The Pitfalls of Being a Thinker

Audio Transcript

Pondering is important within the Christian life. It’s important to Bible studying. And we’ve frolicked taking a look at how a lot we have to focus our minds to hint the logic circulate of Paul’s thought as we learn his letters — a dynamic you’ve got proven us, Pastor John, utilizing Romans 1:15–17 and 1 Corinthians 6:18–20 as nice samples to point out how the Bible assumes we are going to learn. For that, see the APJ guide (web page 27 for these). Informative and galvanizing.

However there are pitfalls to being a deep thinker, too. And Sarah, a thinker, desires to keep away from these pitfalls. Right here’s her e mail: “Pastor John, whats up to you and thanks for taking my query. I’ve realized rather a lot from Ask Pastor John through the years, and I hear each week. Thanks, and thanks, Tony, for all of your work in making it, and for compiling the brand new APJ guide. It’s all very useful.

“My query for you is about pondering. I’m a thinker. It’s one purpose why I really like the podcast. You’re a thinker. Nonetheless, I’ve seen that some pondering could be very harmful. Paul warns of the hazards of pondering in 1 Corinthians 8:1–4. And but he additionally says that pondering is indispensable in Romans 10:1–4. Are you able to clarify how information is each indispensable and harmful, and the way you handle this stability in your personal pondering? Thanks!”

I feel that’s a superb solution to say it. Information is each indispensable and harmful. That’s good. Sarah doesn’t make a distinction between pondering and figuring out. So, let me make that distinction. Pondering is the exercise of the thoughts by which we acquire information. So, I might add the assertion, “Figuring out and pondering are each indispensable and harmful.” The method and the product are each indispensable for the Christian — and harmful.

Pondering Is Harmful

Let’s begin with the hazard. I feel the primary hazard that the Bible warns in opposition to in the case of pondering and figuring out is delight. Qualification: that doesn’t imply that individuals who don’t suppose and who don’t know a lot are robotically humble. There may be simply as a lot delight amongst ignorant folks as there may be amongst sensible folks. There may be simply as a lot delight amongst individuals who don’t know a lot as there may be amongst individuals who know rather a lot.

However the individuals who don’t suppose, they boast in different issues apart from pondering and figuring out — bodily energy; sexual, alluring powers; potential to prepare dinner, play sports activities, sing, make music, become profitable, combat, be humorous. The issues we will boast in are limitless. The chances of delight and boasting are limitless, each for the ignorant and the clever.

“We all know as we ought if our figuring out produces love, not boasting.”

So, the purpose just isn’t that clever, educated persons are extra proud than ignorant, unthinking folks. The purpose is that the best hazard about being clever and educated is delight. That’s the best hazard folks have if they’re considerate and know a number of issues. And there’s one thing about pondering (and the talent you’ve got in it) and figuring out a lot that tempts us to exalt ourselves over others and consider ourselves extra extremely than we must suppose.

Paul’s Warning

Sarah refers to 1 Corinthians 8:1–3:

Now regarding meals supplied to idols: we all know that “all of us possess information.” This “information” puffs up, however love builds up. If anybody imagines that he is aware of one thing, he doesn’t but know as he must know. But when anybody loves God, he’s recognized by God.

Now, I discover these verses actually puzzling. How do they match collectively? And I’ve written rather a lot about them.

So, let me simply offer you my interpretation as greatest I can. I feel what it means is that this: How do we all know that we all know as we ought? Reply: we all know as we ought if our figuring out produces love, not boasting. If our figuring out puffs up over others, it’s not proper figuring out. But when our figuring out builds others up in love, then our figuring out is correct figuring out.

When Paul provides a reference to loving God in verse 3 (“if anybody loves God”), he evidently implies that the love that builds up different folks (by the way in which we use our information for them and to not boast over them) is rooted in love for God, which he says originates in being recognized by God — that’s, being chosen by God and cherished by God, in order that we’re in a position to love him and thus be full of affection for different folks and thus use our information rightly, lovingly. It’s a profoundly God-centered understanding of human pondering and figuring out in these verses.

So, the before everything hazard of pondering and figuring out that Paul focuses on is that information puffs up. Until it’s underneath the management of God-given love, it’s going to make us proud.

Jesus’s Warning

Jesus has an identical warning, I feel, for the clever and understanding. He says in Matthew 11:25, “I thanks, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you’ve hidden this stuff from the clever and understanding and revealed them to little kids.” Now, I feel “little kids” there signifies humble folks, lowly folks, easy people who find themselves not boasting of their knowledge and their understanding however are trying away from themselves to God, the way in which a toddler appears to be like to his mother or father and is keen to obtain no matter he says is true. “If God says it, I’ll imagine it. I’m going to look to God for my knowledge.”

So, the good hazard of being self-reliant, self-exalting in our understanding is that we minimize ourselves off from God’s revelation. Dependence on revelation from God for knowledge is a humbling factor. We don’t prefer to depend upon any individual else having complete knowledge and telling us what actuality is like. People don’t prefer to be completely depending on God’s revelation of himself with the intention to have a real information of life.

Nebuchadnezzar’s Instance

One final illustration concerning the connection between delight and the suitable use of the thoughts is the vivid instance of Nebuchadnezzar. When he boasted in his energy and intelligence to construct an amazing kingdom, God struck him down, made him like an animal who ate grass. Right here’s the way in which Nebuchadnezzar described his restoration from that bestial, animal-like lack of his thoughts, his proper use of his mind. He stated, “On the finish of the times I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my purpose returned to me, and I blessed the Most Excessive” (Daniel 4:34).

Years in the past, I put that verse on my workplace door at church, the verse that claims, “I . . . lifted my eyes to heaven, and my purpose returned to me.” I adore it. We’ll use our minds rightly when our eyes are lifted Godward. If we flip in on ourselves and start to boast, our purpose will turn into bestial and damaging.

Pondering Is Indispensable

Now, let’s shift gears and switch to the truth that figuring out and pondering aren’t simply harmful; they’re indispensable. The prophet Hosea stated, “My folks [perish] for lack of know-how” (Hosea 4:6). And he pleaded, “Tell us; allow us to press on to know the Lord” (Hosea 6:3). So, the college of figuring out is before everything important for figuring out God. Tell us God. Allow us to press on to know God.

I feel Jesus made that plain when he stated concerning the Nice Commandment in Matthew 22:37, “You shall love the Lord your God with all of your coronary heart and with all of your soul and with all of your thoughts.” Now, I take loving God together with your thoughts to imply use your thoughts. Use your pondering college, your capacities for figuring out. Use your thoughts with the intention to stoke the fires of affection for God in your coronary heart.

If the center burns, the kindling is thrown by the thoughts. The thoughts works exhausting. It goes out and it finds the reality, the kindling of fact, and it throws it on the furnace of affection within the coronary heart. Put your thoughts on the service of your coronary heart in loving God. That’s the final word function for having the capability to suppose and know.

Many times, I’m stunned by the sheer actuality that the Creator of the universe has communicated himself to us in a guide. We now have a guide, and the guide is the very phrase of the Creator of the universe. One of many causes that bowls me over is as a result of it implies that the principle manner we all know God is by studying or listening to somebody who has learn. Should you’re preliterate and it’s important to depend upon orality, somebody talking to you, they must learn the guide or any individual has to learn the guide.

So, studying and listening are basically processes of pondering. To learn is to suppose. God has ordained to make himself recognized and to make a relationship with him potential by means of a guide, which suggests we’ve got to learn to learn. Studying the best way to learn means studying the best way to suppose, which makes pondering indispensable.

I conclude with precisely what Sarah stated: pondering isn’t just harmful; it’s indispensable.