Bella Vista Church of Christ
LIFELINES
Sept 11, 2002 Randall Caselman
Spiritual Dumbness
There is a difference between spiritual dumbness and simple ignorance. Spiritual dumbness is knowing to do right, and not doing it. It is willful ignorance, the refusal to concede what we do not know, a failure to address the flaws in our reasoning, or a failure to discipline our lives according to the Word of Truth. The scary thing is that spiritual dumbness grows deeper each day we fail to discipline ourselves into becoming people of the book. Why is it that the Word of God fails to excite us? How can we defeat spiritual dumbness?
By Withholding Judgments.
We hear something--see something in our churches, or in others and we prematurely jump to conclusions, only to later find out that we were wrong. Wouldn't it be better if we withheld our opinions until we see more of the picture and know the facts? Jesus encourages, "Judge Not." Some of us carelessly ruin the reputation of others and come off as being real dumb because of our unfair, snap, knee-jerk judgments.
Develop Genuine Humility.
God hates pride. And at times it causes us to look like fools. Pride impedes our search for Truth. Canned answers to honest religious questions keep us from reading familiar scriptures more carefully. "Study to show thyself approved." Pride closes an open mind, and tends to keep us in religious error. Humility says… Speak Lord, Thy servant hears.
Spend Time With Scholars.
Additional information is always appropriate. We must not be afraid to examine our faith and the basis for our convictions. Contrary to what some teach, additional knowledge is neither dangerous nor damaging but enlightening. "You shall know the truth and the truth shall make your free." The Jews of Jesus' time missed their Messiah because they had closed minds.
Too many of us spend our time mustering all of our reasoning resources to defeat error in others, rather than to illuminate our own life with His Truth. The Bereans were truth seekers; so must we be. We must know that it is not a sign of weakness to change our mind. We must not be ashamed to adjust our faith with truth. We can be wrong. We must be big enough to admit our faults and change!! It is true that we should respect tradition, but we must not reverence it, nor bind it upon others. Our only loyalty in religion must be to the Truth of God's Word.
Understand And Accept Change.
"Change all around I see, O thou that changest not abide with me." Each generation comes with its own uniqueness. Our children have new ideas, new expectations, new concepts, and new ways of doing things. We must not bind our ways on them. This can be dumb. Be willing to accept the fact that we cannot step in the same river twice. Our relationship must not be with the mechanics of the system, but with the changeless Jesus. "See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ." (Colossians 2.8)
Above All--We Must Not Kid Self.
It's bad to mislead others with exaggeration, half-truths, embellished facts, unsound and dishonest reasoning. It is worse to fool ourselves. That is dumbness at its worst. The very last thing we want to do in religion is lie to self--then honest reasoning becomes impossible. Jesus said, happiness is the result of pure, honest motive. "Blessed are the pure in heart… For they shall see God."
It is not easy to fight
spiritual dumbness. It takes honesty, humility, a genuine understanding of others... And above all, a love for Truth. Think About It!!
RANDALL CASELMAN
