But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is shortsighted.
2 Peter 1:5-9a
Is it more important that our faith be intellectual or emotional? That’s like asking which is more important for human life, water or oxygen! Obviously we need both, and it should be obvious that biblical faith encompasses both thoughts and feelings.
But maybe it isn’t always obvious.
There are plenty of folks who embrace the emotional part of Christianity. They love to go to worship where they often tear up; they aren’t shy about “lifting up holy hands” (1 Timothy 2:8) or shouting “Hallelujah, praise Jesus!” for all the world to hear.
But if they have no intellectual component to their Christian life, I see two big problems. For one thing, if they don’t study God’s word, do they really know Him? They are at risk for believing things about Him that are untrue and possibly a threat to their salvation.
Jesus said, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven,” (Matthew 7:21).
Secondly, if their spiritual life is centered only on emotions, what happens when they can’t keep up the emotional fervor— when they find themselves facing serious illness or financial ruin or just general discouragement with life? Without knowledge, they may blame God and walk away from Him altogether.
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Hosea 4:6a
On the flip side, someone who is content with an intellectual faith is going to lack motivation to worship at all. If that person does go through the motions, will their worship be accepted?
Jesus said in Matthew 15:8, “These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me.” God doesn’t just want our mental assent to the doctrine. He loves us and wants to be loved in return. Loving God with all your being is, after all, “the first and great commandment” according to Jesus himself (Matthew 22:37-38).
Furthermore if our love for God is lacking, that’s going to make it hard to love other people, which is the second great commandment (v. 39).
Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart. 1 Peter 1:22
You see, we need water AND oxygen. I think for most of us, our Christian life is a mix of thought and feeling, of the intellectual mingled with the emotional. Perhaps each of us might consider which side tends to get more of our time and energy, and then try to be more intentional about preventing neglect of the other side.
But for anyone who is very much one or the other, think about what you’re missing.
Without knowledge, the foundation of your faith is like sand that can easily be washed away by a storm (Matthew 7:24ff). Emotions can lead us astray to the point that we are just believing whatever makes us feel good. If you are not the studious type, try listening to God’s word on audiobook or YouTube recording. A saving faith must be grounded in the truth.
Yet Christianity was never meant to be primarily an intellectual exercise. All the knowledge in the world is no substitute for the joy of having your heart knit to the heart of God. If emotional connection does not come easily for you, use your intellect to contemplate the gravity of what God has done for you. The softening of the heart begins with humility in the mind.
Whatever we may be lacking, we can pray for God to fill the gaps. We can ask Him to open our minds and our hearts. He is the source of knowledge and the epitome of love. He is the One who can help us.
Teach me Your way, O LORD, and I will walk in Your truth. Knit my heart to You, so that I may fear Your Name. Psalm 86:11 (Revised Geneva Translation)
by Christie Cole Atkins
Dear Heavenly Father, we thank You for providing everything we need for life in Christ– the knowledge of You revealed in Your word and the sacrifice of love upon the cross. Your wisdom is perfect and You manifest love in all that You do. Draw us to You by the power of Your Holy Spirit that we may truly know You, O God. This we pray in the name of Jesus, Amen.
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Walk Worthy 