While reason can be a wonderful tool given to man by God, it has its limitation. First of all we are finite limited human beings. Unlike God we cannot know everything. The second reason is Original Sin. Therefore since our reason is limited by our finite and corrupted nature, we must turn to the eternal, infinite God for guidance.
Ever since Adam and Eve fell in the Garden of Eden, our reason has been clouded. Our fallen nature causes us to gravitate towards sin and disobedience. The fall caused a separation from God and man; man and nature; man and his fellow man and finally man and himself. All of creation has been infected and affected by sin. Because of our inclination to sin, people will use their “reason” to justify their actions. It was in this context that Martin Luther referred to reason as the “devil’s whore.” Reason in and of itself is not bad. But when used in the service of denying God and his word, then it is indeed the “devil’s whore.” People are not as rationale and objective as they would like to believe.
Except for conscience people are not born with knowledge. Knowledge must be acquired. Through our parents, the school system and friends we gain knowledge and taught how to think. The facts and information that one acquires is not self interpreting. We humans interpret the facts through a filter or paradigm. The filter may be a worldview, a scientific model, a philosophical system or a system of belief. One has to ask if the paradigm that one uses is correct. Not only may the paradigms taught be incorrect, but the particular “facts” taught to the students may be erroneous. The Piltdown man was taught to nearly a generation of students as one of man’s early ancestors. The problem with this “proof” for evolution is that it was an obvious fraud.
Science has an exalted place in this society. The problem with the scientific method is that it is one never has all the observations. And even if one did the observations have to be incorporated into a paradigm. One has to INTERPRET the facts. And that is a tricky subject. Politics and self interest play a role in science. Contrary to popular misconception scientists are not dispassionate seekers of truth. Sometimes when the evidence doesn’t fit the theory, they will ignore or suppress the evidence. The recent “climategate” scandal is one example
Human reason is always time bound and limited. God, by contrast is infinite and timeless. At one time critics attacked the Bible for its mention of a people called the Hittites. These critics said there was no proof for their existence. Well in time archeology confirmed the existence of the Hittites. The finite, time bound critics were wrong and the Bible, written by an infinite, timeless God, was right. The book of Proverbs says that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs Chapter 9. verse 10). It also says that we should trust in the Lord with all our hearts and lean not to our own understanding, (Proverbs. Chapter 3, verses 5). God has given us his guidance in his word, the Bible. Therefore let us be diligent students of his word. He has promised to direct our paths (Proverbs Chapter 3 verse 6).
