SPIRITUALITY AND MENTAL REASONING.
Often times you hear that you don't apply mental reasoning in spiritual matters. You just accept them the way they are and don't try to overanalyze it. This is true, and I believe this...to an extent.
Inasmuch as I believe human reasoning can't fully comprehend spiritual matters, I also believe that God didn't give us our minds without a purpose. You really can't separate the mind from spiritual matters. But often, people discard reasoning entirely to embrace a spiritual knowledge with little or no understanding of it.
Our minds have been given to us for evaluation. Our minds naturally analyze things, including spiritual matters...Yes, I said it. If it's not so, then why does God see the need for us to renew our minds?
“Romans 12:2 (NIV) Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the RENEWING of your MIND. Then you will be able to TEST and APPROVE what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
Our MINDS need to be RENEWED by God's Word so we can TEST and APPROVE. Some translations use "PROVE." ESV says “that by TESTING you may DISCERN...” This is done by actively engaging the MIND. A mind renewed by God's Word is a Spiritual Mind.
“Romans 8:5-6 (NIV)
5. Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their MINDS set on what the Spirit desires.
6. The mind of sinful man is death, but the MIND controlled by the SPIRIT is LIFE and peace;”
The Word of God is SPIRIT and LIFE! (John 6:63). That is why a mind renewed by God's Word is a SPIRITUAL mind, and being SPIRITUALLY MINDED is LIFE! The spiritual mind is capable of judging spiritual matters, because it will judge every spiritual knowledge with God's Word. Spiritual minds evaluate spiritual matters and non-spiritual matters (1 Corinthians 2:13,15).
It's not wrong to use our minds to analyze spiritual matters. In fact, a spiritual mind should intellectually approach spiritual matters. You can choose to call it SPIRITUAL INTELLIGENCE. That is why we don't just accept every "word of God" as Word of God. Spiritual intelligence demands that we test ALL spirits (1 John 4:1). To be spiritually intelligent means to be thorough in analyzing spiritual matters, especially from the Word of God with PROPER understanding, and proferring VALID scriptures to support a claim or counter a claim.
Our minds were not meant to be separated from spirituality, they are not mutually exclusive. For this reason, we are required to renew it with the Word of God, so that we can reflect the mind of Christ. To be spiritually minded can also mean to be spiritually intelligent. A mind that is spiritually intelligent cannot be tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine (Ephesians 4:14). It analyzes every word (spirit) by the intelligence acquired by the Spirit of God's Word. Every believer in Christ should be spiritually intelligent. This is a core reason why we posses the mind of Christ. —Dikky. #FocusOnChrist
