Either / Or

by Jeff Voegtlin (1993 Graduate, Associate Pastor, Fairhaven Baptist Church)

Have you ever been asked two different questions at the same time and wanted to answer "yes" to both of them? Someone asks, "Did you go to the bank or the store?" Or, "Did you read that story in the newspaper or hear it on the radio?" These questions do not present any dilemma to answer both affirmatively. A problem is introduced when asked questions such as - "Is it better to study the Word of God or go soulwinning? Is it better to have warm faith or a sharp mind?" Those who present these questions mistakenly suppose that faith and learning or heart and mind are opposites. They think that a Christian either has a warm heart or a sharp mind; he is either smart intellectually or fervent in faith. They believe that the more one (mind) is developed, the more the other (heart) is destroyed. They have supposed a false antagonism between learning and faith. Some might go as far as to say "real men don't need theology."

This is a serious biblical error. God enables us to do all He has commanded, and He commands us to love Him with all our strength, soul, heart, and mind. God does not say, "Love me with your heart or your mind." He says to love Him with all your heart and all your mind along with all your strength and soul. There is no adversarial relationship between the heart and mind with God. In fact, He says the two must work together. "Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God." Preachers can get up and shout all they want, but the more the Word is in the message the more that faith will be produced in the listeners. As Christians we must not allow ourselves to live a totally emotional, sentimental life. While true Christianity is exciting, knowing the Word of God gives more reason to be excited. Christians who neglect learning, begin to live by their emotions and make decisions on the basis of their own or others' feelings. Sentimentality is pretty, but not always right.

While arguing for the importance of scholarship in Christianity, J. Gresham Machen points out that in order to have faith, there must be something to place our faith in. I must know something in order to believe it. Some Christians today promote empty belief and a rote prayer as the way to heaven - that is not faith. Faith must rest in something - the Word of God. We must know the Word in order to believe it.

I have set forth that faith and the Word work together; heart and mind are not mutually exclusive. There is no antagonism between fervent, fiery faith and strong, doctrinal teaching and preaching. True Christianity can't have either one without the other. We should not be asking faith or learning, or heart or mind. We should recognize the vital need for both all the mind and all the heart loving God. Would you rather your pastor be well learned or full of faith? The answer is YES.