Soul-rest and the Mind   

Christians of the Western world, in particular, are steeped in the Aristotelian logic of attempting to explain God intellectually. With rational philosophical and theological syllogisms, they seek to explain the infinite with finite reasoning, thinking that if they get everything categorized and systematized logically, they can then "rest" in their precise definitions and intellectual explanations. Seldom do they recognize that their rationalistic reasoning produces constant unrest, for "the more you know, the more you know you don't know." The mental machinations of scholastic theological research often end up in the "analysis paralysis" of a cerebral logjam that makes Christian religion into "reasoned insanity." Man will never find "rest" in the unending attempts to figure out God and His ways.

The "deep things of God" (1 Cor. 2:10), the "ways of God are past finding out" (Rom. 11:33). Western man has such a difficult time with the "unknown," the incomprehensible, the unsearchable; with dialectic that cannot be resolved with synthesis; with Divine Mystery that involves infinite reality that cannot be explained with finite reasoning. Since the time of the so-called "Enlightenment" in the eighteenth century, when human reason was deified and elevated to the highest arbiter of understanding, humanistic rationalism has reigned supreme in Western thought. God's response has long been, "'My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,' declares the Lord, 'For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts'" (Isa. 55:8-9).

God graciously allows the theologues to engage in their academic gymnastics until they run into the wall of the outer reaches of human understanding, and then seek to find rest from their rationalistic reasoning. I know from personal experience. My natural tendency was to formulate a "believe-right" religion with all the correct doctrines and biblically accurate exegesis. My personality was suited to theological fundamentalism. As a student of biblical hermeneutics, biblical theology, systematic theology, dogmatic theology, and the philosophy of religion, I set out to get God figured out - exhaustively evaluated, fixed in formulation, and boxed up in theological categories. Then, I ran into the dead end of human reasoning, agnostically admitting that I could not know it all, and questioning whether I could know anything - even whether God existed. That was indeed a time of unrest! But, praise God, He led me towards soul-rest in the mind through spirit-union with Jesus Christ.

Intellectual knowledge of informational content is not the way to soul-rest. Paul explained to the Corinthians, "Knowledge makes arrogant...If anyone supposes that he knows anything, he has not yet known as he ought to know; but if any one loves God, he is known by Him" (1 Cor. 8:1-3). Better to be known by God, than to claim to know anything. Knowing all the details of scripture and theology will not provide soul-rest in the Christian life. On the other hand, the "knowing" of personal and relational intimacy with God is essential to soul-rest. Paul's exclamation to the Philippians reveals his awareness of this kind of ..  Read Full Article 

All Scriptures, unless otherwise stated, are taken from the New American Standard Bible, © Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. (Parentheses are by this article's author to emphasize or clarify.)