Knowledge (of good and evil), was presented to Eve as something valuable. Wisdom, it was not. It turned out to be something that will eventually be completely extinguished from existence. This very temporary pseudo-knowledge is primarily carried around by human bodies. Bodies that allowed satan to sow his wicked seed within them and haven't yet repented. That is why these same unrepentant human bodies will be partakers of God's wrath on the day of judgment. They refused to "purge themselves" of this false knowledge and it's dead fruit and replace it with God's eternal life through the knowledge of His Christos Son. Every foul spirit, fallen angel and Satan himself (from whom this unlawful knowledge came from in the first place) will face this eradication and ultimately end up in the lake of fire. (Matthew 25:41; Rev 19:20, 20:10, 20:14, 15
The apostle Paul was given by God the true and authentic knowledge which leads to eternal life. But he makes powerful distinctions between even this important knowledge and LOVE. Knowledge by itself does nothing of any value. Putting knowledge into practice is love, and can only be properly executed by God and Christ within the spirit of born again believing men, women and children. (Romans 1:9)
"Knowledge puffs up. But love builds up," Paul said. This brand of love was apparently absent in Adam and Eve
which caused them to choose death over eternal life. A lot of what happened in the garden is a mystery to us. But God and Christ through Paul gives us insight into the mystery.
Not only does Paul give us some insight through 2 Corinthians 11:3 (quoted above), it was Paul who made the profound statement that what Adam failed to do and therefore brought death upon all, Christ did not fail and in turn brought life upon all. All praise and glory to God the Father through His Christos Son Jesus. Amen. (Romans 5:12-17)
According to 2 Corinthians 11:3, understanding Christ is simple (uncomplicated). It doesn't take intelligence. It doesn't take human logic, or even common sense. It takes God's mercy on the individual for that individual to understand ANYTHING of God.
We read in Luke 10:21: "At that time, Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and declared, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because You have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to babes (nepiois). Yes, Father, for this was well pleasing in Your sight."
This verse informs us that it is GOD who "reveals" all spiritual things to "nepiois" (babes).
Oftentimes, unconverted people erroneously think their natural intelligence enable them to understand God's Word. These kinds of people have faith in their own abilities instead of faith in the spiritual abilities God alone provides. This leads these people into undue pride. And this belligerence can actually discourage less intelligent people from coming to Christ.
There's a natural man and his natural abilities, and then there is the spiritual man and His abilities.
Natural man, natural birth. Spiritual man, spiritual birth. Many unsaved and/or unlearned people get this confused.
The word "logic" is used only twice in the entire Holy Bible. The usage I want to draw attention to is in Romans 12:1, because I feel this example helps explain what the word actually really means to a true, converted follower of Christ.
Paul says,
"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, [which is] your reasonable (logical) service."
This example helps define the epitome of godly logic used in the perfect context. Laying one's life down by the mercy of God and presenting ourselves to Him for His service.
3050 logikós (from 3056 /lógos, "reason") – properly, logical because divinely reasonable, i.e. "what is logical to God" (logic working through the divine reasoning known through faith).
The believer grasps "divine reasonableness" (3050 /logikós) by the Lord's inbirthings (gift) of faith – hence the close connection between 3050 (logikós) and faith (4102 /pístis) in Ro 12:1-3 (cf. 1 Pet 1:21, 2:2).
3050 /logikós ("divinely reasonable") is constantly necessary in making acceptable offerings to the Lord – each of which is equally profound to eternity when done in faith ("divine persuasion"). These produce a "seamless" life in which every decision (action) can have profound, eternal meaning, even in earthly "setbacks" or suffering (cf. Mt 13:31, 32, 17:20 with Ro 8:18).
Wonderful, isn't it? THAT is the best explanation of "logic" I have ever seen.
The antonym of logikos is "alogos".
I would say that the Bible is THE perfect "Logic". But many people who claim to be saved and are not, make the Bible look illogical by their actions. Actions they claim to be governed by God's holy Spirit.
If you have never been born again, made a child of the Almighty God through the gift of faith in His Christos Son, then you should probably NEVER try and teach from God's Word. The only exception I ever saw was Apollos in Acts 18:24-28
(Apollos was doing well, but the scriptures then read that he was counseled into a MORE accurate understanding of Christ. Which is the exact case with us all. We can always GO FURTHER...)
logic, (from the Online Etymology Dictionary) "branch of philosophy that treats of forms of thinking," from O.Fr. logique, from L. (ars) logica, from Gk. logike (techne) "reasoning (art)," from fem. of logikos "pertaining to speaking or reasoning," from logos "reason, idea, word" (see logos). Meaning "logical argumentation" is from 1601. Logical attested 1500 as "pertaining to logic;" 1588 as "conformable to laws of reasoning;" 1860 as "following as a reasonable consequence."
Any reference to "logic" that I have ever heard, let's say, from a Calvinist would most certainly mean "man's wisdom" or "worldly wisdom" but what does God say about "man's wisdom" and/or "the wisdom of the world"? Let's see.
"And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God." 1 Corinthians 2:5
I can testify that it wasn't man's logic which convinced me of the reality of God. It was simply my broken heart crying out to God, and God revealing Himself to me. That poor wretched creature I was.
Human logic had nothing to do with it. Thank God we don't need human logic, or man's "wisdom", (which God calls "foolishness") to be saved.
"For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness." 1 Cor 3:19
Could it be considered logical for God to come down from heaven and suffer rejection and death by and for sinners?
Is it logical to believe Christ raised from the dead and ascended into heaven in front of 500 witnesses? is it logical to believe Christ can abide within us with God the father by the Holy Spirit?
Or how about the Old Testament. Was Noah's ark logical? Could we grasp the reality of Noah with logic? Or is it a supernatural faith?
I remember right after God revealed His Word to me as His written Truth. I began reading about Noah and the Ark. My mind didn't believe it but my newly born again spirit did. I'll never forget that. I actually felt the difference, almost physically. The difference between Logic and Faith.
"For the word of God is 'quick' (living, alive), and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." Hebrew 4:12 (KJV)
Is "logic" natural? Or is it a gift of God? If it's natural, it certainly isn't anything to boast of. If it is a gift of God it isn't anything to boast of.
"For who maketh thee to differ [from another]? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive [it], why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received [it]?" ~1 Corinthians 4:7
I think trying to win an unbeliever with logic is an utter failure. Because the Bible is supernatural. And supernatural is beyond human logic and understanding.
I once saw a professing Calvinist. He claimed to be a "Teaching Elder" at the Geneva Dutch Calvinist church. The Church didn't even exist, but regardless, the man went about making videos attacking peoples theological doctrines and making big challenges and so forth. Well, one time he made a video challenging an atheist regarding logic. He stated it was illogical for the atheist to do a video about atheism while wearing a Jesuit University sweatshirt. Well, so much for logic. I can state quite verily, that this sort of "logic" is incredibly undesirable. Is that how a Christian man thought he could win an atheist?
I thank God that even when Christendom is flooded with such characters as this Calvinist, that when a true man of God speaks, an atheist will be able to tell the difference. God will save that atheist in spite of everything. Praise God for that!
More verses:
"Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marveled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus." Acts 4:13
See? this is what reaches even the most brilliant of people. It is a wisdom that far surpasses what man would call, "logic"
If it takes "Logic" to understand God and His Word then the Jews which are some of the most brilliant people would understand that Jesus most assuredly was and is their Messiah. But what does the Scripture say?
"But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ." 2 Cor 3:14 (KJV)
And this applies to us all, Jew and Gentile alike. As Paul says, "all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:22-23). We all need the gift of God's mercy and love through Christ. The gift none of us deserved. But the gift God gives us through His Son because of His incredible love He has for us. And the more we understand this, the bigger God's love becomes to us. Until we are made perfect in that love. (Ephesians 4:13; 1 John 4:12- 4:19)
And the "mind" is very important to study when it comes to following Christ.
Romans 8:5 "For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God."
1 Corinthians 1:19-31 "For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.
20 Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?
21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
22 For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:
23 But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;
24 But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.
25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
26 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:
27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:
29 That no flesh should glory in his presence.
30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:
31 That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
Praise the Lord. Paul considered all his prior education and learning to be dung (σκύβαλον) so he might win Christ (Philippians 3:8). Paul saw the goal ahead. He didn't consider himself to have attained it yet (Philippians 3:11-13). Reading Paul's writings and the rest of the Word of God should bring the fear of God down upon you. That's not logic. Not man's logic anyway. It's God's logic. Which is higher than our logic as His ways are above our ways.
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,” declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so My ways are higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts. For just as rain and snow fall from heaven and do not return without watering the earth, making it bud and sprout, and providing seed to sow and food to eat, so My word that proceeds from My mouth will not return to Me empty, but it will accomplish what I please, and it will prosper where I send it." Isaiah 55:8-11
God loves the people in the world so much that He came down to die for us. If God is opening your heart to His message and you feel convicted for your sins which have separated you from a holy God and you feel the need to be forgiven, then say this prayer. This is how I was powerfully converted to the Christ in 1997!
Say, "My Lord and my God, have mercy on me, a sinner. I believe Jesus the Christ died on the cross and shed His precious blood for the forgiveness of all my sins. I believe Jesus raised from the dead and ascended into heaven and is now on the right-hand side of God listening to this prayer. I open up the door of my heart and I invite You in, Lord Jesus. Thank you, God, for saving my soul and I vow to serve you with all my heart which is the first and greatest commandment. Amen."