In one of the book reading sessions with pastor friends, I came across a statement by C. S. Lewis. He wrote:
“God is no fonder of intellectual slackers than of any other slackers. If you are thinking of becoming a Christian, I warn you that you are embarking on something which is going to take the whole of you, brains and all. But unfortunately, it works the other way round. Anyone who is honestly trying to be a Christian will soon find his intelligence being sharpened: one of the reasons why it needs no special education to be a Christian is that Christianity is an education itself.”
This quote captures a profound truth: the Christian life is not an escape from intellectual responsibility – it is a call to deeper engagement with thought, reality, and meaning. Faith that truly transforms does not bypass the mind; it includes and activates it. Christianity is not an invitation to disengage from thinking but to think more deeply, more truthfully, and more humbly.
Faith Is Not Mental Laziness
Lewis’s words challenge the common misconception that Christianity is a refuge for the simple-minded or an alternative for those who fear intellectual challenge. Sadly, in today’s academic and secular culture, faith is often misrepresented as irrational or anti-intellectual – something that only appeals to those who avoid hard questions. But Christianity, in its truest form, refutes that narrative.
Authentic Christian faith calls believers to love God not only with the heart and soul but also with the mind. Jesus’ command in Matthew 22:37 – “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind” – is not just poetic; it’s directive. It signals that faith requires an active, engaged intellect. The Christian journey involves reasoning, reflection, and discernment.
The faith that does not think refers to a type of religious belief that avoids or resists critical thinking, reflection, or engagement with difficult questions. This kind of faith may rely heavily on tradition, emotion, or authority, but does not encourage asking why something is believed or how it fits with reality, reason, or different viewpoints. This can lead to rigidity, superstition, or even spiritual immaturity, where people feel threatened by doubt or inquiry. Instead of growing through dialogue, it becomes inward-looking and fragile, unable to respond meaningfully to new or complex situations.
In contrast, faith that does think is reflective. It asks, “Why do I believe what I believe?” It admits the limits of human understanding. It listens to others and learns from different perspectives. It holds deep convictions while remaining teachable. This kind of thoughtful faith is strong, not weak – because it has wrestled with doubt, wrestled with Scripture, and emerged more deeply rooted.
Being a Christian is not simply about emotional enthusiasm or cultural attachment to religion. It requires intellectual curiosity, moral reasoning, and the courage to wrestle with hard truths. It demands that we ask the big questions – about suffering, justice, love, evil, life, and death – and then seek God for meaningful answers.
God does not fear our thoughts or our questions. In fact, a faith that refuses to think is more fragile than one that dares to question and grow.
A Journey That Sharpens the Mind
Lewis turns a common assumption on its head. Many people believe that they must first fully understand Christianity before they can believe. But Lewis insists that it is often through the act of living as a Christian – by following Christ’s teachings, engaging in prayer, struggling with forgiveness, serving others – that understanding begins to blossom.
The Christian life is intellectually rich. It demands engagement with deep questions. Why do good people suffer? What does it mean to love our enemies? How does grace work in a broken world? What is the relationship between science and faith? How should we pursue justice in a world full of injustice?
Christian living, when pursued earnestly, leads to the sharpening of our thoughts. Faith doesn’t shelter us from complexity – it trains us to live within it. Many who walk with Christ over time find that their intellect is not only stimulated but transformed.
Some of the wisest people I’ve met were not university professors or philosophers but humble believers – grandparents, farmers, homemakers – who had quietly followed Christ for decades. Their wisdom came from faithfully applying biblical truth to the realities of life over time. They had wrestled with faith and found that truth holds.
Christianity as a Lifelong Education
To become a Christian is not to graduate from thought – it is to enroll in a deeper school of learning. Christianity is a lifelong invitation to study, reflect, and be transformed.
You don’t need degrees or scholarly credentials to follow Jesus. But as you walk with Him, you begin to cultivate habits of thoughtful reflection, careful listening, and wise discernment. You begin to grow in moral insight and spiritual wisdom. This is not automatic – it comes through intentional discipleship, study of Scripture, learning from others, and walking with God through seasons of joy and suffering.
To read the Holy Bible with understanding, to discern God’s will in ethical dilemmas, to apply faith in today’s global culture – all of these require mental effort. That’s why Romans 12:2 urges us, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Spiritual renewal and mental renewal go hand in hand.
The Book of Proverbs is a celebration of wisdom. Proverbs 4:5 says, “Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or turn away from them.” In other words, God wants His people to grow – not only in character, but in thought.
God Knows Where You Are
Even as we emphasize thinking, it’s important to remember: God knows where you are. Not just geographically, but emotionally and mentally. He knows your fears, doubts, struggles, questions, and even the exhaustion of trying to keep up with expectations – academic, professional, spiritual, or social.
The psalmist writes in Psalm 139:1–2:
“O Lord, you have searched me and known me.
You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you understand my thoughts from afar.”
Whether you are a student facing academic deadlines, a young scholar questioning your place in the world, or a researcher battling impostor syndrome, God sees you. He doesn’t see the version of you that others admire or criticize. He sees the real you – the tired, the uncertain, the questioning you.
And He still calls you. He still loves you.
The God who asks for our minds is also the God who gently walks with us through our mental and emotional valleys. He is present in lecture halls, library corners, research labs, and even in sleepless nights of anxiety. His companionship is not reserved for “holy” places – it is constant and personal.
Faith and Intellect Are Not Opposites
One of the most damaging cultural myths is the false dichotomy between faith and reason. The assumption goes: if you are intelligent, you cannot be religious. If you are religious, you must have suspended your ability to think critically.
But the Holy Bible does not promote blind belief. It repeatedly encourages seeking, reasoning, and testing what is true.
Proverbs 1:7 says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.” Reverence for God is not a retreat from learning – it is the starting point of true understanding. It is a posture of humility that opens the mind, not closes it.
Consider the example of the Berean Jews in Acts 17:11: “Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character… for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.” Even though Paul was an apostle, they did not accept his teaching blindly. They combined eagerness with discernment, faith with examination. Paul didn’t rebuke them for questioning; he commended their noble character. This demonstrates that faith is not the opposite of thinking; rather, thoughtful investigation strengthens true faith.
History is filled with towering intellects who were devout Christians. Isaac Newton, the father of classical physics, wrote more about theology than science. Blaise Pascal, a brilliant mathematician and philosopher, integrated logic and belief in his famous Pensées. John Lennox, professor emeritus at Oxford, defends the harmony between science and Scripture with clarity and depth.
These individuals didn’t see their faith as anti-reason. They saw faith as a foundation upon which reason could flourish. They believed that the universe was intelligible precisely because it was created by a rational God.
God Walks With You
Academic and professional life can be exhilarating – and also exhausting. Deadlines loom, pressure builds, competition intensifies, and at times you may wonder: What is all this for?
Amidst that noise, Jesus offers an invitation that is deeply relevant to scholars and seekers alike:
“Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” – Matthew 11:28
This rest is not the absence of work. It is the presence of peace. It means that you are not defined by your grades, your productivity, or your accolades. You are defined by your identity in Christ.
You may have been told to “prove your worth.” But in Christ, your worth is already established. You are valuable not because of your thesis or your résumé, but because you are made in God’s image and known by Him.
Faith That Thinks – and Lives
So where does all of this leave us?
Faith is not a call to shut off your brain. It’s an invitation to bring your whole self – mind, heart, soul, and strength – into the presence of God. You don’t need to have all the answers before you believe. But as you begin to follow Christ, you will find yourself thinking more clearly, more wisely, and more truthfully.
God honors those who seek Him sincerely. He is not threatened by honest questions. He welcomes inquiry. He delights in those who pursue Him with both humility and curiosity.
In Isaiah 1:18, God says:
“Come now, let us reason together.”
This is God’s voice – not scolding or commanding – but inviting. He is saying: Let’s talk. Let’s think together. Let’s search for truth together.
Christianity is not for those who want to escape reality. It is for those who want to understand it more deeply. Faith is not mental resignation – it is intellectual and spiritual transformation.
Conclusion
In an age of superficial opinions, online distractions, and information overload, thoughtful faith is more needed than ever. We live in a world flooded with noise but starved of wisdom. We need the kind of faith that does not fear doubt but wrestles honestly. The kind of faith that dares to think, to reflect, and to grow.
So today, I offer a quiet but bold invitation – not to a religious argument, but to a deeper conversation: a conversation about a faith that thinks; a faith that asks questions and seeks truth; and a faith that sharpens the mind and renews the heart.
You do not need to check your brain at the door to follow Jesus. In fact, when you bring your mind to God, you may find that it comes more fully alive.
Christianity does not dull your thinking. It refines it. It invites you into a lifelong journey of learning, discovery, and transformation.
You are invited – mind and all. Let your faith be curious. Let it be wise. Let it be thoughtful. Because faith that thinks – thrives.
(This article is an extract from a sermon delivered during the fellowship of the Naga Postgraduate and Research Scholars of NEHU Shillong on June 8, 2025.)
~ Meyu Changkiri