When I was at the University of Georgia, umpteen years ago, one of my core classes was Logic 101. I had a great instructor, and I loved that class. The concepts came easily to me, and I enjoyed exercising them. I remember dissecting complex "if/then" and "and/or" statements to arrive at the correct conclusion. That gift I was given can frequently be a curse. I find myself listening to others to find flaws in their arguments. This dissonance has persisted among individuals and groups for thousands of years. Ancient Greek philosophers argued about almost everything, but at the highest level, they arrived at the ultimate question: "What is the meaning of life?" Around 300 BC, there were two main philosophies: Epicureanism and Stoicism. Epicureans believed life had no inherent purpose and that the best thing to do was to live big and have a good time. Seek pleasure at all costs. The Stoics had a seemingly nobler philosophy, which stated that while life has no inherent purpose, we should strive to be good and live as if it did. It consisted of three main disciplines: logic, physics and ethics. Use logic to observe nature and decide what is right. When Jesus came along, He spoke extensively, but as far as we know, he didn't write anything down. Luckily for us, his best friend, John, did. And where better to get the best intel on someone than from their best friend. John starts his gospel with this statement: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." That's the English translation, but the Greek word he used for Word was Logos, which our word logic comes from. And we soon find out from the following verses that "Word" is capitalized because it refers to Jesus. John settled the debate once and for all: the reason we are here is to know and follow Jesus. It gives me great peace knowing that Jesus is Logos, but also creates an almost overwhelming obligation to know and follow Him more.
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