When Peter wrote
about the traits of godliness or the fruit of the Spirit, he urged
that knowledge be added to our lives. Knowledge of God's will is and
always has been one of the most vital virtues among God's people.
Jesus said, "You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you
free" (John
8:32).
In the long ago God said, "My people are destroyed for lack of
knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject
you from being My priest. Since you have forgotten the law of your
God, I also will forget your children" (Hos. 4:6). When God
allowed the ten tribes to go into Assyrian captivity, it was because
of a lack of knowledge properly applied. When the people of Judah
were taken into Babylon, it was because of a lack of knowledge.
People refused to listen to men like Jeremiah. How vital knowledge
is!
What A Lack Of Knowledge
Does
1. A lack of knowledge keeps us in
spiritual slavery to Satan. When Jesus said, "You shall
know the truth, and the truth will make you free" (John
8:32),
the Jews responded, "We are Abraham's offspring and have never been
enslaved to anyone; how is it that you say, 'You shall become
free'?" Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone
who commits sin is the slave of sin" (vv. 33-34). They were
in spiritual bondage because of a lack of knowledge. I am sure that
there are multiplied thousands on earth today who are not Christians
because they do not know. They, too, are in bondage because of a
lack of knowledge. What a dynamic responsibility is placed upon the
Christian to carry the Lord's words of freedom to the lost so that
they might "come to the knowledge of the truth and be saved" (1
Tim. 2:4). Surely a lack of knowledge keeps us enslaved to the
devil.
2. A lack of knowledge causes us to be
lost. In 2 Thessalonians 2, Paul spoke of the lawless one
"whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to
an end by the appearance of His coming" (v. 8). This lawless
one works in complete harmony with Satan (v. 9). In Paul's
words he uses "all the deception of wickedness for those who perish"
(v. 10). Why would they be deceived? Why would they perish?
"Because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be
saved" (v. 10). Because they did not have the love of the
truth, "God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they
might believe what is false" (v. 11). The result of their
believing what is false is condemnation (v. 12). What is the
cure for this condition? A love for the truth that will cause us to
search for that truth, learn it, and live by it is the solution.
3. A lack of knowledge keeps us as
children tossed and carried by winds and waves. One
reason that Jesus gave gifts to the church - apostles, prophets,
evangelists, pastors and teachers - was to help us come to "the
knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man" (Eph. 4:11-13).
As a result of this knowledge, he says, "we are no longer to be
children, tossed here and there by waves, and carried about by every
wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful
scheming" (v. 14). So, a lack of knowledge would leave us as
children. It puts us in the position of being tossed by the waves
and carried about by the trickery and craftiness of scheming men.
This may well explain why "millions call him (the pope) 'holy
father."' It may well explain why millions are happy in
denominationalism. It can well explain why thousands of brethren
have no concept of Bible authority and therefore practice those
things which are unauthorized. They are deceived because of a lack
of knowledge.
4. A lack of knowledge keeps us from
being able to teach others. This was precisely the
situation described by the Hebrews writer in
5:12-14:
"For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need
again for some one to teach you the elementary principles of the
oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food.
For every one who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the
word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food is for the
mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern
good and evil. " They had been Christians long enough to be able to
teach others, but their lack of knowledge left them in the baby
class where milk had to be used rather than solid food. The church
is robbed of able teachers because some lack knowledge that they
should have gained. Souls may be robbed of salvation because someone
didn't teach them the way of life. How tragic indeed is a lack of
knowledge when that knowledge could have been gained!
5. A lack of knowledge causes us to be
ashamed. We often quote 2 Timothy 2:15: "Study to
show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be
ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." A failure to study
means that I will have a lack of knowledge. This will cause me shame
in not knowing God's will. It will cause me shame in not being able
to "give an answer for the hope that is in me." It will cause me
shame in not being able to guide my children properly. It will cause
me shame in not being able to be a fountain of spiritual wisdom for
my grandchildren. More than anything else, it will cause me shame
when I stand before the Lord on the day of judgment. Oh, how I need
to gain the knowledge of the Lord and his way!
How Knowledge Comes To Us
1. A person is not born with knowledge.
It is not a gift that can be bestowed at Christmas time or as a
birthday present. The Holy Spirit does not come down and zap us with
knowledge. Knowledge is acquired only by the use of our own mind in
that activity called study. Our minds are capable of so very much,
and yet we use them so very little. Psychologists tell us that we
only use 2 to 5 percent of our mental abilities. Oliver Wendell
Holmes said that the average person goes to his grave with his music
still in him. I am sure that this is true in our spiritual lives. We
could learn so very much about God and his word and yet we do not
apply ourselves. We remain spiritual pygmies when we could become
spiritual giants! The only way we can know God's word is by study.
There is no other way. That study may be in form of our own reading
of God's word and information about it or by our listening to others
and discussing it with them. But the truth is self-evident: we must
study in order to gain knowledge.
2. God commands us to study his word in
order that we may know his will. Peter tells us to be
"like newborn babes" and "long for the pure milk of the word, that
by it you may grow in respect to salvation" (1 Pet. 2:2). He
further said, "but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Pet.
3:18).
The need is evident; the order is clear: we must study the word!
3. We are inspired by some noble
examples of Bible study. The attitude of Cornelius is a
beautiful example of one's desire to learn the truth. He said, "Now
then, we are all here present before God to hear all that you have
been commanded by the Lord" (Acts
10:33).
Inspiration praises the people of Berea as being "noble" because
"they received the word with great eagerness, examining the
Scriptures daily, to see whether these things were so" (Acts
17:11).
Their quest for knowledge let them to the diligent effort necessary
to come to know God's will.
4. God places upon parents some heavy
responsibility along this line. In speaking to the
parents in Israel, he said:
"Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one! And you shall
love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul
and with all your might. And these words, which I am commanding you
today, shall be on your heart; and you shall teach them diligently
to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and
when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up.
And you shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as
frontals on your forehead. And you shall write them on the doorposts
of your house and on your gates (Deut. 6:4-9).
Parents today have a grave responsibility resting upon their
shoulders. They are responsible for teaching children honesty,
purity, dedication, and faithfulness is worship. They are
responsible for guiding their children into sexual purity. We cannot
leave it to the church or to the schools. So many parents have
abandoned their sacred trust! We must restore to parents their
allegiance to God and their children. How mighty is the call to
parents to impart spiritual knowledge to children!
Truly, knowledge comes only through the learning process. It is up
to us as to how much we learn and know.
III. Some Things We Must
Know
1. We must know God. In
fact, those who do not know God are in the group of those who will
be banished from the presence of the Lord and the glory of his power
(2 Thess. 1:7-9). Paul's intent in his precisely logical
presentation on Mars Hill was to produce the knowledge of God in
order that man may "seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him
and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us" (Acts
17:22-30). It is a lack of knowledge of God that causes the bulk
of the immorality in the world. Paul said that we are not to live
"in lustful passion, like the Gentiles who do not know God" (1
Thess. 4:5). We can only come to know God through his revelation
of himself in his word. True, in nature we can know that there is a
supreme being, but we cannot know who he is or what his
characteristics are. Only by divine revelation can we know God and
that revelation is the Bible (1 Cor. 2:9-13). To know God, we
must study his word. The proof of our knowing God is seen in our
keeping his commandments. "And by this we know that we have come to
know Him, if we keep His commandments. The one who says, 'I have
come to know Him,' and does not keep His commandments is a liar, and
the truth is not in him; but whoever keeps His word, in him the love
of God has truly been perfected" (1 John 2:3-5).
2. We must know Jesus. Paul's desire
was to know him (Jesus) and the power of his resurrection
(Phil.
3:10).
John wrote, "Many other signs therefore Jesus also performed in the
presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but
these have been written that you may believe that Jesus is the
Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His
name" (John 20:30-31). Thus, we come to know Jesus just as we
come to know God -through the revelation that is given to us in the
Bible. It is only by knowing Jesus that we can have the salvation
that is made possible by his death, burial and resurrection. Paul
tells us of the gospel which he preached "by which also you are
saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you
believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what
I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the
Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the
third day according to the Scriptures" (1 Cor. 15:1-4). We
must know that Jesus was born of a virgin (Luke 1:26-38),
that he did signs and wonders among the people (John 20:30-31),
that he died for me, that he was raised for my justification
(Rom. 4:25), that he ascended into Heaven to sit at God's right
hand where he reigns over his kingdom (Eph. 1:19-23; 1 Cor.
15:24-26) and ever lives to make reconciliation for the sins of
his people (Heb. 7:25). When I come to know him, I win only
want to love him and serve him as the King of kings and Lord of
lords (Rev. 19:16).
3. We must know the truth.
Only by our knowing the truth can we be made free from sin (John
8:32).
The reason that "the man of sin" could deceive so many people was
that "they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved"
(2 Thess.
2:10).
The reason that many people "go onward and abide not in the doctrine
of Christ" (2 John 9) is that they often do not know the
truth. If I love the truth, I will diligently seek to know it so
that I can live by it.
The writer of the majestic Psalm 119 is a dynamic example to
us of love for the truth of God's word. As he uses the Hebrew
alphabet to label each section, in practically every verse he uses a
term that refers to the law of God. Observe:
v. 11: Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not
sin against thee.
v. 14: I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much
as in all riches.
v. 16: I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not
forget thy word.
v. 24: Thy testimonies also are my delight, and my
counselors.
v. 47: I will delight myself in thy commandments, which I
have loved.
v. 72: The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands
of gold and silver.
v. 97: O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day.
v. 105: Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my
path.
v. 140: Thy word is very pure: therefore thy servant loveth
it.
Our need is to develop this same kind of love for the truth. Then we
will diligently seek it.
4. I must know the truth about
salvation. In very simple language Jesus sets forth his
plan of salvation in such passages as Matthew 28:18-20, Mark
16:15-16, and Luke 24:47.
We should have little trouble understanding it. It is tragic that
these demagogues of religious theology have concocted ways of
salvation that are not in God's book and deceive the hearts of the
simple with such teachings as "faith only," "give your heart to
Jesus as we pray, " etc. Jesus teaches that we must hear the gospel,
believe it, repent, and be baptized in order to be saved or receive
the remission of sins. Not only did he set it forth very plainly,
but we see it consistently in action in the book of Acts. In
the second chapter Peter tells his inquiring listeners to
"repent and be baptized for the remission of sins" (v. 38).
In every case of conversion we see the same plan in operation. Now,
I must know this truth in order to be saved. I cannot be
scripturally baptized without knowing the purpose of that baptism
(Col. 2:12). Knowing and obeying his truth will make me free
from sin.
5. We must know how to live. The purpose of divine
revelation is to teach us how to live our lives in this world. Paul
wrote Timothy in order that men might "know how to behave themselves
in the house of God" (1 Tim.
3:14-15).
The Lord's message teaches us to "live soberly, righteously, and
godly in this present world (Tit.
2:11-12).
And "as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war
against the soul" (1 Pet.
2:11-12).
The character of God and of Jesus is revealed in the Bible. My goal
is to become as God is. Therefore, I must know how to live and I can
do that only as I know his truth.
6. We must know God's promises.
We five in a world where there are temptations, discouragements, and
numerous hindrances to godly living. We need motivations to keep on
living as God desires. Some of the greatest motivations are the
"exceeding great and precious promises of God" (2 Pet. 1:4).
When temptations come, when discouragements weigh heavy upon us, the
promises of God will sustain us. He has said that he will never
leave us (Heb. 13:5-6). He has said that "all things work
together for good to those who love God" (Rom.
8:28).
He has said that we will have a gloriously new body in Heaven (2
Cor. 5:1-2). He has promised eternal life (Tit. 1:2).
When we know and believe these promises, we have the incentive to
keep on keeping on. We have the positive assurance that our labor is
not in vain in the Lord (I Cor.
15:58).
Let us loam and rely on the promises of God.
IV. Our Knowledge Must Be
Connected With Doing
Our reason for learning the truths of the Bible is not that we might
be a "walking encyclopedia." It is not that we might be a master at
Bible trivia. We learn that we may do. Jesus said that the man who
heard and would not do is like the foolish man who built his house
on the sand (Matt.
7:24-28).
James gives us the graphic picture of one who looks in the mirror
and then forgets what he saw and then compares the forgetful hearer
to such a foolish one (Jas. 1:22-25). We must be doers of the
word. John tells us how we truly come to know God. He says, "And
hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments"
(1 John 2:3). He goes on to say that a person who claimed to
know and did not keep his commandments is a liar (v. 4). Our
whole purpose in gaining the knowledge of God is to five as he wants
us to live (1 Pet.
1:16).
Once again we look to the Psalmist as he spoke of applying truth to
life in Psalms 119.
v. 33: Teach me, O Lord, the way of thy statutes, and I shall
keep it unto the end.
v. 34: Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea,
I shall observe it with my whole heart.
v. 112: I have inclined mine heart to perform thy statutes
alway, even unto the end.
As a result of following God's way we can say as the psalmist said:
"Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend
them" (v. 165). May we come to have the kind of knowledge in
our hearts that will make us free and will keep us in the pathway of
righteousness all the days of our lives.
