Grow Up

[SoliDeoGloria]

1 Cor. 13:11 (NASB) "When I was a child, I used to speak as a child, think as a child, reason as a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things."

Lately it seems like I have noticed that as adults we assume that adults automatically just grow into adult thinking and reasoning and get disappointed when adults reason the way a child would. The more I think about this verse, it seems as if Paul is pointing out that it takes an asserted effort; a "doing away" with childish things in order to think, talk, and reason like an adult. The more I think about this the less I am suprised when I catch myself or others acting like children. Although I must confess that I don't have as much of a problem holding onto some childlike feelings. Take for instance, I sure wouldn't mind having one of those $120 lightsabors from Toys-R-Us.

Sincerely,
SoliDeoGloria

 

[Buttons*]

That's sort of odd because I remember a verse somewhere that says, "Approach God as a child" ... well, in so many words. Anyway, I think that people mature as they get older, but if they allow their childish innocence to completely leave them... well, they aren't much to look at!

People still have what they were born with, even if it's deep down. Not to say that you should always be crawling on all fours, but that you should try to "remember" what it was like being a child and feeling wonder at the world around you. That same wonder is supposed to be directed to God. voila! Rescipe for getting to God.

 

[SoliDeoGloria]

That's sort of odd because I remember a verse somewhere that says, "Approach God as a child" ... well, in so many words.

Excellent Point!!! There is plenty of instances in the Gospels where it is encouraged to approach God with a childlike faith. I guess the next question should be, being as how I'm sure Paul knew of this, How does one approach God with a childlike faith and still speak, think, and reason like an adult?

Sincerely,
SoliDeoGloria

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

Excellent Point!!! There is plenty of instances in the Gospels where it is encouraged to approach God with a childlike faith. I guess the next question should be, being as how I'm sure Paul knew of this, How does one approach God with a childlike faith and still speak, think, and reason like an adult?

Sincerely,
SoliDeoGloria

How do the thinking processes of a child differ from that of an adult.
Most of us adult and children never think for ourselves,
most of us have never been taught how to think
most schools and colleges teach us how to remember and regurgitate.
Our exam systems are based on facts not thought.
Were you to offer your own thoughts based on your own research, to an examination
You would fail.
We are teaching our young to be uncritical clones.

Child like faith may or may not be an advantage in God's eyes.
However he has given us the Gift of a reasoning brain.
We should not waste it.

 

[Panda]

Our exam systems are based on facts not thought.
Were you to offer your own thoughts based on your own research, to an examination
You would fail.

You obviously never studied English or Psychology.
In English we would read a book and write an essay about it saying why we thought the book was good/bad and how the author tries to make it interesting. It is all about forming our own opinions and using the book to back up the claims we try to make

In Psychology we are given a study or a condition and we analyze it. Due to the extreme subjectiveness of Psychology wrong answers don't really exist as long as we have material evidence to back up our claims.

Both of these subjects encourage you to think for yourself, form your own opinions and to look at "information" in a critical and objective manner.

In sciences you learn facts because that is what science is, facts and knowledge.

 

[SoliDeoGloria]

Most of us adult and children never think for ourselves,

I would have to strongly disagree with this notion just out of having children myself. Have you ever watched how selfcentered children are in dealing with others? Shoot, my 11 year old still acts very selfcentered at times.

With that being brought up and the context of the verse that was quoted in the OP, I would have to wonder if we need to be more adultlike in our dealings with each other and childlike in our dealings with God in the sense that we need to be open to teaching. This whole selfcentered ideology that has consumed our thinking anymore is destructive in our dealings with each other.

You obviously never studied English or Psychology.
In English we would read a book and write an essay about it saying why we thought the book was good/bad and how the author tries to make it interesting. It is all about forming our own opinions and using the book to back up the claims we try to make

In Psychology we are given a study or a condition and we analyze it. Due to the extreme subjectiveness of Psychology wrong answers don't really exist as long as we have material evidence to back up our claims.

Both of these subjects encourage you to think for yourself, form your own opinions and to look at "information" in a critical and objective manner.

In sciences you learn facts because that is what science is, facts and knowledge.

good points

Sincerely,
SoliDeoGloria

 

[Darkness]

1 Cor. 13:11 (NASB) "When I was a child, I used to speak as a child, think as a child, reason as a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things."

It is time Paul did away with the childish concept of God then.

I am simply kidding. Sorry, I couldn't resist.

All I have to say is that child-like adults probably have more fun than Adult adults.

 

[Muffled]

That's sort of odd because I remember a verse somewhere that says, "Approach God as a child" ... well, in so many words. Anyway, I think that people mature as they get older, but if they allow their childish innocence to completely leave them... well, they aren't much to look at!

People still have what they were born with, even if it's deep down. Not to say that you should always be crawling on all fours, but that you should try to "remember" what it was like being a child and feeling wonder at the world around you. That same wonder is supposed to be directed to God. voila! Rescipe for getting to God.

This is the verse:
Mt 18:3 and said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye turn, and become as little children, ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven.

I believe this is due to the fact that you can't get into the Kingdom by human reasoning but by the spirit. Children are more open to the spirit than to reasoning.

Children aren't innocent. The Bible says that foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child. I have seen children act mean and cruel.

 

[cardero]

I guess the next question should be, being as how I'm sure Paul knew of this, How does one approach God with a childlike faith and still speak, think, and reason like an adult?

Sincerely,
SoliDeoGloria

By dropping the faith. As an evolved culture and an adult society, we shouldn't have a need for this any more.

 

[logician]

That's sort of odd because I remember a verse somewhere that says, "Approach God as a child" ...

That's because religions don't really want you to "ponder" the bill of goods they're selling you.

 

[angellous_evangellous]

Perhaps a mature (adult) faith means approaching God as a child.

 

[doppelganger]

Perhaps a mature (adult) faith means approaching God as a child.

What does it mean to be "like a child?" Does it mean unquestioning trust in the authority of the would be "adults"? Or does it mean open-minded curiosity and wonder?

 

[sojourner]

That's because religions don't really want you to "ponder" the bill of goods they're selling you.

That's an unfair statement. Many, many religions encourage questioning and contemplation, understanding them as vital to growth.

 

[sojourner]

I think what Paul is saying hinges more on the "Now we see dimly -- then we shall see face to face." Until we fully enter the Kingdom, we cannot fully comprehend what it is we're seeing. We walk by faith, not sight.

 

[angellous_evangellous]

What does it mean to be "like a child?" Does it mean unquestioning trust in the authority of the would be "adults"? Or does it mean open-minded curiosity and wonder?

Probably lots of things. I don't think that it means the unquestioning trust in authority, but something close. It is the unjaded faith of a child in goodness before the child learns of evil.

What it doesn't mean is what Paul emphasizes in 1 Corinthians and elsewhere where he wants the church to be mature. I've found two or three parallels in Greco-Roman literature about putting off childish things and putting on adult clothing, and it symbolizes full participation in human life.

 

[angellous_evangellous]

http://www.religiousforums.com/forum/christianity/40133-note-1-cor-13-a.html

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

You obviously never studied English or Psychology.
In English we would read a book and write an essay about it saying why we thought the book was good/bad and how the author tries to make it interesting. It is all about forming our own opinions and using the book to back up the claims we try to make

I did study English.. If you gave thoughts that varied very far from the norm you would get poor grades.
My middle Brother studied Psychology for a second degree. For his theses he disproved one of his professors papers and only got a 2/1 for it and then only after it was sent to appeal.
The same work led on to a Phd that he worked on at Berkley and finished in the UK.
which led to him working on perception in space for the US space agency.

In sciences you learn facts because that is what science is, facts and knowledge.

We were not encouraged to swat facts in science but were taught
to use facts or at least how to progress from one Idea to another. The same in Math we wer expected to be able to work out theorems from basic principles not remember them by rote.


At school It was emphasised that they were there to teach us to think... we would always be able to look up facts in life.

 

[SoliDeoGloria]

That's because religions don't really want you to "ponder" the bill of goods they're selling you.

This statement does not take into account not only the verse in the OP but also verses such as 1Thess. 5:21 and 1 John 4:1

Sincerely,
SoliDeoGloria

 

[logician]

That's an unfair statement. Many, many religions encourage questioning and contemplation, understanding them as vital to growth.

Really, name one.

 

[doppelganger]

Really, name one.

Yeah . . . I'd like to hear which ones . . .

Tolerate people who asks questions? . . . Maybe . . . But encourage it? . . . No.

The whole idea behind an organized religion is that the work has already been done for you. The tradition has the answers and you just supply the "faith" and your time to participate in the ritual.