Deliverance from Reason

Within the mix of my Saturday night mind, the Lord hit me with a few different concerns about the lives of His followers. Obedience was one of them. I was going to make an attempt to write about it myself when I remembered a book I had read several years back called "Spiritual Authority" by Watchman Nee. In one chapter he talks about the manifestations of man's rebellion, "reason" being one of them. And it hit me how much our "reasoning" stands in the way of our obedience. There is so much meat in this book that it was hard to pick out just a taste (so get it and read it for yourself!)....but, for the sake of trying to keep it brief, and since I am the one having to type it, this section is the one that hit home with me (personally) the most:

Following the Lord Demands Deliverance from Reason

            It is very true that we need to have the eyes of our reason put out in order to follow the Lord. What governs our lives? Is it reason or authority? When one is enlightened by the Lord he will be blinded by the light, and his reason will be cast aside. Paul turned blind under the great light on the road to Damascus; no longer did he hold onto his own reason. Moses never had his eyes put out nevertheless he acted as if he were blind. He had his arguments and his reasons, but in obedience to God he lived above reason. Those under the authority of God do not live by sight. The servants of God must be delivered from the life of reason. Reason is the FIRST cause of rebellion; hence there can be no control over our words unless reason is thoroughly dealt with first. Unless one is delivered by the Lord from the bondage of reason, sooner or later he will utter slanderous words.

            It sounds easy to talk about deliverance from the life of reason. But as rational beings how can we refrain from reasoning with God? It seems most difficult. We reason from childhood to adulthood, from our state as non-believers straight through until now. The basic principle of our life is reasoning. How then can we cease? To cease literally asks for the very life of our flesh! Hence there are two classes of Christians: those who live on the level of reason, and those who live on the level of authority.

            Let us ask ourselves, where do we live today? When God’s command comes to us, do we stop and consider the matter to see if there are sufficient reasons for us to do it? Oh! This is nothing but a manifestation of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The fruit of that tree governs not only our personal affairs, even God’s appointed things have to pass through our reason and judgment. We think for God and decide what God should think. Without doubt this is the principle of Satan, for is it not that he desires to be equal with God? All who really know God obey Him without argument; then there is no possibility of mixing up reason with obedience. If anyone wishes to learn obedience he must cast aside reason. He must either live by God’s authority or live by human reason; it is absolutely impossible to live by both.

            The earthly life of the Lord Jesus was entirely above reason. What reason could there be for the disgrace, the lashing, and the crucifixion which He suffered? But He submitted Himself to God’s authority; He neither argued nor questioned; He only obeyed! To live under reason is so complicated! Consider the birds of the air and the lilies in the valley. How simply they live.  The more we are subject to authority the simpler our lives will be.

Man’s rebellion against authority is manifested in word, in reason, and in thought.

“I AM THE LORD YOUR GOD” – This is the reason.