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God gave “man” a special place among all of His earthly creation: Obviously, He gave him a soul, so that he could enjoy eternity, Gen.2:7 ; Eccl.12:7 And He gave him the ability to love like Himself, 1John 4:7-8 ; therefore to be godly;
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God gave “man” a special place among all of His earthly creation: • Obviously, He gave him a soul, so that he could enjoy eternity, Gen.2:7; Eccl.12:7 • And He gave him the ability to love like Himself, 1John 4:7-8; therefore to be godly; • But He also gave man another unique ability that allowed him to be like God… • The ability to be reasonable!cp. Jas.3:17& Jude 10 Eupeithes (reasonable in Jas.3:17) actually means “easily persuaded”- not in a gullible but sensible way; by good reason! By contrast, alogos(unreasoning in Jude 10) is “not able to reason; without basis”
Being Reasonable A Quality of Divinity
I. God is reasonable(persuadable by reason), • Abraham reasonedwith Him, Gen.18:20-33; • Moses also reasonedwith Him, Ex.32:6-14.
II. And made in His image (Gen.1:26), He expects us be to reasonable. Therefore, • The Gospel is reasonable, Rom.1:16 6:1-7; • Those who preach it should do so with reason and persuasion, following Paul’s example, Acts 17:2,17; 18:4,19; 19:8,9; • Those who are reasonable will comprehend its reasonableness, and accept and obey it, Acts 17:11. • So…
III. There is no reason to: • Convolute it with sophistry and clergy-speak wisdom of men,1Cor.1:18-25; • Confuse people by pitting one “trump” passage against all the others, John 3:16 1Pet.3:21 Mark 16:15-16; • Or cover it up with overly emotionalappeals, entertainment, or the pageantry of paganism, Acts 2:36-38 & 8:26-38; Phil.3:15-19; 1Cor.2:1-5. • Therefore…
IV. Are you: • Like God, willing to be persuaded by reason? • Willing to be persuaded by the simple yet powerful reasonableness of the Gospel? • And, like the Bereans, believe and obey the Gospel on the basis of the right attitude (eagerness), the right activity (examining the Scriptures), and the right purpose (to see what it is so) receive it, Acts 17:11-12? • Or will you, • Be/remain “unreasonable,” 2Thess.3:2 (NKJV)???