Mental Gymnastics

Mental Gymnastics

Why should Eve desire the fruit? It was not merely the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes, but also curiosity’s urge for wisdom. In the pursuit of wisdom and knowledge, even of so-called “spiritual knowledge,” activities of the soul often can be detected. When one tries to increase his knowledge by doing mental gymnastics over books without waiting upon God and looking to the guidance of the Holy Spirit, his soul is plainly in full swing. This will deplete his spiritual life. Because the fall of man was occasioned by seeking knowledge, God uses the foolishness of the cross to “destroy the wisdom of the wise.”

Intellect was the chief cause of the fall; hence, in order to be saved one must believe in the folly of the Word of the cross rather than depend upon his intellect. The tree of knowledge causes man to fall, so God employs the tree of folly (1 Peter 2.24) to save souls: "Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed."

“If any one among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is folly with God” (1 Cor. 3.18-20)

1Cr 1:18 For the word of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us who are saved it is the power of God. 1Cr 1:19 For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And the discernment of the discerning will I bring to nought. 1Cr 1:20 Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 1Cr 1:21 For seeing that in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom knew not God, it was God's good pleasure through the foolishness of the preaching to save them that believe. 1Cr 1:22 Seeing that Jews ask for signs, and Greeks seek after wisdom: 1Cr 1:23 but we preach Christ crucified, unto Jews a stumblingblock, and unto Gentiles foolishness; 1Cr 1:24 but unto them that are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. 1Cr 1:25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.