The Error Of Unscriptural Logic
By James Groce
“For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this world? Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.”
I Corinthians 1:18-21
The Holy Ghost names two stumbling blocks to salvation in I Cor. 1:22, “For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom.”
Stumbling Blocks
The Jew stumbled when he failed to take God at His word without some “sign” to vindicate it. Jesus said to that wicked and adulterous generation that sought for a sign, “The words that I speak unto you, they are Spirit and they are Life.” But they refused this “Spirit and Life” for they insisted upon a sign.
Whereas “signs” were a stumbling block to the Jews, it was “wisdom” that caused the Greek to err, because “the world by wisdom knew not God.” The Greek mind craved a logical explanation of the things of God. This great quest for carnal logic prevented him from receiving the “light” of the Gospel for it was “foolishness” to him.
The Cycle of “Signs” and “Wisdom”
These two stumbling blocks have recycled time and time again, visiting every generation of man, and producing the same deadly effects. In recent times, we can see the reoccurrence of these two elements of deception.
The so-called “latter-rain” was a revisitation of the “signs” phenomena which swept away many foolish souls to destruction. It was a time when preaching alone was not enough, but “signs” took the precedence. False doctrines ran rampant because ministries were not proven by Biblical standards but rather by the display of “signs.” These “signs” became the judge and jury for all things spiritual, thus producing everything but Biblical truths.
The cycle of “wisdom” we have also witnessed. Wisdom being the more subtle of the two, and also the least conspicuous, has killed its ten thousands while “signs” has only destroyed its thousands. This stumbling block called “wisdom” is not the wisdom of God, which is from above, but the wisdom of man which is earthly, sensual, devilish (James 3:15). By far, the greatest enemy of Bible truth is this “wisdom.” Paul, the apostle, realizing the danger of this cunning enemy said, “And I brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of WISDOM, declaring unto you the testimony of God.” “And my speech and preaching was not with enticing words of man’s WISDOM, but in the demonstration of the Spirit and of power.” He (Paul) plainly declares that his reason for this was, “That your faith should not stand in the WISDOM of men, but in the power of God.”
The Contrast
A student of the Bible quickly perceives the sharp contrast drawn by the concerned apostle between man’s wisdom and the power of God. We would do well to refresh our hearts with Paul’s admonition allowing us to easily recognize the danger of unscriptural logic.
The wisdom of God and the wisdom of man are two entirely different wisdoms. Logic, according to Websters Dictionary, means: “The science of reasoning.” While the wisdom of God is an attribute of God. The economy of redemption is a manifestation of divine wisdom (See Psa.104:24; Rom.11:33; ICor.1:24; Rev.7:12). Thus the Biblical appeal of wisdom to men is the appeal of “The Only Wise God.”
It is man’s reasoning power or logic capabilities that sets him apart from the rest of God’s creation. It aids him in the daily encounters of the natural realm. But in the Spiritual realm it can be his greatest obstacle because— “The world by wisdom knew not God.” But “it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.” (ICor.1:21). The Gospel is God’s revealed wisdom to man. If any man would be saved, he must be a participant of ICor.3:18 which declares, “Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.” This process of “becoming a fool” clearly is the casting away of man’s wisdom and adhering to the wisdom of God so “that he may be wise”, therefore, it is at once obvious that the great deterrent to salvation is man’s own wisdom.
Logic The Destroyer
The Logician rather than the Preacher has become the spokesman in far too many Apostolic churches. And the result caused by these “great thinkers” has been a logical destruction of God-given standards and morals by their “excellency of speech and wisdom.” Truly the expression— “How can something that sounds so right, be so wrong?” could fitly be spoken in this day.
The Bible teaches that “the carnal mind is enmity against God.” Enmity, of course, means: “An attitude of hostility.” And according to the scripture, this hostility is directed against God. It is to this principle that every false doctrine can trace its roots.
Take, for instance, the insidious doctrine called “serpent seed.” This false doctrine is nothing more than the equally false doctrine of predestination with a new dress on. But the entire doctrine can be traced to a logical (certainly not Biblical) assumption of the encounter of the serpent and Eve in the book of Genesis. This doctrine of devils has and still continues to destroy its foolish converts.
Coming closer to home, we are witnessing the holiness standards, that were preached to us by our fore fathers and believed by us, being destroyed wholesale by this hostile adversary called “logic.” Logic, with just enough Bible to taint its evil tongue, has proven (falsely so) that the wearing of jewelry is no longer wrong. It has declared with its natural reasoning that a woman should cut her hair. And as far as make-up goes, they proclaim in their demented logic that “any old barn looks better with some paint on it.”
The True Test
Many there are who believe that because some scriptural reference is used in a discourse that the mere use of the scripture qualifies that statement or doctrine. But the real truth is: Even though a doctrine may be logically sound does not mean that it is scripturally sound! The true test of any doctrine is— will it stand scripturally without any external logic. (The more false a doctrine, the more external logic it must have to support itself.) Since scripture interprets scripture, then there is no need to go beyond the Bible to prove any BIBLICAL doctrine.
Some doctrines are built primarily upon historical fact with some out-of-context scripture thrown in to add credence. One must be careful; for even in the use of historical fact (because history is recorded as man sees it), lest he make a foundation from it and not from the Bible. Some dig through the dust of antiquity searching for preaching material rather than dig in the riches of the word of God.
When the afore mentioned “true test” is applied to the doctrine of Jesus Name baptism, it passes with flying colors. Even though there is much history to help vindicate it, it nonetheless will stand scripturally without the aid of any external evidence. Take on the other hand, the so-called reformation theory, that while it may be found in many historical volumes, yet when the true test of scripture interpreting scripture is applied, it fails to qualify as a Biblical doctrine. For instance, Jesus said, “upon this rock I will build my church and the gates of hell SHALL NOT PREVAIL against it.” And Psalms declares, “His truth endureth unto ALL GENERATIONS.” The linking of these two scriptures proves that the Church of Jesus Christ once established by Him would continue until He Himself takes it out of this world. His Church never evaporated nor apostized itself and died, and then through a process of “spiritual evolution” was r-e-f-o-r-m-e-d, regardless of what so-called church history teaches. God has had a church preaching and teaching the Apostolic doctrine since its conception on the day of Pentecost until the present.
When someone receives the Holy Ghost they speak in tongues. Logic cannot handle this experience. It fails miserably in its groping to analyze it. Logic unable to comprehend it, therefore, cast it away as false. But the experience of speaking in tongues is scripturally sound. The gift of the Holy Ghost is a heart experience and not an intellectual one, thus it cannot be proven logically but is a Biblical experience that is proven by scripture.
Fools Rush In
Today the ploy of the Devil is still, as it was in the Garden of Eden, the temptation to make the illegal appear to be “desired to make one wise.” How true it is that, “Fools rush in where angels fear to tread.”
There is, of late, a substantial drift from scripture towards logic. The so-called “New Light” movement has taken church after church by storm, and there has been a logical erosion of God-given morals and standards as a result. The axe-head of this cursed wind of doctrine is a logical denial of the Holy Scripture.
These advocates of “freedom from bondage” scoff at the Bible and with “great swelling words” gainsay all things holy. They systematically use their logic to tear down scripture. They wrestle the scripture (to their own destruction) applying the strong arm of logic to teach that a woman can wear man’s apparel. They teach that God never meant that a woman should not cut her hair. And what do they use as an authority for these deluded teachings? Logic! They have dissected God’s word, removing it from context, and screamed “idiom” at it. They have allowed all manner of iniquity to be practiced, and granted license with “logic” as the stamp of approval. They have “reasoned” themselves, and their flocks, into the immorality of multiple marriages through the use of “emotional logic” and hypothetical situations. They crown “logic” as king and disregard the plain teachings of the Word of Life. These purveyors of analytical compromise refuse to hear “line upon line” preaching, for it is not intellectually stimulating. Its “Mars Hill” all over again as the “philosophers” gather around the holiness preacher and enquire, “What will this babbler say?”
Not Many Wise Are Called
Let it be remembered that I Cor. 1:26-27 says, “For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh … are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; … That no flesh should glory in His presence.” And, “Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?”
How paradoxical it is that “not many wise … are called” and Isaiah’s declaration in chapter 35, verse eight, “And a highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called the way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, THOUGH FOOLS, shall not err therein.”
May the God that forever settled His Word in Heaven, grant us the faith that cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of the Lord.
