We can only progress in knowing if our minds are willing to renounce existing ideas, in light of new evidence. Paul’s conversion to Christ depicts the renunciation of dearly held ideas, in light of new evidence. Paul’s conversion was dependent upon new knowledge which questioned his presuppositions about the coming of Christ into this world. When light dawned on Paul, he exclaimed, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come. The old has gone, the new is here!” (2 Cor. 5:17). Paul makes it clear that human advantages, such as birth, religion, position in society, human accomplishments, however arduously achieved, are ultimately without value. Paul had experienced a radical re-evaluation of values. At once he realized that those things which previously cherished as “good” and for which he had been striving, had actually left him bankrupt. The “good” things were road blocks that would ultimately destroy him, as they made him increasingly self-reliant, self-satisfied, and content to offer God his own goodness. Paul’s sense of worth had been working as an opiate, dulling his awareness of his need for the real righteousness which God alone can supply (Phil.3:5-10). Paul’s example demonstrates the importance of having an attitude of faith. This attitude helps keep a check on the mind’s natural tendency to believe that it has already captured the truth and therefore does not need to learn anything new. This pride undermines one’s ability to work toward an objective and thus hinders objective reasoning. Pride often results in anger and is the source of destructive behavior. In contrast, faith promotes peace. It does so by predisposing people to accept that they are finite beings who can profit from attending to the ideas of others. People who operate in faith believe that other people’s ideas may help them expand and clarify their own. Faith ultimately seeks the well-being of others.
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