“Presuppositional Thinking”

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: The mind justifies what the heart has chosen. Despite all the logic and reasoning that takes place in the mind, human decision-takes place in the heart! Look to the heart to discover true motives, agendas, and underlying assumptions. Ultimately, your heart shapes your character and defines the kind of person you will be. As evidenced by hundreds of scriptures in the Bible, it is vital to understand and guard our hearts. The heart is a key indicator of the human struggle, both for the saved and the unsaved, and our lives and lifestyle truly flow out from it.

As water reflects the face, so one’s life reflects the heart. —Proverbs 27:19

Understanding our motivations brings insight into every aspect of life, from how we interact with our families to how we evaluate the news. These catalysts can easily be revealed in arguments, debates, and our everyday human interactions. When a person’s agenda is questioned, emotions kick in, and the brain begins to search for ammunition—past conversations, statistics, and even Scripture references—to justify their position. We emphasize whatever defends our opinion and omit what does not. Thus, we must consider the agendas that underlie our assumptions, as these ultimately shape our view of the world, make sense of our circumstances, and frame our sense of importance and meaning, both personally and societally.

Within our hearts lies the root of our justifications, for good or for ill, upon which we create reason within our minds. We enlist the resources of our mind to justify our choices. We do this constantly and, often unknowingly, to justify ourselves or defend God’s Word to the degree it lives in our hearts.

These assumed realities and motivations of the heart are called presuppositions. A presupposition is a set of ideas based on spiritual beliefs and agendas. Every human being operates within a set of presuppositions. In fact, all human study and classification of knowledge is subject to these assumptions, whether consciously or unconsciously.

Many (if not most) people are unaware of their own presuppositions, let alone those driving the influential fields of academia and media. As believers, we have a role both in the presentation of the Gospel and in Christian apologetics to help people discover their own agendas and expose the hidden agendas of cultural influencers. Presuppositional awareness allows us to sift down to root ideas. Every human being has an agenda. God has an agenda. The devil has agenda. The question is: What is your agenda? And what presuppositions are guiding it?

The Scriptures make it clear that our hearts must be examined and guarded, lest we be led astray. Even after salvation, our propensity for sin requires ongoing heart transformation and renewing of our minds. As David prayed in Psalm 51:10, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” David was already saved and walking with the Lord for some time, but he recognized his heart needed change.

Being aware that “the mind justifies what the heart has chosen” is a practical tool for consciously examining our level of alignment with God, His ways, and His agendas. It is also indispensable for discerning the hearts of others, navigating discussions, and analyzing information. Remember this phrase and use it to ask the right questions of yourself and of others to engage in authentic, real conversation and decision-making. And that is…

THE BOTTOM LINE.

Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. —Proverbs 4:23

For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. —2 Chronicles 16:9

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