The concept of being "reasonable" in the Bible is closely associated with wisdom, discernment, and a spirit of understanding. It is a quality that reflects the character of God and is encouraged among believers as they interact with one another and the world.

Biblical Foundation

The term "reasonable" is not frequently used in most English translations of the Bible, but the underlying principles are evident throughout Scripture. The Berean Standard Bible emphasizes the importance of reasonableness in the life of a believer, particularly in the context of wisdom and understanding.

Wisdom and Understanding

Proverbs 2:9-11 states, "Then you will discern righteousness and justice and equity—every good path. For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will delight your soul. Discretion will watch over you, and understanding will guard you." Here, reasonableness is linked to the discernment of righteousness and justice, suggesting that a reasonable person is one who seeks to understand and apply God's wisdom in their life.

Gentleness and Reasonableness

In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul encourages believers to exhibit a spirit of gentleness and reasonableness. Philippians 4:5 says, "Let your gentleness be apparent to all. The Lord is near." The Greek word translated as "gentleness" can also be understood as "reasonableness" or "moderation," indicating a balanced and fair approach in dealing with others.

Reason in Worship

Romans 12:1 provides insight into the concept of reasonableness in worship: "Therefore I urge you, brothers, on account of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, which is your spiritual service of worship." The phrase "spiritual service" can also be translated as "reasonable service," suggesting that true worship involves a rational and thoughtful response to God's mercy.

Reasonableness in Discourse

The Apostle Peter advises believers to be prepared to give a reasoned defense of their faith. 1 Peter 3:15 instructs, "But in your hearts sanctify Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give a defense to everyone who asks you the reason for the hope that is in you. But respond with gentleness and respect." This passage highlights the importance of being reasonable and respectful in discussions about faith, ensuring that one's defense is both logical and compassionate.

Practical Application

In practical terms, being reasonable involves a commitment to truth, a willingness to listen, and an openness to dialogue. It requires humility and a recognition of one's own limitations, as well as a reliance on God's wisdom. James 3:17 describes the wisdom from above as "first of all pure, then peaceable, gentle, accommodating, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial, and sincere." Reasonableness, therefore, is a reflection of divine wisdom that seeks peace and understanding in all interactions.

Conclusion

The biblical call to be reasonable is a call to embody the wisdom and character of God in every aspect of life. It is an invitation to engage with others thoughtfully and respectfully, always seeking to reflect the love and truth of Christ.1. (n.) Having the faculty of reason; endued with reason; rational; as, a reasonable being.

2. (n.) Governed by reason; being under the influence of reason; thinking, speaking, or acting rationally, or according to the dictates of reason; agreeable to reason; just; rational; as, the measure must satisfy all reasonable men.

3. (n.) Not excessive or immoderate; within due limits; proper; as, a reasonable demand, amount, price.

4. (adv.) Reasonably; tolerably.

REASON; REASONABLE; REASONING

re'-z'n, re'-z'n-a-b'l, re'-z'n-ing (yakhach, etc.; logos, dialogizomai, -ismos, etc.): "Reason" with related terms, has a diversity of meanings, representing a large number of Hebrew and Greek words and phrases. In the sense of "cause" or "occasion" it stands in 1 Kings 9:15 for dabhar, "a word" (the Revised Version margin "account"), but in most cases renders prepositional forms as "from," "with," "because of," "for the sake," etc. As the ground or argument for anything, it is the translation of ta`am (Proverbs 26:16, the Revised Version margin "answers discreetly"), of yakhach, as in Isaiah 1:18, "Come now, and let us reason together" (compare Job 13:3; Job 15:3); in 1 Samuel 12:7, the word is shaphaT, the Revised Version (British and American) "that I may plead," etc. The principal Greek words for "reason," "reasoning," are those given above. The Christian believer is to be ready to give a reason (logos) for the hope that is in him (1 Peter 3:15 the King James Version). "Reason" as a human faculty or in the abstract sense appears in Apocrypha in The Wisdom of Solomon 17:12 (logismos); Ecclesiasticus 37:16, "Let reason (logos) go before every enterprise," the Revised Version (British and American) "be the beginning of every work." In Acts 18:14, "reason would" is literally, kata logon, "according to reason"; in Romans 12:1, for "reasonable (logikos) service," the Revised Version (British and American) has "spiritual," and in the margin "Greek `belonging to the reason.' " In the Revised Version (British and American) "reason," etc., occurs much oftener than in the King James Version (compare Leviticus 17:11 Deuteronomy 28:47 Judges 5:22 Job 20:2; Job 23:7, etc.; Luke 3:15; Luke 12:17 Acts 17:17, etc.).

W. L. Walker

3050. logikos -- reasonable, rational
... reasonable, rational. Part of Speech: Adjective Transliteration: logikos Phonetic
Spelling: (log-ik-os') Short Definition: reasonable, rational, metaphorical ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3050.htm - 7k

1933. epieikes -- seemly, equitable, yielding
... Speech: Adjective Transliteration: epieikes Phonetic Spelling: (ep-ee-i-kace') Short
Definition: gentle, mild, forbearing, fair, reasonable Definition: gentle ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1933.htm - 7k

2138b. eupeithes -- ready to obey
... ready to obey. Transliteration: eupeithes Short Definition: reasonable. Word Origin
from eu and peitho Definition ready to obey NASB Word Usage reasonable (1). ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2138b.htm - 5k

1598. ekpeirazo -- to test thoroughly, tempt
... unwarranted) degree; "hyper-test," going to improper measures which exceed appropriate
boundaries and pushing the one tested beyond reasonable (proper) limits. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1598.htm - 7k

1932. epieikeia -- fairness, gentleness
... Cognate: 1932 (from 1909 , ", fitting," which intensifies , "reasonable,
fair, equitable," ) -- justice-beyond-justice"). 1932 ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1932.htm - 7k

5198. hugiaino -- to be sound, healthy
... hugiaino Phonetic Spelling: (hoog-ee-ah'-ee-no) Short Definition: I am well Definition:
I am well, am in good health; I am right, reasonable, sound, pure ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5198.htm - 8k

3056. logos -- a word (as embodying an idea), a statement, a ...
... have to do (1), instruction (1), length* (1), matter (4), matters (1), message
(10), news (3), preaching (1), question (2), reason (2), reasonable (1), remark ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3056.htm - 8k

3190. yatab -- to be good, well, glad, or pleasing
... 1), please the better (1), pleased (2), pleased* (9), pleases* (1), pleasing (2),
prosper (4), reform (1), seemed good (2), seemed reasonable (1), seems (1 ...
/hebrew/3190.htm - 7k

A Reasonable Service
... A REASONABLE SERVICE. TEXT: "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies
of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice ...
//christianbookshelf.org/chapman/and judas iscariot/a reasonable service.htm

Reasonable Rapture
... VOLUME II: PSALMS LI to CXLV REASONABLE RAPTURE. 'Whom have I in heaven but Thee?
and there is none upon earth that I desire besides Thee.26. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture j/reasonable rapture.htm

The Reasonable Prayer.
... SERMON XII. THE REASONABLE PRAYER. PSALM CXIX.33, 94. O Lord, teach me
Thy statutes, and I shall keep them to the end. I am Thine ...
/.../kingsley/westminster sermons/sermon xii the reasonable prayer.htm

Faith, or Reasonable and Effective Belief in God, Proceeds...
... III. Faith, or reasonable and effective belief in God, proceeds? Faith, or
reasonable and effective belief in God, proceeds, undoubtedly ...
/.../lamartine/atheism among the people/iii faith or reasonable and.htm

Whether it is Reasonable in the Platonists to Determine that the ...
... Chapter 16."Whether It is Reasonable in the Platonists to Determine that the Celestial
Gods Decline Contact with Earthly Things and Intercourse with Men, Who ...
/.../augustine/city of god/chapter 16 whether it is reasonable.htm

Whether it is Reasonable to Separate Janus and Terminus as Two ...
... Book VII. Chapter 7."Whether It is Reasonable to Separate Janus and Terminus as
Two Distinct Deities. Who, then, is Janus, with whom Varro commences? ...
/.../augustine/city of god/chapter 7 whether it is reasonable.htm

Whether There was any Reasonable Cause for the Ceremonial ...
... OF THE CAUSES OF THE CEREMONIAL PRECEPTS (SIX ARTICLES) Whether there was any
reasonable cause for the ceremonial observances? Objection ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether there was any reasonable.htm

He Compares this Notion and Reasonable Suspicion of the Devil with ...
... He compares this notion and reasonable suspicion of the devil with the obstinate
and inflexible idea of his opponents, and shows that this last is worse and ...
/.../cassian/the seven books of john cassian /chapter xii he compares this.htm

Egyptian Idolatry More Reasonable than Others.
... Book V. Chapter XXI."Egyptian Idolatry More Reasonable Than Others. When
Peter was speaking thus, all we who heard him laughed. ...
/.../recognitions of clement /chapter xxi egyptian idolatry more reasonable.htm

Whether the Cause Assigned for the Production of the Lights is ...
... OF THE WORK OF ADORNMENT, AS REGARDS THE FOURTH DAY (THREE ARTICLES) Whether the
cause assigned for the production of the lights is reasonable? ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether the cause assigned for.htm

Reasonable (6 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (n.) Having the faculty of reason; endued with reason;
rational; as, a reasonable being. ... REASON; REASONABLE; REASONING. ...
/r/reasonable.htm - 11k

Reasonableness (1 Occurrence)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (n.) Quality of being reasonable. Multi-Version
Concordance Reasonableness (1 Occurrence). Acts 26:25 But ...
/r/reasonableness.htm - 6k

Reasoning (37 Occurrences)
... when arranged and developed; course of argument. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia.
REASON; REASONABLE; REASONING. re'-z'n, re'-z'nab'l ...
/r/reasoning.htm - 19k

Names (133 Occurrences)
... by the plural. It is not reasonable, therefore, to assume that plurality
of form indicates primitive Semitic polytheism. On the ...
/n/names.htm - 101k

Reason (438 Occurrences)
... the causes of the librations of the moon. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia.
REASON; REASONABLE; REASONING. re'-z'n, re'-z'nab'l, re ...
/r/reason.htm - 39k

Graecia
... Whether the present rainfall differs much in amount from that of antiquity is a
matter in dispute, although it seems reasonable to assume that the progressive ...
/g/graecia.htm - 21k

Noah (55 Occurrences)
... wide, 49 1/3 ft. deep. It is extremely improbable that such reasonable dimensions
should have been assigned to the Ark except they were based on fact. ...
/n/noah.htm - 66k

Vicious (3 Occurrences)
... Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, "If indeed it were a
matter of wrong or of wicked crime, you Jews, it would be reasonable that I ...
/v/vicious.htm - 7k

Upharsin (1 Occurrence)
... That Daniel's interpretation was accepted by Belshazzar and the rest shows that
the interpretation of the signs was reasonable and convincing when once it had ...
/u/upharsin.htm - 11k

Unwavering (4 Occurrences)
... James 3:17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceful, gentle,
reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without ...
/u/unwavering.htm - 7k

Is there a conclusive argument for the existence of God? | GotQuestions.org

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Reasonable: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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