The virtuous Christian mind or the godly inquiring mind has two movements that are keys to good apologetics: one is vertical and the other is horizontal.
Vertical because the godly inquiring mind nais niyang patulong na makilala ang Diyos. When he pursues truth, understanding and wisdom, he sees them as goods from God, as knowledge of God. He desires to be in or creates a congenial environment that is well-suited for him to pursue these goods because he loves God. He is a Sir Philip Sidney, the Renaissance man who said, "Either I'll find a way or I'll make one." The goods he sees are worth pursuing. Constant practice of this pursuit then makes it a habit that is exemplary for the growth in knowledge of God.
Horizontal because that habit of knowing more about God weans a passion for people. That godly inquiring mind props up a character that is not only willing to listen to people but to know them. But not only to know them but for them to know God.
Intellectual virtues for the Christian then are habits of the mind that not only seeks to grow in the knowledge of God but also serves other people to know more about God, most especially to inquiring fellow believers who are beset not only of doubts but also deep in rebellion to God.
Our charter for this kind of thinking is 1 Peter 1:13 “gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” One commentator explains --
Prepare to pursue them with vigour, constancy, and perseverance, and to perform the various duties which they lay you under an indispensable obligation steadily to practise. The apostle alludes to the manners of the eastern countries, in which the men’s garments being long and flowing, they prepared themselves for travelling, and other active employments, by girding them up with a girdle put round their loins, to prevent their being encumbered by them. The loins of the mind, therefore, is a figurative expression for the faculties of the soul, the understanding, memory, will, and affections, which the apostle signifies must be gathered in and girded, as it were, about the soul by the girdle of truth, so as to be in a state fit for continual and unwearied exertion in running the Christian race.*Mahalagang may pagtatangi tayo sa ating kaalaman tungkol sa ating Panginoon. It is “though our knowledge of Him,” ang ating Panginoong Hesus, “who called us by his own glory and excellence,” na siyang naging instrumento kung bakit “his divine power has bestowed on us everything necessary for life and godliness" (1 Peter 1:3-5). Mahalagang linangin natin ang ating isipan na maging attuned sa ating Panginoon. May vertical na commitment kumbaga.
Subalit hindi lamang iyan, may horizontal din. Sa huling bilin ni Pablo sa kaniyang sulat sa mga taga-Filipos pinakita niya na may responsibility din ang godly inquiring mind sa ibang tao nang banggitin niya na "what you learned and received and heard and saw in me, do these things” (Php 4:9). Ang alin? Heto ang pinatotoo niya, “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is worthy of respect, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if something is excellent or praiseworthy, think about these things” (Php. 4:8). Pinapagawa ito ni Pablo upang maging congenial ang kanilang isipang masumpungan ang Diyos. "Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me--put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you." (v.9)
So mahalaga na linangin natin patuloy ang kaalaman na ito hindi lamang sa pangsarili nating benefit ng mga goods ng truth, understanding at wisdom but also maipatotoo natin ito sa ating mga conversations most especially sa mga doubting and/or rebelling na kapatiran.
Kaya naman ang ating mga intellectual virtues ay dapat makitaan ng inquiry-relevant characteristic, na ang gustong sabihin ay kumikiling palagi sa pagtutuklas ng goods galing sa Diyos na truth, understanding at wisdom -- this way our knowledge of Him grows. So kaya ang ating isipan ay inclined towards inquiry of divine truth, understanding and wisdom.
Kaso nga lang kailangan nga nating isipin na dalawa ang movement na ito: vertical at horizontal. For every inquiry-relevant category we will put here, there will be these two movements. At ang dalawang movement na ito ay may causality sana -- yung natututunan natin sa vertical ang siya nating gagamiting skill sa ating horizontal. Magbibigay po ako ng anim categories§ ng mga virtues na ito na atin dapat na linangin.
Una po ang pagdevelop at pagmaintain ng initial motivation to know God. The believer has to be initially motivated to grow in knowledge of God. Since ang word of God ang primary focus ng study ng isang believer. Peter commands believers to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Pt 3:18). Likewise the apostle in his first letter instructed believers “to gird up the loins of your mind” (1 Peter 1:13). “Gird up the loins of your mind” is an idiomatic expression which means to “prompt readiness for activity.”† Ang habit na ito serves as a stable intellectual foundation for the horizontal of being initially motivated to minister to people. Long times spent on the truth of God moves a believer to be involved with other people. This is the idea of metaphors “light of the world” and “salt of the earth.” So it’s really a good habit to develop and maintain motivation to know God and people.
Ang Barna Group recently released a study on churchgoers knowledge of the Great Commission. "There is a correlation between what Barna calls 'Bible-mindedness' -- essentially, full faith in and regular engagement with scripture—and recognizing the Great Commission."‡ Mataas ang rating ng mga born-again believers compared sa iba. This adds to my point that time spent in attentive study of God’s word creates a Great-Commission consciousness.
Pangalawa, kailangan ring maging properly focused. Ito yung marunong tayong maging attentive, focused, perceptive or even maging thorough sa ating pag iinquire ng mga bagay patungkol sa Diyos. Sabi sa Psalm 119:10-11, “I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” Napakahalaga sa apologetics ng mga virtues under this category kasi kung first category pa lang may motivation ka to know people, dito may attentiveness ka to hear them out and understand. Sabi sa James 1:19 “quick to listen, slow to speak.”
Sa 4H apologetics meron akong Montaigne rule. Ang Montaigne rule is galing sa sinabi ng French Renaissance philosopher na si Michel de Montaigne na sa mga discussion daw (in our case apologetics) we have to submit initially ourselves to the force of reason ng ating kausap. This is a true sign of focus. Imbes na bumuo ka ng sagot agad sikapin mo munang unawain ang sinasabi at kung pwede mas malinaw mo pang ma restate sa kaniya ang posisyon niya.
Pangatlo, nararapat lamang na gawin nating habit magbuo sistematikong stuktura sa ating natuklas. Sa pagtutuklas natin bigyan natin ng pagpapahalaga na may unity ang katuruan na yan ng Diyos sa iba pa niyang katuruan. Dito nabubuo ang stability ng ating paniniwala kasi dito tayo nakapaglagay ng systematic na structure sa ating isipan ng ating paniniwala. For example, when we talk about the love of God may pagkaunawa tayo ng manifestation nito sa buong Bible -- kaya tayo may systematic, biblical at practical theology. Sa apologetics napakahalaga nito kasi dito mo maipapakita sa kausap mo na ang pinananindigan mo ay may consistency at warrant for belief.
Isa sa mga ini-emphasize ko sa mga gustong magseryoso sa apologetics is to learn the interconnectedness of doctrines. Sa 4H apologetics kasi may section na positive apologetics kung saan ipapaliwanag mo ang isang structure of belief sa nagtatanong sa’yo para maunawaan niya kung saan ka nanggagaling. Ang structure na ito nararapat na rational at coherent. Defend ka ng ng defend wala ka naman palang pinanghahawakan.
Unang tatlo po ‘yan sa anim. Isusunod po natin ang pang-apat at pang-anim sa ating susunod na episode. Tandaan lamang po natin na ang godly inquiring mind ay may mga characteristics na ganito, hindi lamang sa purpose ng pagtuklas ng kaalaman patungkol sa Diyos subalit kung ipa-practice ang mga ito sa apologetics, nakaka-create siya ng congenial environment -- yung hiyang na environment para ang ating kausap ay makabuo ng mga bagong beliefs na totoo patungkol sa ating Panginoon.
PS for initial motivation:
MAKE UP YOUR MIND TO BEHOLD THE GLORY OF GOD BY BEHOLDING THE GLORY OF CHRIST IS THE GREATEST PRIVILEGE WHICH IS GIVEN TO BELIEVERS IN THIS LIFE. John 17:3 ‘And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.’ John Owen, Glory of Christ, Banner ed., p. 22
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* Benson Commentary, http://biblehub.com/commentaries/benson/1_peter/1.htm
§ Adapted from Jason Baehr, The Inquiring Mind.
† Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges,
http://biblehub.com/commentaries/cambridge/1_peter/1.htm
‡ "51% of Churchgoers Don’t Know of the Great Commission." in Barna (website); https://www.barna.com/research/half-churchgoers-not-heard-great-commission/
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