Our van was recently totaled after someone hit it in a parking lot. As we started our internet search to find a replacement, we asked God to guide our decision to find the best car for us. After 4 hours, we’d narrowed it to two vans, both at least an hour away from our home. After again asking the Lord to guide us, we sensed Him pointing us toward one particular vehicle, though we’d never actually seen it. We drove to the dealer to look at it, again asking the Lord to guide our decision. We ended up purchasing the vehicle.
I’ve often been asked when it comes to living with a biblically-based truth filter, “Hasn’t God given me a brain. Why do I have to clear every decision through Him? Why not just think a decision through and go for it?”
My first response is, “Well, what does the Bible have to say about this?” (See BWV definition in About.) First, humanity was born with a sin nature (Ps. 51:5), which affects our thinking. I need help. Second, Jesus was born without a sin nature (Luke 1:31,35) yet He cleared everything through His Father (Jn. 5:19). As His disciple, shouldn’t I follow His lead? Lastly, Paul states in 2 Corinthians 10:5 that we are to demolish all arguments that set themselves up against the knowledge of Jesus. We can make logical deductions, have sound rational bases for our decisions; and, can even be justified in our actions, but still be wrong!
Our brains are tainted with the left over residue of the sin nature. We’ve been thinking our way for so long, how do we know what the Lord wants? And doesn’t He want what is best for us, even when it comes to making a decision about buying a used car? This is a Biblical worldview. Filtering every area of our lives through the Book because we trust our God to know what is best for us.
Everything about the car “looked” good. It was detailed inside and out, right down to the new tires. I did all the things my mechanic told me to do in checking out a car. But I couldn’t see the important parts of the vehicle – the engine and transmission. The Lord could (Heb. 4:13). He could see past my justifications for buying this car. He could expose any loopholes in my rationalizations. He could even help me sort out what I was seeing to see what I couldn’t.
Yes, God gave us a brain. He expects us to use it by realizing we belong to Him, believing He knows what is best for us, and trusting Him to guide us to the best, even when it comes to used car buying. How is this done? Choose to use the brain God gave you by living with a Biblical worldview to filter out any and all lies in our thinking so we can draw closer to Him.