“Absent reason, faith will simply be based on emotion. We will never out-emote the pagan,” said Steve Deace.
The conscience is collectively becoming seared. People will not/cannot admit they are their own problem.
The Sower
B1 This parable is found in Matthew 13:3-23, Mark 4:3-20, and Luke 8:4-15.
B2 Jesus teaches
C1 That the Gospel is preached and has an effect.
C2 For some, it is
D1 Hearing but becoming distracted, forgetting, and not responding.
D2 Hearing, believing, and responding but not remaining due to difficulties or persecutions.
D3 Hearing, believing, and responding but experiencing growing neglect due to replacing their first love for God and His ways for money, power, fame, etc. There is little fruit coming from their Christian commitment. Compare Revelation 2:4.
D4 Hearing, believing, and responding and remaining steadfast and faithful regardless of what happens. These also continue to learn by reading, study, worship, and applying what they learn. Even if difficulties or persecutions come against them, they, by the grace of God, become strengthened in the faith. Compare Romans 5:3-4, Colossians 1:11, James 1:3-4, 2 Thessalonians 1:4, 2 Thessalonians 3:5, and 2 Peter 1:6.
The standard
B1 This standard must be what is reasonable (based on conscious thinking), humble (wrongs cannot be corrected unless we are willing to admit our wrongs), and loyalty to truth. We are not to be swayed by oratorical skills, emotional appeals and/or music, popularity, persecution, etc. For me, it started with “Did Jesus exist?” This led to Jesus’s teaching being most reasonable and thus to be believed and lived. See my experience here.
B2 The opposite standard appeals to emotion (fear, fuzzy feelings, good vibes), pride (I’m better than…), fickleness, music, popularity, pleasures, etc.
B3 The wrong standard calls evil, good. There must be a common standard, or there is no standard of all (all people will do whatever they believe is right or feels good). How can we communicate?
B4 Human standards fail. Proverbs 12:15, 1 Corinthians 3:18-20, Galatians 6:3, Psalm 2, Proverbs 14:12, and Romans 2:19-20.
The submission
B1 To our creator. Again, we must ask, “Is this reasonable?” See James 4:7, Matthew 6:9-10, and Romans 6:13.
B2 Lack of the fear of God. The fear of God includes everything about me being known including my shame of what I have done and need for judgment, and sentence from what was done in thoughts, desires, words, or deeds. There is a Judgment Day! A lack of the fear of God leads to the ideas of little or no accountability for what I do or don’t do. God judged the world when all did what was right in their own eyes. See Isaiah 5:21, Proverbs 6:16-19, 2 Timothy 3:1-2, and Romans 2:8.
What truth is
B1 Facts and reality.
C1 The Hebrew word refers to faithfulness and constancy, so reality that does not change. See Deuteronomy 32:4, Psalm 33:4, Psalm 96:13, Proverbs 12:22, and Habakkuk 2:4.
C2 The Greek word has the idea of no concealment, so open, not false in any way and so corresponds to reality. See Mark 5:33, Mark 12:32, John 8:32, Ephesians 4:25, and 1 John 1:8.
B2 Honesty An example is Eve’s honesty in Genesis 3:13 as compared to Adam who concealed and blamed Eve and God in Genesis 3:12.
B3 Acknowledging our weaknesses to recognize truth. We can be deceived. See 2 Corinthians 11:3-4.
B4 Confronting lies, emotionalism, false reason (logical fallacies), and belief that culture is truth. See Jeremiah 17:9-10, Acts 17:16-34, Colossians 2:8, Isaiah 29:14, and 1 Corinthians 1:19-20.
Why critical thinking
B1 Christianity is a most reasonable faith. Forget the emotion. There may be emotion in what we believe, but what Christianity stands on (the foundation) is what it is most reasonable. See 1 Thessalonians 5:21.
B2 Two types of wisdom
C1 Wisdom is how to use knowledge/facts/truth productively.
C2 Wisdom from below, that is, devilish See James 3:14-16 NLT. Also see Jude 1:18.
C2 Wisdom from above, that is, godly See James 3:17-18 NLT.
B3 A question, “Do I support someone in their stance, beliefs, and actions just because I basically agree with their general belief system?” I’m afraid that too many Christians will stand and applaud a sexual molester who gives some type of vague admission of guilt. Then these same people bully those who don’t agree with this forgive-and-forget-idea simply based on some commonly held basic doctrinal beliefs with the abuser. Molestation is a crime that must be reported, prosecuted, judged, and sentenced. We must never applaud someone’s crime.
Why Guilt
B1 Choices have consequences. See Galatians 6:7-8.
B2 Leads to repentance See Luke 5:32, 2 Corinthians 7:8-10, Psalm 51:4, Luke 13:3, Matthew 7:16-17 (good fruit is the result of a new creation as in 2 Corinthians 5:17), and Luke 3:8-14.
Some final thoughts
B1 We need self-examination of our lives. The standard for the Christian is the New Testament. See 1 Corinthians 11:28 and 2 Corinthians 13:5.
B2 Sometimes a little mockery helps prick the conscious. Compare 1 Kings 18:27, Isaiah 44:12-19, Psalm 2:4, and Luke 13:32.
B3 When talking to others, emotional arguments and confrontation only hurts the Gospel. Compare 1 Peter 3:15, Galatians 5:23 NIV, and 2 Timothy 2:25.
B4 Truth changes us, not lies, emotion, appeals, passion, philosophy, new age, etc. See John 8:32, Psalm 119:160 GNB, and 2 Timothy 2:25.
B5 As Christians, our sins help us to remember our weakness and need of God’s grace. Romans 7:14-25. Compare 2 Corinthians 12:7, and Ecclesiastes 7:2-3.
B6 We need to confess and ask forgiveness from the Lord Jesus who suffered the penalty meant for us. See 1 John 1:9, Romans 6:23, 2 Corinthians 5:21, 1 Peter 2:24, 1 Peter 3:18, and Isaiah 53:5.
Christianity is reasonable, Guilt, Truth, the standard in life