I’m too smart NOT to believe in God. As Hebrews 11:1 says, “Faith is the SUBSTANCE of things hoped for, the EVIDENCE of things not seen.” My faith makes it real to me, and that faith enhances my mind. Jesus is not a crutch; He’s a wheelchair, the only way I can make it at all. My faith strengthens my understanding and logic concerning Christ, but for so many, their own understanding and logic tears down their faith.
I apologize for the length of this comment, but I just felt led to share.
God Bless!
See. That’s what I really like about this whole blog thing. You guys are smart fellows.
I get the feeling that if I did have to check my brains anywhere, they wouldn’t have needed much storage space.
You guys bring up a good point. Those who seek absolute “proof” that Jesus is who he says he is may never be satisfied. (Then again they just might.) Others are shown rather convincing proofs yet refuse to believe. And then there’s some folks who hear just the barest mention of the name of Jesus and yet they are in whole heartedly anyway.
Perhaps the fact that it can’t be boiled down to a formula, that God chooses to relate to us as individual people, causes problems for some.
And Chris, there is no need to apologize for the length of a comment here. If folks don’t want to read it, they have a scroll bar!
>> What do you think? Is it possible to be a reasonably thinking person and still follow Jesus? Or do you have to leave your brains behind?
Darn … the blog just eat my reply because I was using angled brackets to quote your question. Maybe I’ll try again later (or do you get a complete copy in the mail?)
Markus
Marcus, I’m afraid the email I received looks just like what you see above. Sorry that WordPress ate your comment. Please come back and give us your thoughts when you have time. I’d like to hear you take on the question.
Well, I see now that parts would have been reiterating what Dave and Kris snuck in while I was writing my text.
The one thing which I wanted to point out is that while I enjoy using my reasoning mind, I don’t want nor need to use it in any area of life. I believe that it has a specific function, but that is not the prime factor in determining the validity of experience. Others may think that this is foolish, but the point for me is, to not (sort of automatically) pick up the guidelines or asessments of others and make them my own.
So in a way your expression of “it is good you don’t have to check your brain when …” in the other article sort of makes me wonder why that it is “good”. I see many people trying to squeeze their world views into that of science, or (as I saw you doing somewhere), try to point out the validity through historical fact.
I don’t know if it comes across, because in our western society people are sooo used to put rationality first so that they feel like the need to justify when they move outside the rational or try to squeeze those peripherial experiences into that, lest they be regarded fools or weak of mind, which may be quite limiting and entirely unnecessary.
Markus
I disagree with the statement that it is necessary to check out your brain at the door to believe in God and Jesus Christ, plain and simple. Why? Well, the brain is one of those gifts given to us by God, that we can use to do powerful things to grow and further the Lord’s kingdom here on earth. So, checking your brain at the door would mean that we are handing God back on fo His greatest gifts to a human being.
What we do need to do, is reach a level in our faith at which we are content to not even try to grasp God’s awesomeness with that (sorry if anyone might feel offended) little bit of grey matter, we usually use to attempt it.
Anyone confused yet ???
Jesus answered this question long ago. His answer is recorded in Matthew 7 verse 26 where He says “And everyone that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand.
Sid
Hey, Sid. I’ve heard people quote Psalm 14:1 when addressing this topic too.
But folks who dismiss the Bible probably are not going to listen to that either, are they?