‘Thoughts'
Does God Expect Us To Think?
New King James Version Written By: Robert Buckner
So much of what we hear and observe in today's contemporary culture, both within and out of the Body, appears to be driven by emotion. In fact, it seems that emotion or feelings have even become more important than truth and fact. We can all cite headlines where an individual has been excused from the responsibility of a bad choice due to some emotional-driven rational or defense.
It would also seem that within the Christian community-at-large, one's emotion has become an acceptable replacement for knowledge and understanding; as though God will allow for error, as long as the “feeling” behind the error was sincere.
The terrible disadvantage is that when man attempts to use emotion (which is the shallowest part of our human nature) in this context to comprehend God's Will (which is the deepest Truth of this universe), he is ill prepared to be able to comprehend God's absolute nature.
Contrary to what many may believe, man, with the mind God gave him, can read His Holy Word and understand His Will. Of course, an emotion is most certainly stirred when one reads, and then understands God's Truth ( love ), but God never intended for emotion to deliver man to the understanding of His Truth.
Consider how scripture tells us that we are transformed from the world:
Romans 12:2 “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”
How does the aforementioned scripture say that we are transformed? We are transformed from the world by the renewing of our mind. If Christians become lazy and apathetic with the handling of God's Word and dismisses the importance or responsibility of using their mind and do not keep it ever-focused upon God's Truth, the consequences are awful and numerous.
Romans 1:28-32 “And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, 30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; 32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.”
In the above-listed scripture, we can know that with their minds, … “And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge” They made a conscious thought-out decision not to retain the knowledge of God. God's response to this purposed decision? … “God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting;” We are in a spiritual battle with the world every day. Our enemy is crafty and clever in his lies and deceptions. Can we really believe that we can effectively combat Satan if we do not think? Can we battle Satan with our emotions?
Faith is not miraculously implanted within the hearts of man. Man must hear God's Word; and then man must believe God's Word; and then man must elect to obey God's Word. These are all calculated intellectually considered and purposed decisions which must be processed by the mind of man.
The facts of God's Truth are absolute. They do not vary; they do not flex or change with the moment, as do human emotions. One is like rock and one is like sand; scripture tells which we should prefer!
Christians must become confident in their salvation, and from within that confidence give to those who are not yet in the Body, an invitation built upon the solid rock of God's Truth, from the absolute and irrefutable facts of His Word. No matter how well intended, your emotions can never be as eloquent or compelling as God's Truth, accurately and competently represented!
Think About It!