Give Way to Truth
Elisabeth Elliot's sermon encourages believers to prioritize truth over reason to foster unity and love in relationships.
Elisabeth Elliot reflects on a disagreement with her husband, realizing how reason can be a powerful tool used by the enemy to create division between people who love each other. She acknowledges the temptation to idolize reason and make sacrifices for the sake of being right. Christ calls us to be faithful to Him and surrender our reasons to the truth. While reason is a gift from God, faithfulness to Christ purifies and elevates it to a higher level, as seen in the conflicts between Job and his friends and Jesus and the Pharisees.
Text
Through a disagreement with my husband Lars yesterday I suddenly recognized an instrument used powerfully by the enemy to drive a wedge between two people who love each other (and there is nothing which fills the enemy with such glee as destroying unity). It is reason. I had good reasons for my argument and so did he. Reason comes very close to being an idol to me at times, and I am tempted to make sacrifices on its altar.
"Be faithful to Reason!" whispers the Destroyer. "Do not let go!"
"Be faithful to Me," Christ says, "give up your reasons, give way to Truth."
Reason is one of God's great gifts. We have intelligence and the faculty of reason, to be employed in the service of God and other people. Faithfulness to Christ (who is Truth) does not negate reason, but purifies it, raises it to a higher level.
"Pure" reason, logical argument, stood between my husband and me, as it stood between Job and his friends, and Jesus and the Pharisees.
"Knowledge gives self-importance--it is love that makes the building grow. A man may imagine that he understands something, but still not understand anything in the way he ought to!" (1 Cor 8:1,2 JB).
Sermon Outline
-
I
- The role of reason in relationships
- The enemy's use of reason to create division
- Personal experience of conflict
-
II
- The call to prioritize truth over reason
- Christ as the embodiment of truth
- The importance of surrendering personal reasons
-
III
- The gift of reason from God
- Using reason in service to God and others
- The need for faithfulness to Christ
-
IV
- The distinction between pure reason and idolized reason
- Examples from scripture (Job, Jesus)
- The impact of knowledge versus love
Key Quotes
“Be faithful to Reason! whispers the Destroyer. Do not let go!” — Elisabeth Elliot
“Be faithful to Me, Christ says, give up your reasons, give way to Truth.” — Elisabeth Elliot
“Knowledge gives self-importance--it is love that makes the building grow.” — Elisabeth Elliot
Application Points
- Reflect on how reason may be causing division in your relationships and seek to prioritize truth.
- Practice surrendering your personal reasons to Christ in moments of conflict.
- Cultivate love in your interactions, recognizing that knowledge alone does not build unity.