Replies

Thank you for sharing your concerns and views, dear the_conscience!

The link for the Stanford article is here.

In reply, I again aver what I mentioned earlier at post 215 and 211: context, context, context.

The discussion at Stanford's Encyclopedia of Philosophy is not Spiritual. It is philosophy. One cannot hold Plato's feet to the fire on Spiritual matters. That doesn't mean his contributions were worthless or not according to God's will.

For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know [them], because they are spiritually discerned. – I Corinthians 2:11-14

Plato did not have God's gift of Spiritual discernment which all Christians receive. God gave Plato the gift of wisdom. Faith and reason are complementary, but reason cannot substitute for faith.

And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.

For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.

And my speech and my preaching [was] not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. – I Corinthians 2:1-5

In context, Plato's insights are very helpful to me especially in the never-ending debates concerning mathematics, physics and cosmology.

But Plato's thoughts do not substitute for the words of God. The words of God are spirit and life, the words of men are neither spirit nor life:

It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, [they] are spirit, and [they] are life. – John 6:63

Nevertheless, the words of men are helpful in context - whether Plato's, the founding father's, the_conscience, etc. But they are not and can never be, spirit and life.

To God be the glory!

Thank you for your response AG.

The discussion at Stanford's Encyclopedia of Philosophy is not Spiritual.

All facts are God's facts. There is no dichotomy between physical facts and spiritual facts. This is dualism. Now surely secular philosophy interprets facts incorrectly but that doesn't change that all facts are God's facts.

One cannot hold Plato's feet to the fire on Spiritual matters.

Of course we must since he is responsible for rejecting what God revealed through nature, his conscience, and God's providential ordering of history. Everyone's feet are held to the fire!

That doesn't mean his contributions were worthless or not according to God's will.

I agree.

Plato did not have God's gift of Spiritual discernment which all Christians receive.

He had the Law within his heart which is enough to convict him.

God gave Plato the gift of wisdom.

Define Wisdom.

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge.
Prov 1.

But Plato's thoughts do not substitute for the words of God. The words of God are spirit and life, the words of men are neither spirit nor life:

God made man a rational/moral being with the ability to interpret nature, his conscience, and God's providential ordering of history so that man is left without excuse about his knowledge of God. His special revelation of himself in Christ as inscripturated does require the assurance of the Spirit of Christ, yes. The problem with Plato's thoughts is that he failed to interpret the facts as having their entire basis in the one self-sufficient God who determines all facts.