The Bible Meets Man’s Needs – Including His Intellect

THE BIBLE MEETS MAN’S NEEDS INCLUDING HIS INTELLECT
One of the greatest needs of man is to love and to be loved. These are really parts of one emotion, rather than two separate emotions - for it is impossible to love truly when it is only one sided. One cannot really love a dummy, or a car, or a television set. One may have strong emotional feelings about such objects, but loving them in the sense that one can love another person made in the image of God, and be loved in return by this person, is an impossibility.
And Christianity is a life, a faith, and a religion of loving and being loved.
God set the pattern for us of today when He sent His only Son to give his life for us-sinners. Christ himself said in His ministry that a man could not have a greater love than that of laying down his life for his friend (John 15:13). But Christ even loved his enemies enough to die for them as well.
Is there a greater example in the world than this love of Christ for mortal and sinful man? If inspiration and example can help us - and they do, all the time - cannot we as knowledgeable adults see the wonder in such love, and be impelled to be this way?
Man has to love and be loved, or he dies. Infants die from being unloved; this is a medical fact. Children grow up to be delinquents because of being unloved; this is a legal and psychological fact. Life is empty as we grow older if there is not love in our lives. God made us this way-and Christ supplied the answer. To abound in love. To love to the point where it casts out fear (1 John 4:18) - and fear is the most destructive emotion of mankind. To see that God is love, that God is in us if we love; that we follow Christ, not because we fear Him but because we love Him. To love beyond the bounds of other men; other men can love those that love them. The Christian can love His enemies, and learns to do so if he is Christian. And remember, love works no ill to others - it brings only peace.
God made us with minds and hands, to use both constructively is a part of the pleasure of man, and it is not only a pleasure of the Christian but is an inextricable part of his life. The work that we do in the world is sometimes a thing of pain for some people, but not for the Christian. Being intelligent, the Christian will cast look, if need be, until he finds work that is suitable to him, his family, and is constructive in a Christian way. And as he works, he is conscious that he works not only to himself, not only to others, but to God as well (Col 3:24). Slavery under the Roman government in the time of Christ was bearable, but only for Christian slaves, for they served their masters as a way of serving God, even though the master may have been harsh and cruel. But how else could such a master know that Christianity was something that he didn’t have, but his slave did-and something that did for his slave what all his possessions and money and power could not do? It would be interesting to know how many pagan masters were converted to being Christians, in those times, by the example and manner of life of their Christian slaves! Nothing in this could be interpreted as suggesting that Christianity says slavery is all right; for it isn’t. But even in the work of slaves Christianity could be promoted.
Today, we who are Christian should thank God for the work we have to do, for it is a part of the blessing that He bestows on us. And let us thank God that we all do not have the same work-and let us thank Him for the fact that He tells us He sees all our efforts alike, if we do what we can.
And man cannot be happy without working, for he is made to work just in the same way as he is made to breathe, and to walk, and to see.
One of the greatest needs of mankind today is to have some inner peace, a sense of tranquility and contentment throughout most of their contacts with life. But most of mankind does not have this; and there is only one way that guarantees this, and then it is not guaranteed automatically.
This way is the Way-a life in Christ. (Philippians 4:4-7).
In this way, the followers of Christ are promised that if they seek the Kingdom of God and His righteousness first, that the necessities of life will be theirs as they do what they can with their hands and minds in their partnership with God. (Matthew 6: 33-34).
This is the only way that gives man relief from the fear of death and the nature of man is to know that eventually he will die. The fear of death is removed for the Christian, for he knows that Christ has said that where he goes, there we may come also (John 14:1-4).
This is the only way that says we do not need to fear what man may do unto us, for God is our helper and he will never leave nor forsake us (Heb. 13:5-6).
This is the only way that makes us conquerors - that not death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers-that not things present nor things to come, nor height, nor depth nor any other creature can be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:37-39).
Only in this Way can we be conquerors.
Only in this Way can we have peace of mind.
THE BIBLE AND THE MIND OF MAN
Because Christianity speaks of faith, there are those who assume that it is contrary to reason. They divide the world into those who walk by faith and those who walk by reason. Those who walk by faith belong to the “age of faith” which has been discredited and replaced by the “age of reason.” The freedom of the mind is all important; therefore, they discredit Christianity because they think that it hinders thought.
As a matter of fact, the world is not divided into those who walk by sight and those who walk by faith. All have some faith and all use reason to some extent. Even the atheist believes. He believes that matter is eternal, that the universe is self-contained and self-explained, that dead matter created life, that non-thinking matter created man with his power of thought, that non-moral matter created man who is often even tormented by the accusing cry of a guilty conscience when he fails to respond to the call of duty, and that non-religious matter created man with his religious aspirations which are so much a part of him that when he denies God he usually turns, sooner or later, to some substitute for God. On the other hand, the Christian who is a believer uses reason; as we shall shortly emphasize.
Christianity Does Not Restrain Thought
Some friends of Christianity, as well as some of its enemies, have overlooked the fact that God has called on man to love and serve Him with all one’s heart, soul, strength, and mind. (Matt. 22:37) Faith, as set forth in the Bible is the friend, not the enemy, of reason. Faith goes beyond reason, and it is my conviction that it is reasonable that it should do so, but faith is not an irrational leap which is taken without reason and contrary to reason.The Christian uses reason, in relationship to his faith, in at least three different areas.
First, reason is used in evaluating the credentials of Christ. Men were never called on, by the apostles and prophets, to accept Christ for no reason at all. For example, on Pentecost the apostles gave men at least four of the credentials of Christ.
(a) The fulfillment of prophecy.
(b) His miracles which they had witnessed (Acts 2:22).
(c) The resurrection of Jesus Christ, whereof the apostles were reliable witnesses.(2:32).
(d) The miracles which took place on the very day, before the very eyes and ears of the assembled multitude. (Acts 2:34,1-4)
To what conclusion did these credentials lead? ‘Let all the house of Israel therefore know assuredly, that God hath made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom ye crucified.” (Acts 2:36) The apostles not only gave a reasoned defense of the faith, but they also called on Christians to be ready to give answer - to make a reasoned defense - of their faith. (1 Pet. 3:15) In other words we are to use our minds in the area of Christian Evidences. We not only are to evaluate the credentials of Christ, but we are also to examine the various attacks which are made on Christ and the faith.
Second, we must use our minds in order to study the teaching of Jesus Christ. We do not get it by direct inspiration, but by perspiration as we study the word of God. Since we shall be judged by Him and His word, we should study and live by faith in Him and reliance on, and obedience to, His word. How are we to grow in knowledge of His word, as we are commanded to do, if we do not study? (2 Pet. 3:18)
Third, we are to use our minds in order to know how to apply the principles of Christ. The golden rule is rather easy to commit to memory but it is not as easy to commit to life. We speak not only of the difficulty at times of doing what we know to be right, but also of the difficulty in deciding in some conditions just what course one must follow in order to follow the golden rule in that particular situation. There are situations where the golden rule would say that the best thing we can do for a particular person is to give him some justice. Sometimes we would give to the one who asked us, while in other cases the golden rule would say that if a man will not work neither should he eat.
Since the mind is to be used in at least these three areas, it is foolish - yea, it is unreasonable - to say that Christianity discredits the use of the mind. Faith is involved, and we are to believe through when we cannot see through, but reason is not discredited when the evidence shows that we must transcend reason. Although it would take a great deal of time and study to probe into the matter, it can be shown that where Christianity and its principles flourish science itself makes increasing progress. Science would be impossible in a thoroughly animistic society for such a society views all things as under the control of arbitrary spirits. The Biblical concept of God and His law-abiding universe furnishes an environment in which science is encouraged.
There are many men who have believed, and who do believe, in God and the Bible and who have made great contributions to science. What scientific investigation, unless it leads one to violate moral law, does the Bible keep one from being involved in? In fact, the type of mind which the Bible teaches is essential for the reception of the word of truth of the gospel is also the type - which is receptive to the word of truth in other realms. These include the willingness to listen, the honest heart which seeks to prove all things without being misled by passions, pride and prejudice. (Matt. 13:15-16; Lk. 8:15; 2 Tim. 4:34; 1 Thess. 2:10-12; 5:21)
Unbelief Hinders Thought
The philosophy of materialism leaves no room for rational thought. If man is but matter in motion his thinking is simply a material reaction to other motions of matter. One thinks as he thinks because of his internal and external physical conditions. He who says, “I think,” is saying the same thing as he who says, “I itch.” In both cases, a physical sensation, physically produced, is being described. No one could know that any thought was a rational insight into reality. All thoughts would be equally true for all would be the inevitable results of the particular physical pressures which cause them. When rationality is denied, it is impossible to speak of the freedom of thought. Unless the scientist, as a rational being, exists science is impossible. Materialism, and not the Biblical position that man is a rational being created in God’s image, hinders thought.
Moral relativism, when followed consistently, keeps one from thinking on moral problems, and yet this is a vital area in which the mind ought to be used. He wouldn’t know what Christianity is in the first place, nor whether it hinders thought in the second place, nor whether, in the third place, he was sure that he has claimed that Christianity hinders thought.
Atheism hinders thought for it tries to keep men from thinking about God, about man’s moral and spiritual nature, about man’s duty, about man’s glorious destiny in Christ, and his wretchedness apart from Christ.
Christians ought not to be arrogant, but when we consider the irrational positions of many unbelievers, we have no reason to go around with our heads bowed in shame because we are believers in Christ and because they claim to be men who walk by reason. Through loving God with all of our mind, as well as with the rest of our being, let us demonstrate that Christianity does not restrain thought but that it frees the mind and spirit of man so that man can grow in grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18), and in his understanding of the world around him as well as the vast realm of reality within man.
Take home message: Let us feed our minds the word of God on a regular basis so that it will strengthen our spirits.