I recently heard this statement for the first time. It was said by a believer, who stated his objection to the assertion, but the concept intrigued me.
I had never considered this concept, and had no idea that others might have this impression. It has sparked a tremendous amount of thought, or dare I say reasoning in me.
I wonder where such an idea might have originated? First of all, the vast amount of knowledge about God, and His creation, has been learned through words, the words of God’s written word.
In John 1:1 this Word of God says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
What is the purpose of words? Are they not for the communication of thoughts, ideas, and reasoning? If this is true, how then can reason oppose faith? Is it not true that our faith is based upon the Word of God, and does it not necessitate reason to choose to obey the commandments of the Lord?
For example, in the garden Satan presented himself as a serpent, and sought to deceive eve. Knowing that God had given the rulership of God’s creation to Adam, why was it that Satan approached Eve? Shouldn’t he have gone to Adam if he had in mind to debate, and thus convince Adam to oppose God?
The truth is that Satan had no intention of persuading Adam. His goal was to trick Adam, so he approached Eve in order to use her as a weapon against Adam, in order to deceive him.
Had Adam reasoned these matters, filtering them through the commandment of God, the history of mankind might have turned out differently.
In another record in the Word of God, II Samual 12:1 and following, we read,
“And the Lord sent Nathan unto David. And he came unto him, and said unto him, There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor.
The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds:
But the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up: and it grew up together with him, and with his children; it did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter.
And there came a traveller unto the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man that was come unto him; but took the poor man's lamb, and dressed it for the man that was come to him.
And David's anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, As the LORD liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die:
And he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.
And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man…”
In verse one, why did the LORD send Nathan unto David? Did he condemn David? Did he say that he had not acted in faith, and thereby was a failure? Why did He have Nathan tell David a story. What was the purpose of the story? Was it not to illustrate the Word of God through “reason?”
What was the reaction of David to the story from the Lord? Did he not recognize the error of his way? Did he not repent? How then could reason be considered the enemy of faith, when it was through reason that the Lord revealed the truth to David that he might act in faith?
In Acts 13:22, the Lord said, “And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfill all my will.”
Doesn’t this indicate that in order to please God, we must act upon the Word of God in obedience, and doesn’t this obedience require thoughtful consideration, and an act of the will, to affirm, and obey that very Word?
Would this be faith, reason, or both. Is it not by reason that we are able to truly act in faith?
God bless you, Dave