Christians and their Minds
It is not a sin for Christians to think. We are given signs to consider in order to help us believe, and we are given teachers to educate our minds in the things of God. Our actual relationships with God however, go beyond the limits of human rationality.
I had a close Christian friend who would refer to me as “anti-intellectual” (to my face and to others), because I would assert that human objectivity was not the ultimate God. This accusation may be true, but I still have a few concepts to offer that have been helpful to me, that might even involve a little thinking.
#1 The humble of this world can learn about God, no matter who or where they are.
The meaning and purpose of a work of art, a tool, or a universe, is defined by its creator, and that which is created can tell us things about its creator -- Einstein put it this way:
"My religion consists of a humble admiration of the illimitable Superior Spirit Who reveals Himself in the slight details we are able to perceive with our frail and feeble minds. That deeply emotional conviction of the presence of a superior reasoning power, which is revealed in the incomprehensible universe, forms my idea of God."
Another learned personality of history used these terms:
"...for since the creation of the world, His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through that which has been made."
#2 We are all free to choose to either love God, or compete with Him
That which lies beyond the point of creation can only be addressed by speculation or faith. Rationality by itself is powerless to determine the correctness of either the one who speculates his way into godhood, or of the child (like Einstein) who sits in love and appreciation of the ultimate Creator. Since objectivity cannot force us to a conclusion, faith or lack of it is a choice we make.
The most significant decision a human being is given the opportunity to make is whether to compete with the Creator (the default of human nature), or to serve the Creator (the choice).
#3 Consider these two statements:
(a) The fact that we cannot prove or disprove God, is evidence that a loving God
exists.
(b) The fact that evil exists is also evidence that a loving God exists.
In order for us to have the power to love God, we must be capable of choosing not to. If our minds were so rational that the existence of God could be proven to us, we would have no choice but to believe, and to practice “love” of God at any cost -- no choice, no real love.
Again, if evil did not exist, we would have no alternative -- no choice, no love.
Therefore, the fact that we cannot be coerced either to believe in God, or to love God, becomes evidence that a God desiring love has created an opportunity for love to exist.
#4 How big is God?
John 1:1-3, Col.1:15-17, and Heb.1:2-3 tell us that Jesus is the agent of creation of all things, both physical and spiritual. Jesus is the total expression (Word) of God.
So when we have exhausted our minds by contemplating how tiny we are with respect to the entire earth, how minuscule the earth is compared to the solar system, how difficult it would be to even find our sun among the billions of stars within our own galaxy, and how we live in but one of millions of galaxies within sight or our crude instruments, we have yet failed to comprehend even the physical aspect of the might of Jesus.
The scriptures tell us clearly and repeatedly that Jesus submits to the Father. If all we can see and even attempt to comprehend is part of the magnitude and power of Jesus, Who then is God?
#5 Feeling down?
Rom.8:11 lets us know that the Spirit of Him Who raised Christ from the dead dwells in us. If we want to get up, and we turn our hearts fully in praise and gratitude towards God (as Paul and Silas did on an exceptionally bad day), is there any power in heaven or hell that’s going to stop us?
#6 Faith is rational
Satan fell because he wanted to be like God.
Satan enticed Eve to partake of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil by saying “You’ll be like God, knowing good and evil”. By replacing faith in an infinite God with faith in our very limited minds and the knowledge they can hold, we cut ourselves off from God.
Our minds are the tools of our dominion over the earth. We can even catch a whale alive for example, by the cunning of our minds. Obviously, God did not create us to have dominion over Himself.
If we are to fellowship with God, we must lay the sword of our dominion before Him, and return to a walk of faith and trust. Faith is intellectually repulsive, but ironically, when placed in God through Jesus, it sets us free from the limitations of our own power and intellect. In this context, faith makes a lot of sense.