The Day Between

Reasonable

I like to read. There are usually around four or five books lying around my house with which I am currently having some kind of relationship.

 Recently, I came across this quote by Blaise Pascal, a 15^th century French mathematician, philosopher, and inventor:

There are two kinds of people one can call reasonable: those who serve God with all their heart because they know him, and those who seek him with all their heart because they do not know him.

This is a rather provocative statement. I really like it – probably because it places me in the reasonable category.

But what does it mean to be reasonable?

According to Merriam-Webster, to be reasonable one must possess sound judgment. Some synonyms for reasonable are: analytical, coherent, logical, rational, sensible, and well-grounded.

This describes absolutely no one running most countries, but that’s beside the point.

To say categorically, that someone is only reasonable if they are either serving the Lord because they know Him or seeking to come to know Him in our day is counter-cultural to say the least – it’s probably a hate crime according to any enlightened sage at MSNBC.

We don’t happen to live in a reasonable age.

What makes it reasonable to serve God with all our heart if we know Him? Is it possible to know Him and not serve Him? Once we know Him is there any other response that makes sense?

Like Pascal, the Apostle Paul also differentiates two types of people in this world:

For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit (Romans 8:5).

We are either according to the flesh – an unbeliever, or according to the Spirit – a believer in the saving work of Jesus (Romans 10:9-10).

Later Paul states, So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh – for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die, but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body you will live (Romans 8:12-13).

Paul is saying that if we are believers we have an obligation to live according to the Spirit.

An obligation could mean to be legally bound, committed, have a duty toward, or to be indebted by gratitude.

Do we feel duty-bound to serve the Lord? Is it an outpouring of our love for him or do we think it a chore?

Also in Romans, we find this:

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

For those who He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the first born among many brethren;

And these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified (Romans 8:28-30).

John MacArthur, pastor and teacher of Grace Community Church in California says, foreknew is not simply a reference to God’s omniscience – that in eternity past He knew who would come to Christ. Rather, it speaks of a predetermined choice to set His love on us and establish an intimate relationship (with us) – or His election.

This is a mind-blowing statement.

The Creator of the universe, the Almighty, the I Am – chose, determined, adopted, favored, singled out, committed Himself, and made up His mind to love us.

That is amazing!

Since I know me it’s also hard to believe.

To help me understand this I think of the prophet Daniel. When he was in captivity in Babylon, he determined or made up his mind, that he would not defile himself by eating the king’s food (Daniel 1:8). His will was stronger than his hunger.  God honored his choice and blessed him.

When my son was in the Marine Corp, he said success in training had more to do with the mind than with the physical requirements. He believed the mind determined whether or not the body succeeded.

Thinking along those lines, I determined that I was going to love my future daughter-in-laws no matter what. Before my sons had chosen the girls they were going to marry, I already knew I would love them. It turns out that when the decision to love is predetermined, the emotion follows.  

When another son was a teen, he started really getting on my nerves. I found myself not liking him very much. Before I let this feeling get the best of me, I decided I was going to love him and intentionally think well of him. The decision changed my attitude toward him.

In a similar, but far more perfect way, God determined to place His love on us – not because of anything that we do or are, but because of His predetermined choice to do so.

For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly…

…God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:6,8).

God, the Father placed His love on us when we were useless and unworthy. He sent His Son to pay the price for our sin and redeem a people who would love and serve Him - a people He had chosen to love.

In Ephesians we read:

But God being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),

God is the seeker – He is the One with outstretched hands – Jesus is our Salvation and Peace.

and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

Jesus did the work to make us acceptable to a holy God – He redeemed us with His blood. God turns around and gives us what belongs to Jesus - we will partake in His riches at His side.

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them (Ephesians 2:4-10).

Knowing a benevolent God like that – Creator - Sustainer - Father - Savior – Redeemer – Brother - Friend – we have purpose. We are His workmanship, and He has a job for us to do. How could we not serve Him with our whole hearts? 

It sounds pretty reasonable to me.  

Any reasonable person would want to know a God like that.