A closed mind?

One of the leading magazines read by charismatic Christians has the following article title prominently displayed on this month's cover - "Keep your mind closed!" What a terrible exhortation. Sadly, many Believers will follow that advice to the letter, closing their minds and thus missing the many opportunities to learn the truth, to grow in the knowledge of Christ, and to be effective ambassadors of the Kingdom of God here on earth. The writer was predictable in the development of the article including such zingers as "once Jesus says it, that settles it." He asserts, "concerning spiritual issues, you'd better have a closed mind; you want to have rigidly fixed perceptions."

Obviously the author believes sincerely in what he writes, but he is a poor student of Christianity and history. What if Martin Luther had closed his mind in the 16th century? After all, the Church had a fixed doctrine about what the Bible said about being a Christian; a well established tradition, supported by legions of churchmen in Rome. But Luther was willing to question, to reason - to listen to God and heard the whisper of the Spirit bringing him understanding about the the work and message of Christ's Gospel. From his inspired mind came the ringing affirmation of the ancient truth - "The just will live by faith." He gave us the Reformation which is a cornerstone of the philosophy that shaped our modern Western world.

To be sure, there are ideas that come and go that we eventually reject, but not because we have walled off our minds to ALL thought! The Christian who is filled with the Holy Spirit should have a keen and questioning mind that is full of the wisdom of God. That mind is capable of hearing ideas, evaluating them, processing them with the Word's wisdom and the Spirit's discernment, and answering error with truth! Where do we get the thought that Christians should be frightened of inquiry or of reason? Is not God the Source of Knowledge? Is not Christ, Truth personified?

From the days of the Revolution, American Christianity has had a broad streak of anti-intellectualism. This development reached new heights near the end of the 19th century, as revivalism swept the country and Pentecostal fervor broke out in cities around the nation. In reaction to churches and pastors that were ready to discard the Scripture and be swept up by the new religion of science, lay preachers with a new Spirit experience, went out to convince millions that they should open their hearts and close their minds. Their sermons were white-hot with the Spirit's fiery emotion, but often barren of deep thought and careful reflection. The result was that cults grew like weeds and heresies sprang up everywhere, like the tares among the wheat.

The truth is that God has given us both a heart and a mind! We need to be capable of great passion, of being swept up by the Spirit into times of joy and moved by the Spirit to weep over our sins that break the heart of the Father. And, we must be capable of thinking, knowing what we believe, and why we believe it!

Peter exhorted the Believers - "...in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect." (1 Peter 3:15, NIV) That word, "heart" is not used just as we might use it, as denoting the center of emotion. Rather he uses the word in the sense that from the core, the very center of our being - emotionally and intellectually - Christ must be Lord, so that we are not deceived by other gods. Don't be taken in by those who foolishly set aside the gift of thought and reason. Don't join the gullible millions whose hearts are full but whose minds are empty.

Instead, take up the challenge of the Scripture to think clearly, with a mind that is disciplined in the things of God, illuminated by the Holy Spirit, and instructed by the revelation of Holy Scripture. Meditate on this call to intellectual engagement with the lies of this world.

"We use God’s mighty weapons, not mere worldly weapons, to knock down the Devil’s strongholds. With these weapons we break down every proud argument that keeps people from knowing God. With these weapons we conquer their rebellious ideas, and we teach them to obey Christ." (2 Corinthians 10:4-5, NLT)