The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe…
"Acquisition, Application"
Merely understanding truth, even God's truth, does not greatly benefit us, and may in fact do great injury to our souls. We must rather focus on application, particularly in matters of the Spirit and Truth of the Lord Jesus Christ.
"Knowledge puffeth up" (I Corinthians 8:1).
"Be ye doers of the Word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves" (James 1:22).
Knowledge apart from a trusting heart of submission to the glory of God fills the deceived mind with a poisonous vapor of deception. The Great White Throne judgment of unbelievers and the Judgment Seat of Christ for believers will not involve the evaluation of our intellect and knowledge, but rather of our heart and response to the truth of God. Certainly such response involves the determination to grow in our understanding. We cannot believe and perform Truth we do not know. However, James warns us of self-deception if we seek spiritual information for the sake of acquisition rather than application.
The Lord forbade Adam and Eve to partake of the tree of knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 2:17). He purposed that they look to Him for what they needed to know of good and evil, with a willing heart of faith and submission based first and foremost on relationship with Himself. Merely knowing good and evil led to destruction in Adam and Eve, and subsequently, in their progeny through the ages. The same is true for us. Knowledge for the sake of knowledge accomplishes no good, and does much harm. We are more than our brains, much more. "Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life" (Proverbs 4:23). Solomon references the deepest part of our being as the true crux of our existence, namely, the heart where we determine to respond to truth known, either in trusting devotion to the glory and will of God, or in turning away to follow carnal and devilish influences. Herein Truth acquired becomes Truth applied. Or it does not.
"With all thy getting, get understanding" declared Solomon (Proverbs 4:7). Were this the extent of the wise man's counsel, we might think that godliness merely involves the mind. Through Solomon, however, our Lord calls us to do something with our understanding. "Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established" (Proverbs 4:26). Through Christ, we can and must do more than simply know and acquire God's truth. We must believe and apply ourselves to walking therein…
"It is God which worketh in you both to will and do of His good pleasure."
(Philippians 2:13)
Weekly Memory Verse
For unto us a child is born unto us a Son is given, and the government shall be upon His shoulder. And His name shall be called wonderful, counselor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the prince of peace.
(Isaiah 9:6)
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