Grounding Intellectual Assent in Abiding Love for Scripture
Intellectual assent to Christian truth is rooted in an abiding love for Scripture, which is understood to be the inspired Word of God [5, 9]. This love for God's Word is not merely an emotional attachment but a deep appreciation for its purity and its capacity to reveal God's will and guide believers in their service to Him [9].
The Scriptures are considered holy and capable of making one wise unto salvation through faith in Christ Jesus [4, 5]. They are given by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and are the true source of authority in matters of doctrine and practice [5, 8]. This divine origin means that the Word of God is sanctified through God's Word and prayer [3].
The pursuit of love is paramount for believers [1]. This love, particularly for Christ and for one another, should be accompanied by knowledge and spiritual perception [7]. This "perceptive sense" or "judgment" guards love from becoming ill-directed or based on mere enthusiasm, ensuring it is grounded in doctrinal and practical truth [7].
The intellectual aspect of faith involves "casting down imaginations" or "reasonings" that oppose the knowledge of God [2, 6]. These carnal reasonings, which may arise against God's providences, purposes, or the truths of the Gospel, are to be disproved and silenced by the preaching of the Word [6]. Every thought is to be taken captive and made obedient to Christ [2]. This process highlights the active role of the believer in aligning their intellect with divine truth.
Sources
- I Corinthians “I Corinthians 14:1 (BSB) — Earnestly pursue love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy.”
- II Corinthians “II Corinthians 10:5 (BSB) — We tear down arguments and every presumption set up against the knowledge of God; and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”
- I Timothy “I Timothy 4:5 (LITV) — for through God's Word and prayerful intercourse, it is sanctified.”
- II Timothy “II Timothy 3:15 (Geneva1599) — And that thou hast knowen the holy Scriptures of a childe, which are able to make thee wise vnto saluation, through the faith which is in Christ Iesus.”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Scriptures, The — Given by inspiration of God -- 2Ti 3:16. Given by inspiration of the Holy Spirit -- Ac 1:16; Heb 3:7; 2Pe 1:21. Christ sanctioned, by appealing to them -- Mt 4:4; Mr 12:10; Joh 7:42. Christ taught out of -- Lu 24:27. Are called the Word. -- Jas 1:21-23; 1Pe 2:2. Word of God. -- Lu 11:28; Heb 4:12. Word of Christ. -- Col 3:16. Word of truth. -- Jas 1:18. Holy Scriptures. -- Ro 1:2; 2Ti 3:15. Scripture of truth. -- Da 10:21. Book. -- Ps 40:7; Re 22:19. Book of the Lord. -- Isa 34:16. Book of the law. -- Ne 8:3; Ga 3:10. Law of the Lord. -- Ps 1:2; Isa”
- 2 Corinthians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 2 Corinthians 10:5: Casting down imaginations,.... Or "reasonings"; the carnal reasonings of the minds of natural men against God, his providences and purposes, against Christ, and the methods of salvation, and every truth of the Gospel; which are all disproved, silenced, and confounded, by the preaching of the word, which though reckoned the foolishness and weakness of God, appears to be wiser and stronger than men; and whereby the wisdom of the wise is destroyed, and the understanding of the prudent brought to nothing: and every high thing that exalteth itself against the know”
- Philippians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Philippians 1:9: The subject of his prayer for them (Phi 1:4). your love--to Christ, producing love not only to Paul, Christ's minister, as it did, but also to one another, which it did not altogether as much as it ought (Phi 2:2; Phi 4:2). knowledge--of doctrinal and practical truth. judgment--rather, "perception"; "perceptive sense." Spiritual perceptiveness: spiritual sight, spiritual hearing, spiritual feeling, spiritual taste. Christianity is a vigorous plant, not the hotbed growth of enthusiasm. "Knowledge" and "perception" guard love from being ill-jud”
- 1 Peter (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 Peter 1:16: Scripture is the true source of all authority in questions of doctrine and practice. Be ye . . . for I am--It is I with whom ye have to do. Ye are mine. Therefore abstain from Gentile pollutions. We are too prone to have respect unto men [CALVIN]. As I am the fountain of holiness, being holy in My essence, be ye therefore zealous to be partakers of holiness, that ye may be as I also am [DIDYMUS]. God is essentially holy: the creature is holy in so far as it is sanctified by God. God, in giving the command, is willing to give also the power to obey i”
- Psalms (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Psalms 119:140: Here is, 1. David's great affection for the word of God: Thy servant loves it. Every good man, being a servant of God, loves the word of God, because it lets him know his Master's will and directs him in his Master's work. Wherever there is grace there is a warm attachment to the word of God. 2. The ground and reason of that affection; he saw it to be very pure, and therefore he loved it. Our love to the word of God is then an evidence of our love to God when we love it for the sake of its purity, because it bears the image of God's holiness and is designed to ”