Common sense is not faith, and faith is not common sense . . .

While I’ve not known anyone personally that fits this category, I’ve heard of people who determined God would do something for them and were greatly disappointed. Without knowing the specifics of their situation, it seems unwise to comment. I only know that God makes and keeps His promises. His way of answering prayer almost always surprises me and surpasses my expectations, and He does not desire to make my life miserable.

Tozer points to the New Testament words of Elizabeth after she met Mary and learned of God’s promise of pregnancy and the birth of the long-awaited Messiah:

“And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.” (Luke 1:45)

As Tozer says, the church has been filled with expectation in times of her greatest power, every great movement of God in history, every unusual advance. Every revival has been preceded by a sense of keen anticipation. Not only this, those expectations involve the working of the Holy Spirit. Just as God rewards those who believe in Him, He also grants a sense of ‘it will happen’ as we pray according to His will.

There is a mystery in faith —I cannot make it happen. I can’t tell myself God will do a thing and then have that childlike expectation and wait for it to happen. Even if there is a superficial eagerness, I’ve always known in my heart the source was not God. Instead, this expectation is a God-given thing, a sense that God has made a promise and God will do it. This is “the beauty and wonder of the Lord’s presence among us.”

Tozer adds that in this we might question: What is God’s will for us in this matter? He says we should not ‘abandon our God-given common sense’ in the victorious life.

This raised another question for me — what is common sense? How does it differ from godly wisdom? This passage gives a black and white response to that question:

For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. (James 3:16–17)

In other words, common sense might be mixed up with personal motives. For every decision, I ought to ask why would I want to do this? Personal ambition? To be better than others? To gain over someone else? Or to bear the fruit that only the Holy Spirit can produce? To do that, I must listen to and be obedient to the Lord.

Another writer says that ‘common sense’ is only ‘common’ for a particular language and culture or the background of each life. That is, what might make perfect sense to me could be entirely foreign or foolish to a person from Asia or Africa. For it to be truly ‘common’ it must be something that works for all people.

Oswald Chambers says common sense is a gift from God to human nature; but it is not the gift of His Son — which is ‘supernatural sense.’ Our ordinary wits will never worship God unless transfigured by the Holy Spirit. He also says that common sense is not faith, and faith is not common sense. Nothing Jesus Christ ever said is common sense, it is revelation sense. Faith always puts Jesus Christ first — ‘Lord, You have said this . . . and it looks rather foolish, even crazy, but I am going to go forth because it is Your Word and I trust You.’

Many would obey God if He allowed the use of common sense, but will refuse to take a step in the dark or do anything that is risky. However, for those who do, we discover that what the Lord says is even more solid than common sense.  

To answer the question of knowing the will of God, my ordinary common-sense decisions are God’s will for me unless He gives an inner check. I can go ahead with life making ordinary decisions, putting my faith in Him. He will tell me if He has another plan. Yesterday, in sharing with someone, many ideas came to my head. Some came out my mouth and others where checked by the Holy Spirit. My common sense could not discern His reasons, but faith is willing to do what He says because it is God who says it.

^^^^^^^^^

Lord, You seem to be telling me to wait on You regarding a decision in my ordinary life. Most would argue that waiting is not sensible. However, You are not an ill advisor, a person with an agenda that takes no account of what is best, of what will most benefit me and most benefit the glory of God. Common sense keeps fading away as I yield to that still, small voice that says, “Wait My child and I will take care of this.”

The weakness of common sense

Common sense may work for many things, but not all. For instance, Shillington in his book, Reading the Sacred Text, tells of living on ‘Overwater Road’ and wondering how it got its name. He walked the road and noted how it turned toward the river and came to the conclusion this was the source of its name. He shared this insight with friends, only to later find out that the road was named after a nearby farmer whose last name was Overwater.

Shillington was illustrating the importance of thinking meaningfully about the objective world. He added the same is true for the Bible. It cannot be properly understood by “unverified insight arising out of common sense.”

Interpretation requires understanding because a person with faith in Christ will read from a different perspective than a non-believer and a conservative lay person will read differently than a liberal scholar. Obviously the perspective of others will correct or challenge our views, just as Shillington needed his neighbor to correct his understanding about the naming of Overwater Road.

That said, the Bible is not understood by common sense. Faith makes a difference in what a reader sees in that Book of books. Just before Jesus raised Lazarus, He said to his sister Martha:

“’Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?’ So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, ‘Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.’” (John 11:40–42)

Jesus knew and saw the glory of God. The people around Him did not believe and could not see God’s glory as Jesus saw it. His miracles were intended to change their view from common sense (‘the dead do not rise’) to faith in the power of God who can do anything, yet many still could not let go of their reasoning.

I’m thinking of conversations with Christians who are mystified at the behavior and words of their unbelieving friends. Some of these Christians say, “Believing in God seems like common sense.” Yet as stated above, all approach life with our biases, backgrounds, and that innate tendency to rely on our own reasoning even though God clearly tells us to do otherwise . . .

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.” (Proverbs 3:5–7)

Chambers says I must never let common sense push the Son of God away. God gave me common sense in my humanity so I would not step in holes or stick my finger in a light socket, but common sense is not the same as the gift of His Son. Jesus gives me a supernatural sense because He senses and reveals the Father, something common sense never can or will do. As Chambers says, “Our ordinary wits never worship God unless they are transfigured by the indwelling Son of God.”

I cannot rely on my wits with the same totality and faith as relying on Jesus Christ. This is why IQ and even common sense must take second place to the revealing power of God.