"The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge, the ears of the wise seek it" (Prov. 18:15, NIV).
The heart was the center of thinking and decisions making. The discerning person, or individual of good judgment, acquires (learns over time) knowledge. Knowledge is intellectual understanding. It is comprehension of what truly is. The ears of the wise seek knowledge. Those who are truly wise want to learn.
Why does Solomon state such an obvious truth? The wise have knowledge seems like such a, "Well, Duh!" statement. Of course, the wise have knowledge. What is your point, Solomon?
Here are some truths we can glean from Solomon's insight:
1. Knowledge is possible, that is, there is a truth to be known.
2. The reason so few "know" it is because so few seek it.
3. Knowing doesn't come without effort.
4. Wise people are always ready to learn.
5. Wise people measure or test everything they learn against the standard of truth.
6. Solomon is exposing a pattern to imitate.
7. The wise are storehouse of sound advise.
8. We should surround ourselves with the wise.
9. We should seek to become wise.
Open your ears to the voice of truth, and you will acquire knowledge. May your heart grown in discernment as you seek knowledge.
Showing posts with label Knowledge. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Knowledge. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Knowledge Is Power
In 2 Peter 1:5, Peter commands us to add knowledge to our goodness. In 2 Peter 3:18, he commands us to grow in grace (favor) and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. The commands prompt us to consider knowledge?
What is knowledge? Knowledge is the sum of all we know. There are many streams of knowledge. They derive from every field of study (and interest). Knowledge can be categorized in three ways: factual knowledge (what we know we know without a doubt), theoretical knowledge (what we think we know, but could be wrong), and false knowledge (what we know, but is definitely untrue).
Peter speaks of a specific field of knowledge. The knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. But what does that knowledge encompass? It covers all biblical knowledge and theology.
Here are five things we need to remember about the knowledge of Jesus Christ:
What is knowledge? Knowledge is the sum of all we know. There are many streams of knowledge. They derive from every field of study (and interest). Knowledge can be categorized in three ways: factual knowledge (what we know we know without a doubt), theoretical knowledge (what we think we know, but could be wrong), and false knowledge (what we know, but is definitely untrue).
Peter speaks of a specific field of knowledge. The knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. But what does that knowledge encompass? It covers all biblical knowledge and theology.
Here are five things we need to remember about the knowledge of Jesus Christ:
- The knowledge of Christ is the starting point of faith. A person must hear about God and Christ before they come to faith. (see Rom. 10:13-17)
- The knowledge of Christ is the heart of every prayer. Even the Lord's prayer points us to pursue the knowledge of Christ (see Eph. 3:14-21; Col. 1:9-14).
- The knowledge of Christ is the goal of every ministry. Everyone who serves Christ labors to see others come to him (see Eph. 4:11-13; Col. 1:28-29).
- The knowledge of Christ enables self-control.
- The knowledge of Christ fuels perseverance.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Warning: Knowledge Increases Sorrow
"For in much wisdom is much vexation, and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow" (Ecc. 1:18, ESV).
The pursuit of wisdom and knowledge can never be ends in themselves. It is not sufficient to "be wise" or to "have knowledge." These sorts of pursuits leave one puffed up with pride. With knowledge comes the expectation of correct response. Or to quote Uncle Ben, from Spider-Man, "With great power comes great responsibility."
Solomon initially pursued wisdom with the end of rightly leading God's people fixed in his sight. However, after his wisdom became known, he began trying to increase his wisdom for the sake of having wisdom. His focus shifted from glorifying God to glorifying himself.
His knowledge of the proper response to God, burdened him with guilt. Solomon's disobedience was costly, not only to himself, but his family and his nation. The more you know, the more you have reason to grieve. Knowledge burdens the learner with expectations, but the pursuit of knowledge often floods the mind with contradictory information that must be sorted out, and which can blind you to the truth.
That is not to say that one should never study or never seek to learn. I believe Solomon is saying that we need to know why we are learning (for God's glory), how it will help us to serve him, and why study should be approached with great care. Failure to discern between truth and opinion disguised as "fact," can be very destructive.
Let's say that you don't know that starving children are dying in Karzy*. One day you come upon a startling statistic that says 65% of all the children in Karzy will die of malnutrition before they reach the age of three. You check all the references and discover that the statistic is true. Now you have knowledge that increases your sorrow.
There are at least two ways it increases your sorrow. First, you are made aware of the fact that children are starving to death in a foreign land. Unless you're some kind of heartless monster, that fact should disturb you in some way. Second, you now have the responsibility to do something. Prior to discovering the fact you were blissful in your ignorance, and you had no moral duty. However, upon learning about the situation you become morally responsible, before God, to help the starving children.
Knowledge is power, and power brings responsibility. If we are to live in a way that please our King, we will continue to learn, and act upon what we learn. Learning for any other purpose, will only weary the learner.
*Karzy is a fictional place, however starving children are a reality in our world.
The pursuit of wisdom and knowledge can never be ends in themselves. It is not sufficient to "be wise" or to "have knowledge." These sorts of pursuits leave one puffed up with pride. With knowledge comes the expectation of correct response. Or to quote Uncle Ben, from Spider-Man, "With great power comes great responsibility."
Solomon initially pursued wisdom with the end of rightly leading God's people fixed in his sight. However, after his wisdom became known, he began trying to increase his wisdom for the sake of having wisdom. His focus shifted from glorifying God to glorifying himself.
His knowledge of the proper response to God, burdened him with guilt. Solomon's disobedience was costly, not only to himself, but his family and his nation. The more you know, the more you have reason to grieve. Knowledge burdens the learner with expectations, but the pursuit of knowledge often floods the mind with contradictory information that must be sorted out, and which can blind you to the truth.
That is not to say that one should never study or never seek to learn. I believe Solomon is saying that we need to know why we are learning (for God's glory), how it will help us to serve him, and why study should be approached with great care. Failure to discern between truth and opinion disguised as "fact," can be very destructive.
Let's say that you don't know that starving children are dying in Karzy*. One day you come upon a startling statistic that says 65% of all the children in Karzy will die of malnutrition before they reach the age of three. You check all the references and discover that the statistic is true. Now you have knowledge that increases your sorrow.
There are at least two ways it increases your sorrow. First, you are made aware of the fact that children are starving to death in a foreign land. Unless you're some kind of heartless monster, that fact should disturb you in some way. Second, you now have the responsibility to do something. Prior to discovering the fact you were blissful in your ignorance, and you had no moral duty. However, upon learning about the situation you become morally responsible, before God, to help the starving children.
Knowledge is power, and power brings responsibility. If we are to live in a way that please our King, we will continue to learn, and act upon what we learn. Learning for any other purpose, will only weary the learner.
*Karzy is a fictional place, however starving children are a reality in our world.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
A Worthy Thought
The fear of the LORD
is
the beginning of knowledge;
fools despise
wisdom and instruction.
Proverbs 1:7, ESV
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Zeal and Knowledge
"I bear them witness that they have zeal for God, but not according to knowledge" (Rom. 10:2, ESV).
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary defines zeal: eager and ardent interest in the pursuit of something. In other words, it is to chase after something with intense passion. Paul states that the Israelites ardently pursued God, but not knowledge. In the end their pursuit failed to find God, because they were ignorant of where to look. They thought that they could find God by doing acts of righteousness. Yet, they needed God's righteousness, which can only be found through faith in Christ, in order to find God.
In this verse, and its immediate context, Paul reveals an important principle. The principle, simply stated, is that it is dangerous to possess zeal without knowledge. It is a marvelous thing to pursue the right thing with all one's passion, but it is a foolish thing thing to put all of one's passion into the wrong thing. In the context of this passage, Paul stresses the fact that these individuals assumed that relationship with God rested in their ability to be righteous. Paul explains that their logic is flawed, because the only true righteousness that God excepts is Christ's righteousness, which he give to believers.
All of their energy was spent on doing the right things and saying the right things, instead of believing the right things. All of their labor was rooted in a misunderstanding in the fundamental character of God. They were pursuing a God they could control, a God whose holiness they could match by their human effort. But they God they pursued was a no-god. He didn't exist.
It is easy for us to judge the people Paul wrote about, but we must be careful not to do so. In actuality, they are not so different from us. If we are not careful, we might find ourselves crafting a God that we can impress (and potentially manipulate by our good deeds). If we are not diligent to search the Scriptures, through faith in Christ, we to may misunderstand God and find ourselves zealous, but ignorant.
Ignorance should never be the norm for believers. Because the Lord had revealed his mind to us through Scripture, and given us the Holy Spirit as an ever-present guide and teacher, we must continually adjust our thinking as we come to understand more and more of the Bible. We must zeal, but it must be accompanied with knowledge. We must be certain that what we pursue with all our passion is indeed the one true and living God. Where ignorant zeal brings death and destruction, informed zeal brings life and liberation.
Ask yourself: "Am I zealous?" and "Is my zeal according to knowledge?". The truth of the gospel compels us to be consumed with zeal for the glory of the Lord. Too high a price was paid for our redemption to allow our passion to be diverted from his righteous glory and gracious mercy. We should be zealous, and that zeal should be informed (and fueled) by the gospel. The crucified Servant is the resurrected King. He has made life possible for us, if we will only believe. And that is something to ardently pursue.
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary defines zeal: eager and ardent interest in the pursuit of something. In other words, it is to chase after something with intense passion. Paul states that the Israelites ardently pursued God, but not knowledge. In the end their pursuit failed to find God, because they were ignorant of where to look. They thought that they could find God by doing acts of righteousness. Yet, they needed God's righteousness, which can only be found through faith in Christ, in order to find God.
In this verse, and its immediate context, Paul reveals an important principle. The principle, simply stated, is that it is dangerous to possess zeal without knowledge. It is a marvelous thing to pursue the right thing with all one's passion, but it is a foolish thing thing to put all of one's passion into the wrong thing. In the context of this passage, Paul stresses the fact that these individuals assumed that relationship with God rested in their ability to be righteous. Paul explains that their logic is flawed, because the only true righteousness that God excepts is Christ's righteousness, which he give to believers.
All of their energy was spent on doing the right things and saying the right things, instead of believing the right things. All of their labor was rooted in a misunderstanding in the fundamental character of God. They were pursuing a God they could control, a God whose holiness they could match by their human effort. But they God they pursued was a no-god. He didn't exist.
It is easy for us to judge the people Paul wrote about, but we must be careful not to do so. In actuality, they are not so different from us. If we are not careful, we might find ourselves crafting a God that we can impress (and potentially manipulate by our good deeds). If we are not diligent to search the Scriptures, through faith in Christ, we to may misunderstand God and find ourselves zealous, but ignorant.
Ignorance should never be the norm for believers. Because the Lord had revealed his mind to us through Scripture, and given us the Holy Spirit as an ever-present guide and teacher, we must continually adjust our thinking as we come to understand more and more of the Bible. We must zeal, but it must be accompanied with knowledge. We must be certain that what we pursue with all our passion is indeed the one true and living God. Where ignorant zeal brings death and destruction, informed zeal brings life and liberation.
Ask yourself: "Am I zealous?" and "Is my zeal according to knowledge?". The truth of the gospel compels us to be consumed with zeal for the glory of the Lord. Too high a price was paid for our redemption to allow our passion to be diverted from his righteous glory and gracious mercy. We should be zealous, and that zeal should be informed (and fueled) by the gospel. The crucified Servant is the resurrected King. He has made life possible for us, if we will only believe. And that is something to ardently pursue.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)