Knowledge is Power

"You've only been a christian for such a short time, how can you know so much"?

I was asked this question by a young girl many many eons ago. As she spoke the words I welled up with pride("Knowledge puffs up"?). I immediately repented and prayed to God, "Oh Lord, please help me to not be prideful. I only have what you have given me. Help me to share that knowledge".

Could it be possible that we live in a culture that worships both knowledge and ignorance at the same time? Could it be possible that this problem has infiltrated the 'church'?

I don't mean that we worship both simultaneously, but that different major groups within our churches worship one or the other.

I don't think it is only possible, but it is a fact. I have experienced it, read about it and done it myself.

On the one side we have ignorance. What do they say?
"I don't know all that theology stuff, I just love Jesus".
It's easy to spot this idea and it is obviously a bad place to be.

But what does it look like when we make gathering information a form of religion? A type of pseudo-spirituality?
What did it look like for the Pharisees? It was pretty bad wasn't it? They thought they knew everything and yet Jesus, knowing their hearts, exposed their hypocrisy.
Jesus told the people, “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat, so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practice".
Jesus said they know the right things, but they do not practice what they preach.

And how did the Pharisees use their knowledge? Like a weapon. Knowledge is power.

Our knowledge exceeds our obedience

This statement means that we know what to do, but we don't do it. Pretty simple. But why? Why don't we do what we know to do?
Why didn't the Pharisees do what they knew to do? Hard hearts? Rebellious hearts? Sinful hearts?

What is our knowledge suppose to do?
"the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ"
Our knowledge of God is suppose to lead us to Christ. In other words, our knowledge is suppose to crush us under the weight of our sin and lead us to Christ, our Saviour. When we find Christ, we are to submit to Him and obey His commandments. Jesus promises the Holy Spirit to accomplish this for us and through us.

How could we, believers, born again by the Holy Spirit, ever get prideful about our knowledge? It happens. Pride is a powerful sin. Knowledge is power and pride comes when we wield that power over others.

And don't think just because you are "dumb", or so you think, that you are free from this trap. You will either fall into the anti-intellectual trap--or--you will ALWAYS find someone dumber than you.

"if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted"

Watch yourself, nobody is immune from the plague of pride.

Teachers

I heard a guy from India, while he was preaching to believers at a bible teaching church say that, "If you attend this gathering for six months, you are qualified to be a theologian, a bible teacher, in a third world country".
Think about that. On the one hand, we can study and learn from God's word for our entire lives, but yet, how much does one need to know to teach others and continue learning "the rest" while they teach?

I used to be a flight instructor. I was thrust into the teacher's seat the day after I graduated helicopter school.
That's crazy, you might say, but I think it is a great way to pass on knowledge. I was still learning as I was teaching, but I had plenty of raw knowledge to pass along to others.

What is the purpose of a teacher anyway? Won't we eventually learn everything on our own? Yes, we will. A teacher's job is to accelerate the learning process. If your student doesn't learn faster because of you--you are not a good teacher. Either that or they don't care to learn. Either situation is not good.
How many bad teachers and how many bad students do you think we have in our 'churches'? How many graduates do we have?
How many times do we have to hear, "Go and make disciples" and yet still we don't do it? How many bible studies will we attend and yet not act? How many sermons will we listen to and yet not obey?

Paul described some unbelievers and trouble makers this way, "always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth".

What does it take to get us to USE the knowledge we have? Not as a weapon, but as a life changing message?
Are we embarrassed by the message? Do we actually believe the message? How much knowledge do we need before we will do something?
A brand new believer has the same Holy Spirit dwelling within him as the seasoned believer. Can he teach?

Paul put forth this challenge to the believers at Corinth. Why don't we challenge ourselves?

"Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you—unless indeed you fail the test"?

"Jesus Christ is in you". By the Holy Spirit dwelling inside of us--Jesus lives!
Let's ask God to cause a revival in our hearts. Really--ask Him. Right now when you finish this, pray that God would cause a revival in our hearts and we would begin afresh walking in obedience to Christ and His commands. Let's put all our knowledge to good use.

Song:
Drawing Near