Mark 11:31 (KJV) ³¹ And they reasoned with themselves,  . . .  source

And that’s where they went wrong —-

Allow me to give you a little background.  In this chapter, it was Jesus’ final week in Jerusalem prior to His Crucifixion. The people celebrated His triumphant entry into the City; the Scribes and Chief Priests questioned Him, trying to find fault in Him.  When we arrive at verse 31 they have asked Him a question and He has wisely responded with a question. 

Hence, they reasoned among themselves and determined they would be unable to answer His question. They took the 5th we might say.

It is the same for us, as long as we take the 5th refusing to incriminate or shall we say refusing to own our incrimination, we will never know the truth. Nor shall we be enabled to answer GOD’s call when He says:

¹⁸ “Come now, let us reason together,” says Adonai. “Though your sins be like scarlet, they will be as white as snow. Though they be red like crimson, they will become like wool. Isaiah 1:18 (TLV)  source. 

^{I John 1: 9} If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (KJV)  source

^{I John 1: 8} If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. (KJV)  source 

The owning of our sin, I suppose, is the hardest of all things in this life to do.  But if we want fellowship with the GOD of CREATION, we will.

 I John 1: ³ What we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so you may have fellowship with us. Indeed, our fellowship is with the Father and His Son, Yeshua the Messiah. (TLV)  source 

I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you [us] with inner strength through his Spirit. bracketed mine Ephesians 3:16 (NLT) source

Post Script:  Let us not go wrong as did they reasoning among themselves —- Let us learn to make the Scriptures our plumb line for reasoning a response to the many questions of our day.  

Kathie