Part 2 6) Denominations. Who establishes denominations? Who discovers that they are good, and who discovers that they are necessary, and who defends and excuses that kind of thing? You can be sure that it is human reasoning—contrary to God’s Word! “But,” they say, “every one who has any sense has to realize that it is very good and necessary!” God’s Word, in its eternal wisdom, is useless to such people. God has hidden it from them so splendidly despite the fact that it is there to be read in their mother tongue. Most people—even the vast majority—are too conceited for the good God who values and has such great pleasure in humility and simplicity to reveal this immensely good and marvelous fruit of abstaining from forming or joining or even recognizing any denomination. For example, see Galatians 5:19-21. 7) Who has reintroduced the tithe in the new covenant? It was still valid in Jesus’ days because He came under the law. Tithing fell away through Jesus’ finished work. You are not in any doubt now about where the temptation to introduce the old covenant’s commandment came from, are you? It was obviously from our bitter enemy #1: human reasoning. People prudently—so-called—calculated that by introducing the tithe they would collect more money than through voluntary gifts from those who have given themselves completely, from those who have forsaken everything because sadly, they are in the minority. But this just proves that the fruit of their labors has not become any greater than that. More money is one of the main pillars of human reasoning. Human reasoning says it is obvious that when more money is collected in that way, it is wise and therefore well and good. Alas, alas! What prudent reasoning! How intelligent! In the French Bible translation it is written that He has hidden it from the intelligent!!! On the contrary, my dear ones, simply believing like a little child—that is wise. 8) Discouragement. As strange as it may seem, the real reason for discouragement can also be found in human reasoning. When it concerns spiritual things, human reasoning is the stupidest thing we possess. It is exceedingly good to use your reasoning in many ways when it concerns earthly things, but when it is applied to spiritual things, it acts only foolishly. For example, discouragement can say that it might be possible for others to gain victory over sin, but not for you. It can say, “Don’t you know how long you have tried? You know what kind of fellow you are; you should have sense enough to understand that it will never succeed for you.” Is it not plain to see what the tempter is appealing to??? 9) Anxiety. It is quite obvious what the origin of anxiety is. People simply cannot with their stupid reasoning comprehend that there is any way out; where help is to come from; how it could possibly last; how this or that can go well under any circumstance. However, the person who is like a baby is spared all this unnecessary agony that is the result of the usually highly praised human reasoning. A baby does not have the sense to be anxious. Glory to God! 10) Love. Love all men. Whom does love exclude? And who can quench its flame? Enemy #1 does. People are sufficiently intelligent to make this discovery without difficulty that it is not fitting for them to love a certain person who acts in a certain way. Oh, that ice-cold reasoning! God is love. He loved us while we were still His enemies, while we were ungodly and unsympathetic in every possible way. It is certainly wise to love; otherwise God would not have done it, because He is also Wisdom itself. 11) Impatience. Our reason also tempts us to impatience. It soon realizes—according to its generous, copious content of stupidities—that it is rank foolishness (for example) to remain any longer in this job because the circumstances are such and such. Why should I bother with it anymore? Quit immediately! How foolish and how bold this human reasoning is! But what about God’s Word? It is wisdom itself! “Therefore, be patient, brethren . . . .” “But patience must lead to a perfect work . . . .” Jas. 5:7, 1:4.Norwegian Bible translation. Human reasoning places itself above God’s Word and passes the judgment that it is prudent to run away from the situations that must lead to a perfect work through patience. However, God’s wisdom tells me that it is much more valuable to attain to a perfect work than to avoid some sufferings. 12) Do not neglect to assemble together. Human reasoning is a constant tempter to neglect meetings and conferences. Among other things, it also pretends to be Christian and says something like: “You have heard so much already so that if you just live by what you have heard, you don’t need to travel to hear more.” It comes with many other “prudent” ideas as well, for human reasoning is almost bottomless. And yet it is stupid enough to forget that one of the main reasons for assembling together with the rest of the members is precisely this: I am strengthened in a special way to live according to what I have heard and received. These are sufficient examples to illuminate this truth. All kinds of things are examples of this. We have a very striking, all-encompassing word about this in Proverbs 21:30. Meditate a long time on this word.Elias Aslaksen