KNOWLEDGE FOR PROGRESS

The world can be divided into two broad categories, using knowledge as a parameter – those that know; and those that do not know. Christianity is primarily about knowing. In the mundane, what makes someone better, what gives an edge or superiority is usually the insight, understanding or knowledge he possesses. This is why they say knowledge is power. If you are ignorant, you are marginalized. Ignorance is not an excuse. Knowledge places you above the rest. Little wonder Moses desired to know God’s ways, while all the other Israelites knew were His acts (Ex 33:13). He understood the fundamental importance of the knowledge of God. The bible places a high premium on knowledge and the Church must never desist from this biblical prescription – that is why churches that recognize this always recommend that Christians should know.

Some, perhaps due to disillusionment with those possessed with great quantum of knowledge, not living by it, erroneously  endorse ignorance. Ignorance is however never a viable alternative. Some express similar sentiments and even downplay knowledge citing scriptures, “knowledge puffs up but love edifies”. In other words, they say that love is what matters, and not knowledge. However, the Bible actually indicates that knowledge is the bedrock of the expression of Christian love (Php 1:9). The antidote to not living by the knowledge we are possessed of it is to know it better, and encourage people to live by what they know. When it comes to Christianity the fallacy that “what you do not know cannot kill you”, does not hold water. For even in the world, such reasoning is flawed. It does not make sense for a person with HIV that makes this kind of statement would pay for it with premature death. What has accounted for the extremely lower deaths from HIV and infant mortality in developed countries, relative to underdeveloped countries is one crucial factor – KNOWLEDGE. They did not choose to be ignorant about those diseases, they sought knowledge applied the knowledge and were able to bring it under near total control in terms of deaths. Knowledge is key to life – not human knowledge, but divine knowledge. This is knowledge that is therefore being advocated for Christian progress.

The knowledge of God differs from human knowledge (Is 55:8), in addition, it is superior to human knowledge (Is 55:9), and far above the knowledge of man, whether it is science or philosophy. It is different and superior to knowledge acquired from the several manmade religions of the world, including the so-called “Christian religion” (for Christianity is not a religion). Even man’s knowledge that there is a God (called general revelation), as revealed in creation and described for example in Rom 1:18-19 is not divine knowledge. The knowledge of God is not obtained from school or by smartness, but that which has been revealed by God in His word, as evaluated through the lens of redemption. This knowledge is the key to our Christianity (Rom 10:12-15). If we do not know God or seek to understand Him, there can be no true progress in Christianity. No knowledge, no progress! It is knowledge (of the truth) that separates the believer from the unbeliever, as believers are regarded as those that KNOW THE TRUTH/GOD and have accepted/obeyed/believed the gospel, while unbelievers are described as those that DO NOT KNOW THE TRUTH/GOD or have not accepted/obeyed/believed the gospel (1 Tim 4:3,  1 John 2:13-14,20-21, 2 Thes 1:8). This is why salvation is described as knowing/ or coming to the knowledge of the truth (1 Tim 2:4, John 8:32).

God revealed himself in nature (General revelation; Rom 1:19-20), but He has now revealed Himself in Christ Jesus (i.e special /divine revelation, John 1:18, Heb 1:1-3). Generally, every type of knowledge is ultimately from God, for example, science tests nature – but nature itself comes from God. Science is not necessarily anti-God. Branches of science such as Philosophy and Astrology (‘i.e studying the moon) are however, clearly anti-God and not from Him. However, the knowledge that is being emphasised as being key to progress is divine knowledge – the knowledge of God in Christ Jesus (John 14:6, Jn 8:32). It is not the knowledge of religion, for knowledge of religion is not from God (Acts 17:21-24). It is the knowledge of God revealed in Christ that saves (Acts 10:1-6,32-33,[Cornelius and family], Eph 1:12-13, 1 Tim 2:4, 2 Pt 1:3), and that fosters growth (Col 2:6-7). This is what believers should pursue and grow in an understanding of with a view to making progress.

A quest for knowledge is crucial to good Christianity (Col 3:9-10). Faith is not a leap in the dark. It does not defy logic. It might not agree with human logic, but it is always in tune with spiritual logic. Faith is also not anti-knowledge like some assert. On the contrary, there is no real faith outside knowledge (Rom 10:11-15).A man cannot be saved outside the knowledge of the gospel (1 Cor 15:1-2). In the same measure a Christian cannot make progress without knowledge, and that is why believers are exhorted to crave for (1 Pet 2:2: like a baby for its mother’s milk) and grow in knowledge (2 Pet 3:18). Many times laziness is an obstacle to this. Consequently, the bible sometimes associates laziness with ignorance – on that reasoning it can be said that laziness is not unnecessarily unwillingness to DO, but unwillingness to KNOW. As Christians and students of the word, we should seek to know and understand.

In Ephesians 1:17-18, Paul emphasised the place of knowledge in the life of the Christian in his prayers for the Ephesian church. It was his desire and prayer that in view of their blessedness in all its variegated facets such as election, predestination, adoption into sonship, acceptance, redemption, forgiveness, inheritance, salvation, sealing (Eph1:3-14) that they had an attitude of “spirit of wisdom and revelation” in the knowledge of God as revealed in Christ(Eph 1:18). The word, ‘spirit’ as used in the foregoing phrase does not mean the Holy Spirit, or the recreated human spirit, but an attitude. Without that attitude, the knowledge revealed and taught by Paul will be mere positional or theoretical truths, without any practical effects. We cannot live outside an understanding of the knowledge of God revealed in Christ Jesus. We cannot please God outside knowledge. The gap between being a Christian and living, walking in the benefits, and making progress in Christianity is knowledge (Col 1:9-12, Philemon 1:6). Whatever we know as accurate knowledge of God in the light of Christ, His person and work, we should know it more, and better.

The church today is no longer functioning properly in the proper position God placed it. The church is distinct from every other body/organization on earth, because it is the pillar and ground of the truth (1 Tim 3:15). Rather than upholding and preserving the true knowledge of God, it has become a place where human knowledge is being proclaimed. It has become the place where management, business principles, self-help, metaphysical concepts and human motivational principles not anchored in God’s word are dispensed. This ought not to be. What gives the church its distinctiveness is the knowledge of God revealed in Christ Jesus. A man cannot know God without Jesus (John 14:6), who is the image of God and revealed God to man (Heb 1:3, John 1:1,14-18)- and without the knowledge of God He gave to humanity.  This should be the forte of the Church and what it should proclaim always – the knowledge of God.

The knowledge of God essential for progress is not mere casual knowledge, or a ‘my-pastor-said’ kind of knowledge, but knowledge matched by insight, understanding and borne out of a personal conviction (Acts 17:11-12 John 4:39-42).  This knowledge has benefits, three of which will be highlighted below.

THREE THINGS THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE LORD WILL DO

1. It establishes our hearts in grace (Heb 13:9): To be established by grace is to be established by truth – the truth of God’s word in Christ Jesus. That is why we see that when the word “grace” is seen is scriptures, the word “truth” is sometimes annexed to it (John 1:17, 2 Pet 3:18). Receiving the grace of God in vain as seen in 2 Cor 6:1, in the light of the foregoing is being a recipient of God’s grace as believers but lacking the requisite understanding or knowledge to make progress in it. Knowledge will stabilize our hearts in the grace of God and guide us. That was why Jesus’ heart was fixed, while the disciples were not when the storms beat violently against their boat.

2. It answers the question “why”:  This is a difference between Christianity and the religions of the worlds. Religion is blind, and demands action without giving a rationale. Christianity, in stark contrast gives us a rationale for the conduct or action expected of us. Sadly, religion has crept into Christianity, for many Christians do things without having a rationale for it. Knowledge tells us why – why we should pray, give, come to church, serve, etc, and by giving us the rationale it helps keeps us stable.

3. It renews our minds (Rom 12:2): Knowledge changes what and how we think (our outlook to life) and brings it in tune with God’s outlook. It enables us to think the way He thinks, and see life and things from His perspective, and not from human or worldly perspective. For example, when we renew or minds through knowledge, we see why we should not retaliate, or repay evil with evil and leave vengeance to God instead (Heb 10:30, Rom 12:19) while relating well with those that hurt or hate us (Rom 12:14-21,1 Pet 2:18-23, 3:9). Vengeance may mean God repaying the enemy (Heb 1:13, Heb 10:13, Rev 6:9-11, 11:18,20:4: the death of Jesus will be avenged!). When God avenges, many times it vindicates the believer. However, God’s vengeance may mean also God occasioning repentance on the part of the enemy (Rom 12:20), like the Centurion at the foot of Jesus’ cross and Paul on the road to Damascus (Mt 27:54, Acts 9:1-8).

HOW TO GET KNOWLEDGE?

1. Reading: The same Paul that prayed that the Ephesians should have a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of God (Eph 1:17) , also underscored READING as a key to acquiring knowledge (Eph 3:4). Reading cannot be substituted with Christian movies, Christian novels, conferences, tapes, or prayers. The Greek word for ‘read’ as, used in the original is ‘anaginosko’, which means “to know again”, to know with certainty or know with understanding. You should ask questions on what you read with a view to understanding and getting insight. Your must read your bible. When the questions of life arise, they do not ask you what your pastor said, rather it challenges  the knowledge in your heart on the issue. To respond appropriately, you need to be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding (Col 1:9-10), which makes reading crucial.

2. Considering (2 Tim 2:7): This means to think or meditate about what we read. We must ask ourselves about the meaning of what we read, and think of applications to our lives. That is what would enable us act on God’s word and make progress (1 Tim 4:15)