Mind Working

   It is interesting to me how the mind works. This morning, for instance, the Chambers' reading was on "Quenching the spirit", using a reading from I Thessalonians 5:19. Reading both the verse and its surrounding passages led me to a quick study of the Biblical phrase "hardening the heart", where it was used and who did the hardening, the individual who would not listen, or God Himself.

   Then as my mind continued to wake up, the thoughts shifted from the above to the whole question of predestination and free will. Now I realize that this line of thinking has taken me an hour, and I have to go play tennis in 30 minutes and have to eat before I go, therefore do not have the time to see where all this leads.

   But I did come back into the cool of the house, out of the sun of the court, and I want to continue the thoughts above.

   I really did not think very much about the whole issue of free will, until I went to grad school at Covenant College . The is a Reformed Presbyterian school near Chattanooga, and the professors that I studied under were all reformed educators. They were big on the fact that believers were chosen by God. One of them told me, in answer to a question about being chosen, that if God was still working in your life, you would know that you are His, or would be eventually.

   Then, while living in Blacksburg for 3 years, I attended a Bible study, led by an architect from our church, who was also very much into reformed theology. He gave me a book, Chosen By God, by R. C. Sproul, to read and think about. I did, in fact I read it over again, and I'm still not sure I understand all the ideas involved.

   So, where does this all lead? Perhaps the thought I have on all of the hard issues of the Bible, is that study of God, His Word, and His work in the world is a lifelong study. It is easy to just say that I don't understand, which I often don't, and let it go at that, but I also believe that I need to put some thought and study into what I can understand. Of course, it is God who must lead the study, and I need to follow.

   How do we put all these thoughts together, especially from the verse, "Quench not the Spirit"?

   If the Spirit leads into a particular study, I need to go there, not just say it is too deep for me. Ravi Zacharias has, or did have, a program on radio entitled "Let My People Think", where he points out that it is the believer's privilege, or even obligation, to study what God has to say. An informed man has much more credibility that one who just says "I'll just take it on faith and let it go at that".

   Some things I have to take on faith, but my faith is also strengthened by what I can study and learn. Maybe I should read Sproul's book for the 3rd time.......