Lately, I've noticed a trend in our society. People don't like to judge the truth about what other people say. When I say judge, I mean that they do not like to discern. I have been told lately that I think too critically about people and how they use God's Word. I was told that I was being too negative. What's happened to the Christian world?
Now, people view thinking critically as a negative thing. At least that’s the way people will treat you if you do so. So what exactly does it mean to think critically? The dictionary describes thinking critically as thinking with “skillful judgment as to truth, merit, etc”. So by definition it is thinking carefully to discover or judge that which is true. That’s what thinking critically means.
There was a time when people were encouraged. No, they were commanded to think critically and especially regarding God's Word. I mean come on! The Burean church searched the Scriptures making sure that the APOSTLE PAUL was correct. Paul told us to do the same. In Philippians 4:8 Paul tells us to “think on” or as the Greek tells us to “estimate or conclude” what is true.
We as Christians are to think critically. The apostle Paul says in Ephesians 5:15 that we need to "See that you walk circumspectly". Everyone always rushes to the word "circumspectly" when they read this verse. But let’s start with the verb. It says “See that” this comes from the Greek word blepo meaning to see; or to take heed. So Paul says take heed or be aware that you walk circumspectly. The word walk comes from the Greek word peripateo, which means the way you live. The way you live takes both aspects of the way you think, and the way you act. Circumspectly means diligently; cautiously or carefully. So you are to take heed be aware that you act and think carefully or cautiously. That is what the verse means. This verse essentially commands that we think critically.
There are dangers when it comes to critical thinking. One danger is that usually thinking critically and judging others goes hand-in-hand. I believe that this is the reason why people have turned away from critical thinking. People see someone talking poorly about someone or something, and the first thing that they think of is judging. They will run to Matthew 7:1 and say that Christ tells us not to judge one another. Which is true in one aspect. If one would take the time to look at the context one would find that Christ only disapproves of one type of judging, hypocritical judging. The Bible says we are to discern what is true, as already stated above.
Another danger is that we can become too condescending when we think critically and also act on it. We are to speak the truth in love as Ephesians 4:15 states. This means that we are to not to be critical just for the sake of being critical. We are to discern what is true and if we come into contact with error we are to confront that error with Biblical truth. And it is to be done in humility and brotherly love. We are supposed to think critically, but we must also be sure that our motives are right. That’s my opinion, take it or leave it. - Dean
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It is easy for us who are in America to get sucked into the postmodern mindset. [a movement away from the apparent objectivity provided by omniscient third-person narrators, fixed narrative points of view, and clear-cut moral positions]. In essence to each his own. Truth then becomes subjective. This upsets me because I have seen firsthand the price you have to pay to settle for someone else's "truth." Charles Manson, Jim Jones, Adolf Hitler anyone? Even Christians i find more and more increasingly are delving into the "whatever works for you"-attitude. I find what you are saying to be all too true and growing up around us. The Bible refers to its self as a two-edged sword. It IS offensive. We can't soften it down so people don't get their feelings hurt. Its a sword, people, it cuts stuff. If you don't like that about it too bad, it's still going to say exactly what it was saying thousands of years ago. Back then it bothered people too. Here we are today and it's still bothering people. So you might be thinking by now what does this have to do with people being critical? It has everything in the world to do with it. This Book is the most powerful weapon and should never be taken lightly. Today many speakers try to make it say what THEY want it to say instead of what the all-powerful God, Who wrote it, is saying. This is no little matter and the fact that so many are making this role-reversal brings me to believe that I am living among a most hard-hearted people. Christians should never be willing to settle. Christians should never settle for anything but the truth. The reason why so many cults and off-spins of Christianity lurk around today is for this vary reason. So go. Be critical. Do the work. Do the research, and when you find a hole plug it between the eyes with the doctrines from the ultimate authority - The Word of God.
ReplyDeleteSome will say that it is not loving. That we should not tell others about what we have found because it could make them feel bad. Or that thinking that way is negative or un-Christian. They say that it is more important to love people than it is to be right. These people are short sited and wrong. They may be sincere but they are sincerely wrong. We can never excuse untruth ever. We cannot find our own truth. We need God's and that’s exactly what the Bible says. Yes we are to be loving. And for that fact we must be honest. Love is enough courage to see the truth and to point it out. If you see a dear friend picking up a bottle of anti-freeze who just made a statement like-"man I'm thirsty!" hopefully you'd tell him what it says on the side of the container. That’s love and that’s truth. What God SAYS is more important than how people feel.
That's so true Steve..I mean aunt g..
ReplyDeleteDean I'd have to say that this is a blog well worth bookmarking. thank you for saying what so many people feel when they're told that contending for something that they hold dear is wrong, and that they should either be open-minded (most of the time so much so that their brains fall out), or to have a "live and let live" policy. the thinking that "what works for me doesn't necessarily work for you" is a trap that leads down a dangerous road. A road that ultimately ends at a life that hasn't been lived showing true Christ-like love, a love that wants others to know right from wrong, and to by any means possible show them how they can know that. I will continue to read posts from this site as often as possible.
ReplyDeleteyour reader from now to the foreseeable future
Rowdy
Thanks Rowdy, that was very encouraging
ReplyDeleteHey Dean, you've got some great knowledge inside of you that God has been working your whole life to prepare you to bring out, and I know that this is just the start of that something new in your life. I will be looking forward to the next blog and so on and what you've got to say. I definitly agree with you that about critical thinking, and the fact that you can't just "be gentle and nice" to everyone that has a diferent attitude on certain things, there is a time and place for everything, but in the case of important issues like you brought up, there is nothing wrong with loving a person who is believing the wrong things, but you can only "tolerate" certain things to certain points.
ReplyDeleteJoel
P.S. And yes I might have quoted "Start of something new" from High School Musical but it was totally unintentional. Seriously... Just kidding... but seriously.