The Place of the Mind in Christianity
Mindless Christianity is the opposite of Biblical Christianity yet it is becoming widespread within churches. Ritualists have exalted the mystery of liturgical ‘worship’ over Bible teaching, some modern charismatics have exalted the place of experience over rational thought, and others whilst still bearing the name ‘Christian’, have emphasised social action over doctrinal truth. In so doing such groups can deviate from the emphasis of Jesus and his apostles as taught in Scripture. It is not that ritual, experience or social action are wrong, but if any of these become more important than God’s teaching given in his word, his church will become seriously weakened. To understand the Bible we must use our minds. It is all too easy to be enthusiastic about some spiritual or social issue but to miss the point that God wants us all to grasp. Paul wrote about some religious Jews,
“For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge.” Romans 10:2
It was because they had not grasped what God wanted that they were unsaved, even though they were outwardly members of God’s chosen people. The preceding verse runs,
“Brothers and sisters, my hearts desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved.” Romans 10:1
It is clearly not an outward religious commitment that God wants, but for us to think as he thinks and to follow his ways as he has taught us in the Bible.
Two chapters further on Paul describes what true worship consists of. It is far more than thinking or singing religious thoughts, it is living as God has taught us seven days a week. We will only see this if our minds are being trained by being immersed in God’s word.
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God – this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:1-2
The Scriptures
In order to know why we are on this earth and how God wants us to live, we need to be able to understand the Word of God. There are many conflicting claims to be the inspired word of God. The Jewish and Christian Scriptures are contradicted by Hindu Writings such as the Vedas, Upanishads and Bhagavad Gita. They are also contradicted by Buddhist traditions such as the Buddhavacana, "word of the Buddha," many of which are known as "Sutras," and other elucidating texts. The Moslem Qur’an also directly contradicts the Bible. Any faith must be evidence based but how few people in the world have objectively analysed the truths of what they have been told. There is now much evidence that the Qur’an cannot be the Word of God as it has so many inconsistences and has been changed since the earliest days of Islam. I have written a book called ‘The Origins of Islam’ that reviews the evidence about this. Similarly the Book of Mormon is clearly untrue but how many Mormons will think about the problems? Jehovah’s Witnesses rely on the writings of the Watchtower organization but any honest study investigating the veracity of Joseph Smith and pronouncements should undermine that religion.
In contrast Jesus’ apostles are insistent that all people should follow Jesus Christ because he is the truth. A group of hospital consultants were asked ‘How do you define truth?’ After some discussion the conclusion came back as ‘Truth must be consensus.” Such a definition is clearly defective. Hitler redefined truth as that which furthers the rule of the Third Reich. Many today give a version of events that puts them in a good light. Truth can only be defined in absolute terms – truth is concepts that are compatible with God. In science, using the broadest definition, we are seeking to discover God’s truth. This is why theology was understood to be the ‘Queen of Sciences’.
To discover the truth requires an honest use of our minds.
Twisted Thinking
When Paul wrote his letter we know as ‘Ephesians’ he longed for Christians to be taught and built up in the truth. He recognised that there were many sources of false information that can so easily direct people along a wrong path. People need to be taught to honestly question and seek out the truth. Questioning is not the opposite of faith, it should be the way to true beliefs.
“Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.” Ephesians 4:14-15
Paul goes on to explain how ignorance can be a great danger.
“So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed.” Ephesians 4:17-19
This theme, that our biased egocentric motives can affect the way we think is a recurring theme in the Bible. God is angry when, because of our selfishness we distort or suppress the truth.
“The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities – his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.” Romans 1:18-20
We can all see the wonder of God’s creation, we all have instincts within us that appreciate ideals such as honesty, integrity, love and kindness. We value concepts such as truth. We instinctively feel that out lives have a purpose. All these instincts come from God.
“For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools.” Romans 1:21-22
The Essential Truth
Jesus Christ claimed to be the incarnation of God. When I was at school a master told us that Jesus never claimed to be God. Either he had not read the Bible or his thinking was so twisted that he misrepresented what Jesus said.
“I tell you the truth, before Abraham was, I am. At this they picked up stones to stone him.” John 8:58
Early on in his three year ministry Jesus told a paralysed man,
“‘Son, your sins are forgiven.’ Mark 2:5
Some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves,
“Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
Immediately Jesus knew that this was what they were thinking, and he said to them,
‘Why are you thinking these things? Which is easier: to say to this paralysed man, “Your sins are forgiven,” or to say, “Get up, take your mat and walk”? But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.’ So he said to the man, ‘I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.’ He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, ‘We have never seen anything like this!’ Mark 2:8-12
Jesus used the title, ‘Son of Man’ to present himself as God’s Messiah, his one and only chosen king over all the world. One Sabbath he healed a blind man who had subsequently been excommunicated by the local Jewish leaders and thrown out of the synagogue,
“. . . who already had decided that anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue.” John 9:22
Jesus found the man and asked,
‘Do you believe in the Son of Man?” “Who is he, sir?” . . . Jesus said, ‘You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.’ Then the man said, ‘Lord, I believe,’ and he worshipped him.” John 9:35-38
Jesus sometimes referred to those in God’s kingdom as ‘his sheep’.He claimed that he had the right to give them ‘eternal life’ because he is God.
“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.’ Again his Jewish opponents picked up stones to stone him.” John 10:27-31
The Jewish authorities clearly understood this,
“‘We are not stoning you for any good work,’ they replied, ‘but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.’” John 10:33
There has been some confusion over Jesus claim to be the ‘Son of God’. By this unique title he is claiming to be the one and only Son of God. Just as the son of a monkey is a monkey, or the son of a lion is a lion, so the Son of God is God. The conversation continued,
“'Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’? Do not believe me unless I do the works of my Father.” John 10:36-37
It is only when we understand who Jesus really is that we can willingly give him every aspect of our lives. That and nothing less is the worship God wants of us. Everything else comes from this relationship, especially our salvation.
The Necessity for Clear Thinking
When Jesus was in discussion with some Pharisees, he pronounced the root cause of their error,
“You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God.” Matthew 22:29
Timothy was reminded,
“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17
He is then given the urgent charge,
“In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage – with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather round them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.” 2 Timothy 4:1-4
This need to think clearly about what God wants, what he likes and dislikes, is made abundantly clear in Scripture. The root cause of so many errors that have entered churches is the sidelining of Scripture. Clear thinking is also necessary to test our interpretations. Does the Bible teach that external ceremonies such as Baptism or involvement in Mass ensures that is person has been put right with God or is personal faith required and what does that mean? God is God and is clearly able to heal miraculously, but Christians must be honest and test all claims to physical healing. God’s desire is to have a kingdom of committed, thinking Christians who long to live as he has taught us. The tragedy is that so few who call themselves Christians are now bothered to study God’s word every day and commit its teaching to memory so that we may follow what God says. Such people have not ‘grown up’ but ‘gone astray’.
BVP
