This past week someone said to me, "This conversation is pointless; we will never agree because we believe differently." It is all too common to be in disagreement; what causes me concern is what we were watching that brought to an end our ongoing discussions. We were watching a very articulate speaker who presented my case in a very persuasive manner. He laid out his arguments by use of reason.
Two people can make two completely different arguments and both by reason. However, is it reasonable for a Christian to believe in anything that reasons against good morals and the Word of God? At what point does it make sense to believe in a well-reasoned argument that goes against godly reason. There is a reasoning that the Bible refers to as "empty deception."
"See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ." (Colossians 2:8)
Ancient Greek scholars, such as Aristotle and Socrates, were excellent at using reason, which made them good philosophers. I fear that a significant portion of our culture at present has lost the ability to reason well. It is very destructive when a person becomes incapable of his God-given ability to reason. For instance, Aristotle reasoned against a universe without God. He taught that it is impossible to be and not be at the same time and in the same relationship. Therefore, self-creation is an argument against reason.
God spoke by the prophet Isaiah, "Come now, and let us reason together," Says the LORD, "Though your sins are as scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they will be like wool. "If you consent and obey, you will eat the best of the land; "But if you refuse and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword." Truly, the mouth of the LORD has spoken." (Isaiah 1:18-20) It is a simple choice God laid out, believe in Him, or be devoured.
The ability to reason rests on our willingness to acknowledge God's rightful place. The alternative is to turn men into gods and hear them over reason. The person that trusts men more than God is idolatrous. Loyalty is good, and God approves faithfulness because He is faithful. Nevertheless, loyalty becomes detrimental to the soul of a person who places his faith in a lie.
In answer to the question, is a Christian's faith blind, no. Blind faith is faith without reason, which is what the devil produces. "And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God." (2 Corinthians 4:3, 4) Those who reject the gospel are blinded by the devil's lies.
How does the god (god with a small "g" the devil) of this world blind the minds of men? In the Garden of Eden," he enticed Eve to question God's integrity, and thereby, place her trust in someone other than God.
THE GREAT AMERICAN MYTH
As a result of misplaced faith, many Christians, I know no one's heart, have been seduced away from complete trust in God by the American educational system for decades. The public school teacher and university professor have propagated the myth of evolution. Instead of a six-day creation, the universe has been in the process of evolving over billions of years.
Some will say to me, reason dictates that the science of evolution is correct and not the Chrisitan faith. Furthermore, some make God the cause of evolution. However, evolution teaches a process of death as species get higher and higher in the evolutionary chain until they evolve into the species of man. The problem arises when we consider the gospel.
Paul, in his letter to the Romans, teaches us. "Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned." (Romans 5:12) How could death be in the world before Adam? The reason there is death at all is due to sin. "For the wages (payment) of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus, our Lord." (Romans 6:23; emphasis added)
Evolution may seem to have facts to support its claims, but God's word declares God's reasoning. Evolution turns the gospel into a joke, which is its demonic purpose and to believe the scientists over God is idolatry. In such a case, divine reasoning gives way to satanic teaching. "But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons." (1 Timothy 4:1)
BLIND FAITH IN THE TEACHING OF MEN
DESTROYS BIBLICAL AUTHORITY IN THE HEART
Solomon, according to the Bible, was the wisest man who ever lived. He disobeyed God and married many foreign wives who then took his heart away. He allowed the worship of false gods throughout the land of Israel. It was those gods that brought constant and the eventual fall and demise of the nation. We should all learn the most crucial lesson that Solomon can teach; forsake the world with all its demonic philosophies and idols of worship and trust in the proper reasoning of God's holy word.
"Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray at all times and not lose heart: ...Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on earth?" (Luke 18:1 & 8)
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