Think, Communicate, & Refute

Last week I preached my first sermon on the Third Commandment within our series on the Exodus 20. Our texts were Exodus 20:7 & Leviticus 18:21. The passage in Leviticus explains how child sacrifice is a breaking of the Third Command. My goal was to assist our church in thinking biblically about abortion in light of the decision handed down from the Supreme Court on June 24.

Within that sermon, as well as various interactions I had with people in the days after the decision by the Supreme Court, I noted the need for God’s people to think on, to know, and be able to wisely communicate said truth. Let us remember the words of Paul and Peter:

For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ…”

2 Corinthians 10:4-5

“…in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect…”

1 Peter 3:15

The follower of Christ ought to take what he has learned to believe from scripture, think on it, learn to communicate that belief, and also take steps to refute ideas that oppose the gospel he believes.

The Purpose of this Post

1. This post is in line with last week’s blog. What was put forward in that post is carried on here.
2. We have been and continue to live in a society that takes various opportunities and in various ways challenges all authority, namely the Creator. The people of God must follow the words of Paul and Peter as seen above. I hope the following three points will help give practical steps to being able to both “tear down arguments” as well as “make a defense” of our faith and hope.
3. For the most part these three points are generic. They are centered around considering what we believe and formulating thoughts regarding them. I keep the wording generic so that it is flexible to various persons and contexts. Working in the back of my mind is the need for believers to think about and understand how humanity is to think about God, life, and truth. How does the Bible inform decisions and morals of our culture?

1. Think

Thinking begins with listening. With humble heart and open ear become a good listener. To think about what we believe we may start by giving ear to men or women who have spent more time considering the idea we find ourselves grappling with. Read a book. Listen to a sermon or lecture. Be sure to write down your thoughts as a way to further your interaction with the topic at hand. This searching may be with regard to a doctrine of scripture or how doctrine informs social issues, like abortion. To start we humbly listen: read, listen to experts, write out thoughts about what you hear.

Ask questions where you do not understand. Make listening interactive. As you navigate “thinking” about a biblical truth or how to perceive a social issue biblically, have conversations with respected and trusted brethren, especially your elders (pastors). Do not just ask: “What do you think about (blank)? Is it ever ok for a Christian to (blank)? etc”. But ask: “Why do you believe that?” Interact with the response.

On your own make time for deep thought about important things as as to grasp what you understand and know and believe. When God puts that weighty question on our minds we ought to seek out a satisfactory answer with humble listing and more questions in response to the one giving us counsel. Then circle back to rethinking the matter now that we have sought more answers ( talk to yourself; write down what is on your mind). THINK!!

2. Communicate

Bridge your thinking and communicating with a pen. Take what you have come to understand, know, and believe and systematically formulate that thought in writing.

Talk with friends and family (don’t post to social media) about whats on your mind. Casually bring up the topic to be discussed in conversation. Where opportunity arises voice your opinion yet no dominating the moment. This will push you to be clear and learn to interact with others on the idea.

For the long run keep a journal. Don’t feel the need to write in it every day, yet write in it every time you have a meaningful thought to workout. This compliments the conversation with friends and family, for it is a space to evaluate your beliefs and strengthen your communication.

Reach a point where you can on one or two pages of your journal express with clarity, and with any needed explanations, the particular thought you have worked through. At this point you can have a healthy conversation on this issue which also benefits those around you.

3. Refute

Get out of the echo chamber (echo chamber: “an environment in which a person encounters only beliefs or opinions that coincide with their own”). The echo chamber is where critical thought does not happen. It is not bad to speak with and communicate to those who share our beliefs. However, if it stops there so does our opportunity to grow.

The pondering and reflecting you have done needs to flourish. Put yourself in a place where your ideas will be challenged. This will force you to be an even better communicator, and to reevaluate the presuppositions you have overlooked (Presupposition: “a thing assumed beforehand at the beginning of a line of thought”). Presuppositions aren’t always bad, but they must be tested before we put weight on them. You will quickly learn if your presuppositions are strong when you have someone with an opposing view critiquing your ideas.

• Strong and good presupposition: Abortion is wrong because (presupposition) God is the creator and giver of life and only he can lawfully take it.
• Weak presupposition: Abortion is wrong because mom and dad said so, and because God says to honor your parents then I need to adopt their opinion.
• Anytime someone says “This is true because…” the because shows you that they are about to expose a presupposition: A is true because B is true. We must make sure our presuppositions, what we are founding an argument on, are sound and biblical.

Outside of your echo chamber, whatever and wherever that is, will also give you a place to practice another train of thought which is helpful in building ideas as a whole. You want to give consideration to topics as discussed above, but you also need to be a critical thinker. One can be a critical thinker while also being a humble listener, the best students know the balance. In critical thought you:

1. Listen
2. As you listen pick up on inconsistencies (faulty foundations for their arguments; weak presuppositions)
3. Identify their presuppositions. This line of thinking will sharpen your mind, lead you past faulty truth claims, and build a firmer foundation for you to build your worldview on.

Conclusion

We live in a culture war, a war of ideas and beliefs. Many presuppositions arising with various starting points. The Christian is both wise and obedient when he purposefully thinks over his beliefs and clarifies them in his own mind. The Lord commands: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, MIND, and Strength.” Obedience to this command in the manner discussed above also aligns us with Paul and Peter’s commands.

We are a generation in the heat of culture war. The soldiers of Christ must be able to interact with society at large, not just our small group Bible study, about our faith. Do it for God’s honor in your town; the preservation of your children’s livelihood in the decades ahead; and love for neighbor that the truth of God might convert them.

Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

1 Peter 1:13