Using Logic To Think God’s Thoughts After Him

What Logic Is

Logic studies how we distinguish sound from unsound arguments. More specifically, it examines the rules and methods people use to support or refute a conclusion. When I’m speaking of an argument here, I’m not talking about a big heated quarrel, but the assertion of one proposition based on evidence found in other propositions. (Kind of important I suppose.)

We often distinguish between truth… whether statements match reality… and validity… the logical structure of an argument. Even a valid argument can produce a false conclusion if its premises are untrue. At the same time, an argument’s form might be invalid, yet arrive at a conclusion that happens to be true. Logic, then, is about carefully examining the very structure of our reasoning.

I know this is a bit technical and maybe even boring for some of you, but keep reading… it gets better. In fact, it gets really interesting.

Logic as Meta-Argumentation

Logic is best described as a second-order discipline or meta-argumentation. Where scientists, theologians, or philosophers employ particular arguments about life, nature, or theology, logicians step back and ask whether these arguments follow good reasoning patterns.

Logic, then, is not the “machinery” of the universe. Rather, logic deals with thought principles that must match reality. (Reality as God has created it) And so, it’s a tool humans use that sets out rules to test consistency and clarity in whatever it is that we predicate or claim.

A Theology of Logic

Christians believe that all truth is grounded in God’s character, and yep… this includes logical truth. The mind of God is perfectly consistent, so created reality reflects that consistency. Logic then operates in a world God made intelligible.

Humanity, being made in the image of God, is capable of thinking, naming, testing, and extending knowledge. Up to the moment of the fall into sin, Adam and Eve used logic seamlessly in obedience to God’s truth. After the Fall, mankind, from then on, continued to employ logic, of course… but often in sinful, rebellious, and distorted ways.

When used biblically, logic is a tool for understanding divine revelation and stewardship of the earth. The believer uses the same basic logical forms as unbelievers but does so while starting with and acknowledging the Creator as the author of the universe. In this view, logic is neither invention, convention, or autonomous… it is a gift from God that human beings are to use responsibly, according to scripture, for stewarding truth.

Logic After the Fall

Important concept: sin does not erase our ability to reason, just as it does not remove our humanity. It does, however, affect how we use our mental tools of reason. Logic itself remains valid, but it can be used to justify sin against God.

Like a buzz saw that can cut with or against the grain, logic can serve either faithful inquiry or autonomous, self-serving denial of God’s claims. Here’s the thing: unbelievers remain capable of using valid forms of reasoning. Yet, they often treat logic as an ultimate standard, that judges God and Scripture rather than as a reflection of God’s own rational nature. Hey, maybe read that last sentence again!

Christians, in contrast, recognize that logic must function beneath revelation. Logic does not conclude with whether God’s Word is true or not. Logic helps us see how facts and truth fit together and how to show this consistency to others. Again, this does not mean the Christian sets reason aside, far from it. It simply means there’s a final authority… the God who made both our minds and the world our minds can explore.

The Limits of Logic

What does all this mean? It means that logic, though essential, can be turned into an idol. Further, we must realize that logic does not solve every mystery and can never exhaustively pierce God’s expanse.

Perhaps just as importantly, logic does not create or facilitate an absolute, universal agreement on the rules of thought in every academic setting. It’s important to understand that there are different theories about whether logic is purely a matter of formal symbols, psychological processes, language conventions, or abstract realities. Bottom line: There is no universal, agreed-upon consent regarding the use of the laws of logic.

Further, the subcategories of logic change and are often even redefined over time. Philosophers through the centuries… from Aristotle to Bertrand Russell… have posited very different understandings of what they see as logical inference, but no single approach commands universal consent. In other words, not all philosophers or logicians agree as to what a valid or logical argument is.

For example, if you asked Hume and Hegel to define the laws of logic, you would get two very different answers. Very different answers.

And to make things a bit more difficult, even if all logicians accepted the same formal standards, we must still translate them into natural language. This translation often introduces ambiguity since words in everyday speech can shift meaning.

Logical “Looks” Can Be Deceiving

A common principle like “A is A” may look clear in symbols, but it can be pretty blurry in real-life contexts when the meaning of “A” changes. Or when the “laws of identity” or the “laws of individuation” are introduced. Both of these laws, after all, are going to end up asking… how did “A” get here? Who’s the author of “A”? Or what’s the true nature of “A”?

The law of identity finds its ultimate anchoring point in the self-contained, self-existent God. God’s identity is the only absolute instance of “A” is “A.” He is “I AM THAT I AM,” the one whose being depends on nothing outside Himself.

The law of individuation asks, what makes a thing what it is? And what principle gives each entity its own separate identity? The Bible says each “thing” in creation is a distinct creation under God’s sovereign decree. Individual entities do not exist in a void or as self-sustaining brute facts. Rather, God’s creative act and providence provide the final reason why one created thing is distinct from another. Individuation, in other words, is not an abstract puzzle but is bound up with God’s act of creation and sustaining control.

Anyway, all I’m saying is that what’s simply diagrammed on a chalkboard sometimes becomes very complex once we consider the many-layered realities of human language, culture, and interpretation.

Apparent Contradictions in Scripture

Christians affirm that God is consistent and that Scripture, being God’s Word, cannot truly contradict itself. Yet Scripture does contain paradoxes, and teachings that can seem contradictory to our finite minds.

Doctrines like the Trinity (one God in three persons) or divine sovereignty alongside human responsibility might strike us as logical puzzles. Still, there is a vital distinction between a genuine contradiction and a reality that exceeds our current grasp. I can’t state this strongly enough. Our minds struggle to fully grasp how the unity and plurality in the Trinity work together. As Isaiah 55:9 reminds us, God’s ways and thoughts are higher than ours.

If logic stems from God’s character, then whatever God says is ultimately logical. Our trouble arises because we do not see all possible connections and lack God’s perfect knowledge. This is a simple acknowledgment that, as finite folks, we cannot see the universe exhaustively.

References in Scripture show us how God wants us to engage in the thought process. Isaiah 1:18 says, “Come now, let us reason together,” indicating that God calls us to use our minds in dialogue with Him first and then with others. In Acts 17, Paul reasons with philosophers in Athens to show them the truth of the gospel.

Biblical writers often challenge flawed reasoning and encourage believers to be ready to give a reasoned defense for what they believe (1 Peter 3:15). Logic becomes a humble servant that helps us navigate God’s revelation rather than a master that could ever stand above it.

Many Christians Believe in Logic as a Standard Above God

We also acknowledge that logic has been and is a developing science. It may be, that as we refine our understanding, some apparent contradictions recede. However, God’s infinite depth will always surpass our human categories. This, even many Christians deny. Using autonomous natural reason, these Christians basically say, “What my net doesn’t catch aren’t fish.” In other words… what I can’t perceive with my autonomous reason can’t be logical, can’t be true.

Where Scripture clearly speaks, self-conscious Christians, on the other hand, let that authoritative revelation stand as the boundary of reason’s explorations. We do not claim we can force every divine mystery into a nice, tidy formula. Nope.

Instead, we trust that the Lord who gave us minds to think has reasons that far outstrip our reasoning capacities. A biblical use of logic does not overrule what God plainly reveals. Instead, quite the opposite, it helps us approach it with humility and clarity.

Logic Is Not An Enemy of The Faith

Scripture displays logical forms of argument, challenges faulty reasoning, and calls believers to present coherent answers for their hope. This emphasis on logic equips us to confidently teach as well as defend our faith and engage in meaningful discussions.

So, summing up, logic, is not an enemy of faith but a powerful servant. It’s a means to think clearly, to discuss graciously, and to persuade those who question the truths of the gospel. Yet the Christian faith recognizes that pure rationalism can never stand above God.

We should use the intellect God has given us, trusting in Him, who knows infinitely more than we can ever know. And, by acknowledging both the utility value as well as the limits of logic, Christians can honor the One who is truth Himself and be obedient to Him. Our God is personal. He makes a lot of claims, and he demands covenantal faithfulness.

This is in stark contrast to Aristotle’s logic, which starts with abstractions like god is “thought thinking itself” or positioning god as merely “an unmoved mover.” This is idolatry and an example of good old-fashioned Greek word salad. And yet, this nonsense remains a pillar of modern thought both inside and outside the church.

Unfortunately, until we see logic for what it is and teach the next generation the blessings and limitations of logic, we’ll be stuck in an endless loop of logical fallacies and idolatrous self-destruction.

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