Friends, I’m not thinking about Halloween, I’m thinking about intellectual life in Christ … and it is a real treat.  See the column below ...

And … Aiden Joseph Walters (7lbs 13oz, 20in) was born to younger son John and wife Jeni at 7:50 a.m., Monday, Oct. 30, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Their first. My brother is John’s Uncle Joe, and I see “A.J.” in that name. He is grandchild #3; #4 is on the way in February in Utah. Now … let me collect myself …  the column …  Blessings, Bob

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Spirituality Column #885

October 31, 2023

Common Christianity / Uncommon Commentary

Do You Mind?

By Bob Walters

“‘For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?’ But we have the mind of Christ.” – Paul, 1 Corinthians 2:16 NIV

My longtime Christian mentor Dr. George Bebawi made a frequent point of the fruitlessness of arguing scripture with a non-Christian, non-believer, or “other” believer.

Whether with an atheist academic, an agnostic scold, or practitioner of a non-Bible faith, George noted the uncrossable gulf of scriptural obliviousness present in the non-Christian mind.  One has to believe scripture to truly understand it, and an intellect dismissive of God, Son, Spirit, and scripture is unlikely to be lured into faith by mere words that one’s “intellect” does not consider to be capital T Truth, i.e., God’s truth, objective truth, eternal truth.  Only the mind of Christ – the Spirit – fords that barrier.

That is why the way we live as Christians – our “life’s witness” – speaks louder to the outside world than our words.  Early Christians drew others to faith both with the first witness of Jesus Christ resurrected, but also and importantly, by the lives of the Christian believers who loved and took care of each other.  Prior to the arrival of scripture, sophisticated Christology, and church doctrines, it was fellowship and community – and the simple light of the Holy Spirit – that attracted and held first-century new believers in a faith heretofore unknown.

On an intellectual level, it is also why the apostle Paul, cited above, plainly says that prior to Jesus, no one knew the mind of God. This scripture passage, 1 Corinthians 2:6-16, is subtitled “The Wisdom of God” and is worth reading for anyone thinking that catching converts is a matter of spouting scripture. That is for believers, and what a comfort!  But only the Spirit of God has the Wisdom of God, and Jesus is the one who sent us the Spirit of God. Many, then and now, want to instruct God; it is a fool’s errand.

Are we as smart as Jesus?  No, but that’s the secular world’s primary anxiety that we “think we’re so smart.”  What we are is faithful, and that’s why “we get it,” thusly:

“This is what we speak, not in words taught to us by human wisdom, but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words. The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.” (1 Corinthians 2:13-14). Then, in the Spirit, we either get it or we don’t.

It is the Holy Spirit’s job to light the lamp of spiritual knowledge in a person’s soul.  Until that happens, all we can reasonably do is live a consistent Christian life (harder than it sounds), abide by and testify to Christian truth, pray, and especially be a 24/7 witness to the Big Two: Love God and love others. Then do the hardest thing: trust God.

Maybe the great surprise to the outside world about entering into Christian faith is that Jesus is a thinker’s realm.  Paul talks about “wisdom of this age” (v6), i.e., Paul’s era, and is referring to the Greek philosophers, Roman justice, and the Hebrew religion.  Paul then cites God’s “secret wisdom … hidden for our glory before time began. (v7)

As the world scrambles for definitions and debates, the mind we have through God’s Spirit – the mind of Christ – unlocks God’s words and shines an otherwise unknown light onto the straight path toward and narrow gate into God’s kingdom.

Stay in that light, share scripture as the Spirit leads, and keep your mind sharp.

Walters (rlwcom@aol.com) reminds all: pick your battles carefully, and pray.

Spirituality Column #303
September 4, 2012
Current in Carmel – Westfield – Noblesville – Fishers – Zionsville

By Bob Walters
Author of (click) Common Christianity / Uncommon Commentary

Not everyone organizes his or her life around the basic assumption that a relational God who really exists created all things.

But a lot of us do.

Even folks who back away from church because it seems intrusive or unsatisfying, dismiss Christians because too many of us seem like hypocrites, idolize sports teams and pop culture figures rather than Jesus Christ, and prioritize money, family, good vibrations and the good life ahead of repentant faith – even them; many of them – will still reflexively, instinctively, call on capital-G God for blessings and help.

They may invoke God, blame God, question God, praise God, make requests of God and maybe on occasion even pray to God.  They have a gut assumption that He’s there even though they don’t understand or buy into the religion and church thing.  As an example, how many people (and I used to be one of them) have you heard say some variation of, “I believe in God, I just don’t believe in religion”?  Our witness needs work.

I think most folks “get” God’s existence and honestly hope God is really there (wherever “there” is).  It is the work of evangelism to share, explain, and strengthen mankind’s confidence that God really is there, that divine love in the person of Jesus Christ really is the central doctrine of the entire Christian faith, and that Christ came for all mankind to put us right with God (John 3:16).  Amen.

Of course, God is there.

But for those who at a basic level “connect” to the fact that God is there and loves us, it is another step up to say “I love God” and another step after that to say “I need God.”  But to truly trust God, it is logical to ask:  What does God need me for?

Surprisingly and simply enough, the answer is: To praise Him and love Him.

Here is how it works.  And it’s not a transaction; it’s grace.

The purpose of all God’s creation is to glorify Him.  Because we are created in God’s own image (Genesis 1:26-27), we are created to be in relationship with God, to love Him, to praise Him, and in that love and praise, to reflect His glory.  Jesus Christ is the bearer (“radiance”) of God’s glory (Hebrews 1:3), and the Holy Spirit teaches us to recognize God’s glory (1 Corinthians 2:6-16).

As sinful mankind in a fallen world, coached and cheered on by Satan, we are inclined to glorify ourselves, love ourselves, praise ourselves, and try to be all we need unto ourselves.  Just understand one thing:

God doesn’t need that.

Walters (rlwcom@aol.com) first attended church as an adult 11 years ago this weekend, on Sept. 2, 2001.  It just so happened it was the 50^th anniversary of Russ Blowers’ ministry at East 91^st Street Christian Church.  Bob’s book, “Common Christianity / Uncommon Commentary” is dedicated to Russ.