It’s Reasonable, After All!

by Johnston, Brian, D. | Category: N/a | May 2007

The Bible's view of our spirituality is consistent with the use of (sanctified) reason, for the word from which we get our word 'logic(al)' is found in two key New Testament contexts. It seems plain that its basic meaning has to do with weighing up words (Gk. 'logos' = word) and the reasoning process associated with that.

The first occurrence of this 'logical word' is in Romans 12:1, where we are told to ‘present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice … which is your spiritual [lit. reasonable] service of worship’. This presentation of our bodies as living sacrifices can only be realized in practical terms by the rational decisions we each make in life, all of which have a distinct bearing on how we serve the Lord.

Our mind plays a key role in this, for the next verse refers to the danger of us allowing worldly thought patterns to impact the quality of our decision-making in service for the Lord. To guard against this danger, we must allow the renewing of our minds, so we can truly affirm that God's will really is best for us. That is a judgement that reflects 'spiritual logic', not worldly logic.

A daily intake of God's Word will help us achieve this, for after stating that the living and enduring word of God has brought us new life (1 Pet.1:23), Peter goes on to say that we should desire ‘the pure milk of the word’ or, literally, the reason-nourishing milk (2:2). By drinking in the reason-nourishing milk of God's Word, our perceptive abilities are adjusted from the influence of worldly thinking.

Clear spiritual reasoning is vital for dynamic growth in our relationship with the Lord and living His will to the hilt in our service.

Johnston, Brian, D. | May 2007
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