Too smart for God

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brighthouse98

Senior Member
Apr 16, 2015
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#21
Brother Burn1986, Take heart!! Jesus wants smart people to!! People like you help teach or encourage simple minded believers! Take Paul for example, he sure was not a simple person! The Lord does not wish for people to stay simple either! Please read Eph 4:13-18 as well as Col 1:28-29! The Lord wants his people to move FORWARD in him not sit on the sidelines.

lol Here is where people like you come in!! We never proclaim how wise in Jesus we are, rather we show others and encourage them to be as we are! You are so needed in the body of Christ; I understand how tough it can be among simple people!! LOL BUT!!! You can never attain comfort within oneself if you do not participate among the Body of Christ!

I know how tough it can be in the Church, it seems so many just don't get it!! Hence why you are there in the first place! Remember how Jesus put up with such simple people himself, most of the disciples he had were just fisherman!! VERY SIMPLE people!! Do not let the gifts you have in our Lord Jesus go to waste!

We in the Body of Christ are so thankful for people like you Brother Burn1986!! YOU ARE!!!! NEEDED!!! Bless you brother as you move forward and help others to follow in your fine example! We are never wise in self, but rather wisdom from above!! (James 3:13-18!!) Blessing to you!
 

posthuman

Senior Member
Jul 31, 2013
37,833
13,558
113
#22
I’m sure the priest who stepped into the raging Jordan river used their mind to look into the river for the best place to step, all the while saying to themselves “Thus is utterly crazy.” Of course once they did the waters stopped, but it was a battle with their mind up until that point.
if we believe God when He says "My thoughts are higher than your thoughts" then the rational, intellectual conclusion is that we cannot logically trust our own logic when it is at odds with what God says.

so our own thoughts must sometimes reject our own thoughts. this is not anti-intellect; it is high intellect.

so the minds of those priests knew that their own minds were wrong to fear stepping into the water ((raging? i don't see that in the text. it's the same place John was baptizing: do you imagine he did that in class 5 rapids?? Lol)).
in doing so they did not exercise the minds of children but the minds of adults.

"become like little children" does not mean to become an unthinking fool.
 

posthuman

Senior Member
Jul 31, 2013
37,833
13,558
113
#23
Take Paul for example, he sure was not a simple person! The Lord does not wish for people to stay simple either!
Amen!!

Proverbs 1:22​
How long, you simple ones,
will you love simplicity?
For scorners delight in their scorning,
And fools hate knowledge.
 

maxwel

Senior Member
Apr 18, 2013
9,526
2,608
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#24
if we believe God when He says "My thoughts are higher than your thoughts" then the rational, intellectual conclusion is that we cannot logically trust our own logic when it is at odds with what God says.

so our own thoughts must sometimes reject our own thoughts. this is not anti-intellect; it is high intellect.

so the minds of those priests knew that their own minds were wrong to fear stepping into the water ((raging? i don't see that in the text. it's the same place John was baptizing: do you imagine he did that in class 5 rapids?? Lol)).
in doing so they did not exercise the minds of children but the minds of adults.

"become like little children" does not mean to become an unthinking fool.

Completely agree with the premise, but we might find a shorter way to express it.

I think I'd describe it as employing variables, or using a conditional.
For Example:
It is illogical to walk across a river... UNLESS God said to do it. God DID say to do it, and therefore it is now logical to do it.)

Have a great weekend.

.
 

maxwel

Senior Member
Apr 18, 2013
9,526
2,608
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#25
More... Conditionals and Variables:

I think explaining this subject by using simple conditionals is probably a good approach because we use simple conditionals all the time... it's very common to our daily experience.

..
 

posthuman

Senior Member
Jul 31, 2013
37,833
13,558
113
#26
More... Conditionals and Variables:

I think explaining this subject by using simple conditionals is probably a good approach because we use simple conditionals all the time... it's very common to our daily experience.

..
Yes

Succinctly:

If God declares anything i don't understand, my understanding is clearly wrong.

This is logic
 

maxwel

Senior Member
Apr 18, 2013
9,526
2,608
113
#27
If God declares anything i don't understand, my understanding is clearly wrong.

This is logic
Amen.

It is logical to presume whenever God has a different view, his view is correct.

It is LOGICAL to correct yourself by God's words.

.

.
 

maxwel

Senior Member
Apr 18, 2013
9,526
2,608
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#28
More...


Spirit and Mind working together:
1. When God has a view different than ours, it is LOGICAL to presume the all-knowing God would be correct.
2. But it takes a work of the spirit for us to "care."
* Everything works together.

.
 

Burn1986

Active member
Mar 4, 2024
918
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#29
Knowing that God is good, that He is the Life and the Resurrection, and that He is Salvation - - all these things logically follow and must happen.

As He said to His disciples, the Son of Man "must" be delivered and crucified, and raise Himself up. by saying "must be" He indicates that it is an inescapable logical conclusion.

perhaps you are confusing "logic and intellect" with unbelief?
Because if you begin with a false premise you naturally come to false conclusions, so the man who does not believe, his intellect and reasoning arrives at falsehood.

Christianity is not a belief that encourages stupidity. The scripture does not tell us not to use our mind, rather, it commands us to do so. There is neither spiritual nor earthly value in ignorance!

why is it written, we have the mind of Christ, if we are not supposed to actively employ our minds? Those who teach to follow feelings in your heart at the expense of reason and intellect are setting up the sheep to be deceived.
You made some valid points but that’s not what I’m saying at all.