Before anything of this, especially in the last two posts begin to sound as if this must all be worked out, or even in part, for the faith of Jesus Christ to be revealed to a man…God forbid! God alone knows what has been learned “while” in Christ (for we may see many things) and what a man has as from the Christ of God. I can only testify that as tortuous a road it may seem to some or many, I see these matters only while in Christ. And if for no one else finding any merit to them, or benefit to be derived from them, grace and peace to you. And your liberty in Christ extends to reproof and rebuke of a brother you believe in error.
Yet were we to proceed in any engagement to consider the mind of Christ, even as made ours through gift, even declared to be ours through that faith in His name; I am persuaded we cannot escape at very least some consideration of mind and minds. There is no claim I consider rightly, but only consider.
Perhaps like me you have found yourself presented with, to some greater or lesser degree, a scorn of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and even particularly some strident resistance (even to mocking) at the whole notion of God. Such may come from men who call themselves atheists, or don’t even call themselves so. It doesn’t matter, after all, what a man calls himself. They may think themselves rational or realists (more on our judging of reality, later) and find God, even ‘a’ god a quaint and benighted idea, left to both the superstitious and/or fearful as a construct of a feeble(r) mind. I don’t believe this is, or even should be, strange to the believer. We must be prepared for resistance, and are particularly told of it, even of persecution to death as need be for the Lord’s sake, and His name. Vital matters cannot be vital to us until they are shown worthy of defense with all of life.
These matters of opposition could easily consume the whole of a book of themselves, particularly if including oppositions we may even find at work in ourselves when revealed. Where we find our own mind even rebelling at the truth of certain things. Vain imaginations, whether of ourselves or coming from outside are indeed for the tearing down. And we may find, if we are pressed to some honesty, how clever man (even ourselves) can be in argument. And even how some arguments and contentions can affect us, as though by infection, if allowed their cleverness whereby they are allowed to gain entrance.
A clever man can turn an argument, a contention, even a declaration, and steer it to a direction either originally unintended or to grounds in which he feels comfortable in and for his refutation. A place where he finds his own reason justified and justifiable. Have you not found yourself here? Who hasn’t, really, in anything? It needn’t even be about the gospel per se (though the believer comes to see eventually all things are actually about the gospel of Jesus Christ)…but in almost any situation where a man finds himself with another in contention. And again, yes, this can take place within himself. This exercise of reason and reasonings as a faculty of our consciousness can be very potent. And the man who is solely reliant upon his own we contend, is in very much jeopardy. But…how can he even know this? Who could show any man this? That all of the “if…then” matters through which he has built, by his own logic and reasoning, his own house on sand, or of cards, is set for the falling and failing? For the very foundation of the “ifs” a man is restricted to for any proceeding till Christ is revealed are precisely, and can never be more than, mere speculation(s). All doubt is held in “if” till it be revealed as resolved by Christ. Another greater than “if” must enter as, and for, foundation. And this is alone the work of God.
We can easily jump to:
Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
Surely we can read the above with some claim of understanding. And we as believers are appointed to that understanding. But learning the depth and heights of it are, for us, in some ways incalculable. For they include the wisdom of God, and no less, the foolishness of God; the power of God, and the weakness of God. God in all. From His weakness to strength, from His foolishness to all wisdom. Who is made to us of all authority and power? Even He who was crucified through weakness. Who is made all wisdom to us but He who suffered all contradiction of sinners against Himself? Suffering even being told “thou hast a devil”. Or His own believing He is “beside himself”.
In these matters our own logic and reasoning must fail. There is no “if” about it. But until we are made all content to appear as fools, to appear as those beside ourselves, and yes, as need be told we too are even demonized…and without complaint or even defense by our own reason, there are things still appointed to our tutelage. Things no man can teach himself nor even would seek to.
Listen if you can. See, if you can. I have known a man who no more likes his intellect or reasoning insulted, himself made subject to mocking and scorn for what he holds to as dear, and being turned to a laughingstock amongst those who are considered wiser or more rational, more educated or enlightened, than any other would like it. I have suffered in and with this man being “with me”. But the why of it had to be shown. The why he bristled. The why of his irritation and even loathing at such things, the why of his response in striving to “come up” with either better, or more clever argument that might keep him from suffering such…insult. I simply didn’t know…he was dead. How could I? He made himself to me all of alive to these things by his plain response to them. There was much…motion. But as I would describe now as a chicken flailing after beheading, appearing to yet hold some life by much motion, but as surely beheaded as it could be.
What seemed to keep it alive, even as being alive to me, had to be revealed by the Christ’s presentation. He showed a man yet esteeming cleverness, yet esteeming his own intellect and reason, yet easily swayed by what he perceived others thought of him; so that when this man suffered what he considered insult to any of these, he likewise suffered in them and under them, himself. He was yet…subject to them…because he esteemed them.
Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
It is a very interesting (how far short is that word) place when one finds himself told of the Lord “you may think you are serving me, but it is only yourself you are serving”. O! it’s killer. To hear…even as by a seeing (in the revelation of Christ) “serving one’s own intellect and reason instead of His knowing”, and “serving one’s feelings rather that His endurance” and “serving one’s esteem of one’s self in place of the Father’s esteem of the Son”. Oh yes, killer.
Yet mercy triumphs over those righteous judgments. And something other than the self comes clearer into view.
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