Series: Defending Your Faith – Thinking
Love the Lord with Your Mind
We often admire sharp thinkers, clear speakers, and people who seem to have everything figured out. But as Christians, our calling is deeper than sounding smart. Jesus said we are to love the Lord with all our heart, soul, and mind (Matthew 22:37; Mark 12:30; Luke 10:27). That means disciplined thinking is not optional for the believer. It is part of worship. God does not call us to cold intellectualism, but He does call us to faithful, truthful, and sober-minded thinking. Scripture tells us, test all things. Hold on to what is good (1 Thessalonians 5:21). In a confused world, the Christian should be marked by clarity because our God is true and His Word is true.
God Is the God of Truth and Order
The basic laws of logic are not man-made tricks. They are part of the ordered world God created and reflect the consistency of His own character. God is not confused, and He is not the author of confusion (1 Corinthians 14:33). He cannot lie (Titus 1:2), and in Christ are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Colossians 2:3). Because God is true, truth is real. Because God is faithful, reality is coherent. Because God made us in His image, we can think, reason, and recognize truth from error. This is why logic matters. It is not a rival to faith. When used rightly, it is a servant of truth and a help to sound doctrine.
The Basic Laws of Clear Thinking
Christians have long recognized three basic laws of logic. First, there is the law of non-contradiction: A is not non-A. In plain language, something cannot be true and false in the same sense at the same time. Second, there is the law of excluded middle: either A or non-A. A thing either is or is not. Third, there is the law of identity: A is A. A thing is what it is. These may sound technical at first, but we use them every day. You are either reading this page, or you are not. A statement is either true or false in what it claims. God is God, and He is not another. When the Lord said, I AM WHO I AM (Exodus 3:14), He spoke with perfect clarity about His own identity. These laws help us speak honestly, think carefully, and handle truth with reverence.
Why Non-Contradiction Matters for the Christian
Let us slow down and think about the law of non-contradiction. A is not non-A. A claim cannot be true and false at the same time and in the same respect. That matters because Christianity is a religion of truth. Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6). The Word of God is truth (John 17:17). So, if truth matters, then contradictions matter. If Christ is risen, then He is not still in the grave. If salvation is by grace through faith, then it is not earned by human merit (Ephesians 2:8-9). If Scripture is breathed out by God, then it is not merely the changing opinion of man (2 Timothy 3:16). The law of non-contradiction helps us reject error, discern false teaching, and stand firm in sound doctrine.
Think Clearly, Believe Faithfully, Live Obediently
So then, let us not confuse spiritual passion with careless thinking. Sloppy reasoning is not a mark of maturity. God calls His people to renew their minds, Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God (Romans 12:2), to destroy arguments raised against the knowledge of God, since the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but are powerful through God for the demolition of strongholds. We demolish arguments and every proud thing that is raised up against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought captive to obey Christ (2 Corinthians 10:4-5), and to rightly handle the word of truth, Be diligent to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who doesn’t need to be ashamed, correctly teaching the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15). The believer should not fear truth, because all truth is God’s truth. We should humbly submit our minds to Scripture, reject what is false, and hold fast to what is true. And if you have been living in confusion, compromise, or unbelief, come again to Christ. He is not the author of confusion, but of peace. Turn to Him, trust His Word, bow before His truth, and ask Him to shape both your heart and your mind for His glory.
Copyright © 2006–2026 by Miguel J. Gonzalez Th.D.
Dr. Miguel J. Gonzalez is the Founder and President of Reasons for Faith International Ministries. He served as a pastor for ten years in Charlotte, NC and has taught in churches and conferences throughout the United States. He currently hosts the Time in the Word and Truth To Live By podcasts and writes at KnowingChristianity.blogspot.com.
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved
