Beyond Comprehension (Cognitive Limitation)

To comprehend, to grasp mentally; to understand. To comprehend is to mentally grasp something's complete nature or meaning.

Are there certain things that are beyond our comprehension? and if they are there, do we have the capability to comprehend that these things are beyond our mental capacity to grasp, or better yet , are we able to accept that there are certain things that are beyond us? can human pride allow us to live in peace knowing that certain things are beyond us?

A lesson to be learned

During one of my holidays at home, I was sited in my room studying when my nephew (6 years old) came into the room. At this point, I was trying to ignore him so that he gets the message that I am busy without explicitly stating it. Noticing that I was ignoring him, he decided to get a glimpse of what I was staring at on the computer screen and he noticed a rose on the screen and he asked me a question, saying “Daddy, why are roses red?”, for me to get rid of him I realized that I must at least answer his question before sending him away. And so there I was, the answer running in my mind…it’s always been a personal conviction that if a child is to ask me a question it is my solemn obligation not to lie, I might simplify the truth but at least let it not be a lie. And so, the young man was there right in front of me staring right at me waiting for an answer

Why are roses red?

Roses are red because white light from the sun, strikes the rose petal and the surface of the rose petal absorbs all other colors and reflects only the red color which is picked up by our eyes. There are specialized cells in the eyes called cone cells that help in the perception of color…. the process goes on and on till we get to the actual interpretation of the visual stimuli in the brain. Through this process, one can perceive a rose as reD. (And this is the simplified version 🤭)

As I was contemplating this answer, I realized one thing… “it is possible for us to ask a question to which we lack the mental capacity to comprehend the answer” and the simple fact that we ask certain questions implies to me that we cannot understand the answer even if the answer would slap us in the face, we still wouldn’t be able to understand it. So, what would be the cause of this cognitive limitation? Well, there are two reasons that I will state.

Firstly, we can fail to understand because we lack the basic information, for the answer to make sense. I call it basic information because this information is a necessity to understand the concept, “we can only reason intelligently from what we know” enough information about what is being talked about has to be there in the mind of the seeker. In the scenario above the young man must have sufficient knowledge about.

1. How light works

2. The physics of light of how light is transmitted

3. The functioning of the nervous system

These are but a few, but am sure the point has been made

Secondly, we fail to understand simply because our brain capacity is way too limited to make the mental calculations ( so to say) required to comprehend the answer.In summary, our cognitive limitation, in this case, is due to a lack of information and limited brain power.

Where Did God come from?

One man once said, “if I was able to fit the God I serve in my two-pound brain then he wouldn’t be worth worshiping that’s for sure.”

Why did God do what He did here?

Oh please, we are still struggling to fully understand how a cell works (tell me about DNA), yet we dare to want to fully understand the precepts of divine judgment, the Judgment of an infinite God.

Deuteronomy 29:29 “The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.”

Where Christianity is concerned whether we can logically explain certain concepts or not, we must take certain things by faith…. (Faith !!! )God hasn’t revealed it then it is not for us to know and we must by faith accept that He has kept it hidden for our good. God has revealed enough of His Character and His purpose for us to fully trust Him. We know enough about Him and His purpose sufficient for our salvation. Our faith is not fanatical in that it is based on what has been revealed about Him throughout the ages (be it the bible, history, spirit of prophecy or testimonies..NB all these must be consistent). The BIBLE (basic instructions before leaving earth), I tell you what, some questions bother us, questions whose answer may not have a bearing on our salvation but if taken the wrong way may be an arsenal to create unnecessary doubt and mislead others. What has been revealed is sufficient for our salvation or enough to get us to heaven and if you have other questions that cannot be answered to your satisfaction here on earth then reserve them for when you meet your maker face to face, then maybe our mental faculties would have grown and we would have gotten a better understanding of the world around us and if you are still not satisfied with the heavenly answer...well you can always leave paradise LOL! That was a joke, but I bet even in paradise we will never fully understand the workings of an Infinite God.

Call them References

1 kings 8: 27 But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded?

Job 5: 8 I would seek unto God, and unto God would I commit my cause: 9 Which doeth great things and unsearchable; marvellous things without number:

Job 37: 5 God thundereth marvellously with his voice; great things doeth he, which we cannot comprehend.

Isaiah 55: 8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts

Romans 11: 33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! 34 For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?