Redeemer Lutheran Church1. 2 The Validity of the Christian Mind & The Necessity of a Christian Mind...

Redeemer Lutheran Church 1


The Validity of the Christian Mind & The Validity of the Christian Mind & The Necessity of a Christian MindThe Necessity of a Christian Mind

““There is no longer a Christian Mind. Un-There is no longer a Christian Mind. Un-fortunately the Christian mind has succumbed fortunately the Christian mind has succumbed to the secular drift with a degree of weakness to the secular drift with a degree of weakness and nervelessness unmatched in Christian and nervelessness unmatched in Christian history. It is difficult to do justice in words to history. It is difficult to do justice in words to the complete loss of intellectual moral in the the complete loss of intellectual moral in the 20th century church. One cannot characterize 20th century church. One cannot characterize it without having recourse to language which it without having recourse to language which will sound hysterical and melodramatic.”will sound hysterical and melodramatic.”

- Harry Blamires - Harry Blamires



““For the weapons of our warfare are not For the weapons of our warfare are not worldly but have divine power toworldly but have divine power to

destroy strongholds.destroy strongholds.

We destroy arguments and every proud We destroy arguments and every proud obstacle to the knowledge of God, and obstacle to the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey take every thought captive to obey Christ.” Christ.” - II Corinthians 10:4-5- II Corinthians 10:4-5



““The greatest danger besetting The greatest danger besetting American evangelical Christianity is American evangelical Christianity is the danger of anti-intellectualism ... the danger of anti-intellectualism ... The mind as to its greatest and deepest The mind as to its greatest and deepest reaches is not cared for enough.”reaches is not cared for enough.”

- Charles Malik- Charles Malik



Christian Mind (a definition)Christian Mind (a definition)

*The proper use of the intellectual faculty which *The proper use of the intellectual faculty which God has given of us. God has given of us.

“ “You shall love the Lord your God with all your You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart..soul..strength ...and with all your mind.”heart..soul..strength ...and with all your mind.”

- Luke 10:27 (quoting Deut. 6:5)- Luke 10:27 (quoting Deut. 6:5)- Jesus’ summary of the Law- Jesus’ summary of the Law

*Shorthand for loving God with our minds.*Shorthand for loving God with our minds.



Greeks - elevated the mind, the Ratio, Greeks - elevated the mind, the Ratio, above all else above all else

- Rationalists- Rationalists

Christianity - rational (i.e. makes sense Christianity - rational (i.e. makes sense to our minds) but not rationalistic (i.e. to our minds) but not rationalistic (i.e. elevates the mind above all elseelevates the mind above all else


The Neglected MindThe Neglected Mind

II.II. The Consequences of Neglecting The Consequences of Neglecting the Mindthe Mind

A. We lose the emphasis on Christianity as Truth

B. We fail to answer our own B. We fail to answer our own questionsquestions

C. We fail to answer the questions of non-Christians


The Neglected MindThe Neglected Mind

D. We fail to answer our own children’s questions

E. Application of our Christian Life to ever smaller areas of life and thought

F. We have become conformed to the world


The Nature & Development The Nature & Development of a Christian Mindof a Christian Mind

How can we develop for ourselves a How can we develop for ourselves a Christian Mind?Christian Mind?

The Christian Mind is...The Christian Mind is...

1.1. Committed to the truth of God’s Committed to the truth of God’s Word and its absolute authority.Word and its absolute authority.



“ “The Christian mind has an over-The Christian mind has an over-whelming sense that the truth it clings whelming sense that the truth it clings to is supernaturally grounded, revealed, to is supernaturally grounded, revealed, not manufactured, imposed not chosen, not manufactured, imposed not chosen, authoritative, objective and irresist-authoritative, objective and irresist-ible.”ible.”



““If the Christian comes before the If the Christian comes before the secular mind claiming less for Christian secular mind claiming less for Christian truth than is its view, he not only truth than is its view, he not only betrays the faith, he contributes to the betrays the faith, he contributes to the erosion of the Christian mind.”erosion of the Christian mind.”

- Harry Blamires- Harry Blamires



2.2. Passionately committed to TruthPassionately committed to TruthA.A. Objective truthObjective truth

““If Christ has not been raised, your If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile ... [and] we are to be faith is futile ... [and] we are to be pitied more than all men. But pitied more than all men. But Christ has in-deed been raised Christ has in-deed been raised from t he dead.” from t he dead.”

- I Corinthians 15:17-20- I Corinthians 15:17-20



B.B. Salvation truthSalvation truth““Oh! the depth of the riches of the Oh! the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!... For wisdom and knowledge of God!... For from him and through him, and to him from him and through him, and to him are all things.”are all things.” - Romans 11:33,36- Romans 11:33,36

Redeemer Lutheran Church1. 2 The Validity of the Christian Mind & The Necessity of a Christian Mind...

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