Is Spiritual Reasoning Illogical?

One aspect of intelligent thinking is the ability to reason and think logically. Such thinking helps us acquire knowledge, make sound decisions, and solve problem. We see that people solve problems by developing solutions in their minds before applying them to external world. This particular topic will discuss the soundness and how logical spiritual reasoning is. This message may not totally a “two sided refutational approach” (Allen, 1991). However, I was able to present my side of the issue. I was also able to present opposition’s issue and then refute them. According to Richard Petty and John Cacioppo (1986), one basic route to persuasion is the central route to persuasion—when people think carefully about the message and are influenced because they find the arguments compelling. Since our topic is about God and the Bible, our message should be loaded with logical arguments and facts to be highly persuasive even though many don’t believe to God and the Bible to be inspired of God. In spite of that, our topic is about God and the Bible.

There are many arguments about God. Some claims that Jesus is the Almighty God, some claims that God is a Trinity, others do not believe that God’s name should be used etc. But when questioned and can’t prove it to be a Bible teaching, e.g. the Trinity, they start to reason that God is a mystery or that we can never fully understand God’s thought. Is that sounds logical? Then let’s look at this particular entrenched defensiveness: “we are imperfect and lower life form. We are mere human. God’s way is not our ways neither his thoughts our thoughts.” What do you think? Is that statement is true? Is it really we can never understand God’s thoughts so it is illogical in trying to do so. So it raises critical questions: does that make God’s thoughts illogical because He is Almighty God? Or does it mean that God is illogical to human understanding? If so, that should be the Bible telling about God. What does the Bible really teach? Let us look at the Bible (NWT, 1984):

• Amos 3:7 “For the Sovereign Lord Jehovah will not do a thing Unless he has revealed his confidential matter to his servants the prophets”
• Proverbs 2:5,6 “Then you will understand the fear of Jehovah, And you will find the knowledge of God. 6 For Jehovah himself gives wisdom; From his mouth come knowledge and discernment.”

The Bible clearly shows that God reveals his thoughts to us humans, and He also gives understanding and wisdom to his human servants. So having higher thoughts and ways does not equal illogical just because we are imperfect and lower life form. Furthermore, the Bible tells us that we were created in God’s image, we have the ability to reason and use logic, and that also let us know that God is reasonable and logical.

Moreover, God knows how to make his will known to us humans so we can fully understand it. For example, the Bible says in 2 Timothy chapter three verse sixteen and seventeen: “All Scripture is inspired of God and beneficial for teaching, for reproving, for setting things straight, for disciplining in righteousness, so that man of God may be fully competent, completely equipped for every good work.” If spiritual understanding is illogical, then why the Bible says the very opposite?

What is then the ‘illogical and not reasonable’? Let us again look in the Bible (ERV):

• James 3:13-15 “Who is wise and understanding among you? let him shew by his good life his works in meekness of wisdom.But if ye have bitter jealousy and faction in your heart, glory not and lie not against the truth. This wisdom is not a wisdom that cometh down from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.” NWT : Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him by his fine conduct demonstrate works performed with a mildness that comes from wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter jealousy and contentiousness in your hearts, do not be bragging and lying against the truth. 15 This is not the wisdom that comes down from above; it is earthly, animalistic, demonic.“
• James 3: 17 “But thewisdom from above is first of all pure, then peaceable, reasonable, ready to obey, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial, not hypocritical” (NWT).

These Scriptures shatters the theory that spiritual understanding is illogical. Wisdom that is from above is spiritual wisdom; it’s from God. The Bible clearly says it is reasonable, which is the opposite of illogical. And the wisdom that is not from above says the Bible is earthly, animalistic, and demonic. To recapitulate, the Bible says humans were created in God’s image (not like unreasoning animals which act on instinct), thus whoever reject the wisdom from above which is logical and reasonable are referred to as ‘unreasoning, animals, demonic.’ And logical reasoning shows that by saying spiritual understanding is illogical, he or she actually says that God’s wisdom is lower than even humans.

Furthermore, let us tour a little bit more in the Bible (NWT):

• 2 Peter 2:12 “But these men, like unreasoning animals that act on instinct and are born to be caught and destroyed, speak abusively about things of which they are ignorant. They will suffer destruction brought on by their own destructive course, “
• Jude 10 “But these men are speaking abusively about all the things they really do not understand. And in all the things that they do understand by instinct like unreasoning animals, they go on corrupting themselves.”
• Jude 17-21 “As for you, beloved ones, call to mind the sayings that have been previously spoken by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, 18 how they used to say to you:“In the last time there will be ridiculers, following their own desires for ungodly things.” 19 These are the ones who cause divisions, animalistic men, not having spirituality. 20 But you, beloved ones, build yourselves up on your most holy faith, and pray with holy spirit, 21 in order to keep yourselves in God’s love, while you await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ with everlasting life in view.
• Romans 12:1,2 “Therefore, I appeal to you by the compassion of God, brothers, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, a sacred service with your power of reason. 2 And stop being molded by this system of things, but be transformed by making your mind over, so that you may prove to yourselves the good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”
• 2 Timothy 1:7 “For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but one of power and of love and of soundness of mind“

IN REVIEW

What do you think?

Is there any evidence that proves that God is illogical and He made us illogical by being not able to understand his will, thoughts or wisdom, and therefore spiritual reasoning is illogical? After discussing the Bible concerning the topic, we have come into conclusion that spiritual reasoning is logical and wisdom from above—from God. We have also learn from the Bible teaching that God is logical and reasonable. Therefore it is not logical to believe that God’s knowledge/thought is illogical to humans and they will never understand it.

To recapitulate the argument “We are imperfect and lower life form, we are mere humans, God’s way is not our ways neither His thought our thoughts” is valid, but the fault in this argument is not the reasoning but the falsehood in fact of the premises thus unsound and not a good argument.

OTHERS

Nothing in the Scripture is based on theory. The Bible is from God. Therefore to deny the Scripture is to deny God.

FROM THE AUTHOR OF THIS ARTICLE

I wish you think carefully about the message and see how logical and reasonable Almighty God is. However, if you didn’t, of course there are some reasons to that. One reason is that people differ in their need for cognition. A message loaded with logical arguments and facts may prove highly persuasive to some people yet fall flat on its face with others. It is because some enjoy analyzing issues, others prefer not to spend much mental effort.

REFERENCE

New World Translation of the Holy Scripture., 1984 edition., New York., N.Y.

From OT to NT: Amos 3:7; Genesis 1:26(…in God’s image); Proverbs 2:5,6; 2 Peter 2:12; 2 Timothy 1:7; 2 Timothy 3:16, 17; James 3: 13-15; James 3: 17; Jude 10; Jude 17-21; Romans 12:12

Bible Hub: Search, Read, Study the Bible in Many Languages., © 2004 – 2014 by Biblos.com., English Revised Version: James 3:13-15

‘OTHER’ REFERENCE

Allen, M. (1991). Meta-analysis comparing the persuasiveness of one-sided and two-sided message. Western Journal of Speech Communication, 55, 390-404.

Petty, R.E., & Cacioppo, J.T. (1986). Communication and persuation: Central and peripheral routes to attitude change. New York., Springer Verlag.