You Never Stop Learning - Hopefully

A Universe of Infinity

Sayings that I learned a long time ago like, "the more I know about God the less I know about God", really take on weight the farther down the pathway I go. Of course that really goes for everything. The more I think I know, I find there is more to know that what I didn't know before!

I really know nothing in comparison to all there is to know, but pride and ego seem to want to tell me that "of course you know this or that... look at all the experience you have! All the training, all the knowledge." Well... check this statement out. 2 Tim 3:7 Amplified Version: "always learning and listening to anybody who will teach them, but never able to come to the full knowledge of the truth."

Merely "knowing" something... grasping it intellectually, even functioning in it to some degree is usually the limitation of "knowing" something, or even someone; another human being. So let's use one of the most powerful scriptures in the Bible to look at this, as it's implications are far reaching, and as you'll hopefully see, the very essence of what God is implying in His Word.

James 1:19-25

Now everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger; 20 for a man’s anger does not bring about the righteousness of God. 21 Therefore, ridding yourselves of all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, (or ingrafted), which is able to save your souls. 22 But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not just hearers who deceive themselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; 24 for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. 25 But one who has looked intently at the perfect law, the law of freedom, and has continued in it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an active doer, this person will be blessed in what he does.

According to scripture, "knowing" such verses as just one example, will not save you, give you an intimate relationship with God, etc. It's basically knowing "about" God but not actually "knowing" God. His plan is that we KNOW Him. Knowing "about" the Truth of God will not make you free... KNOWING God will make you free. How?

That's where the James scriptures come in. Being "doers" of the Word, not merely "hearers" who fool themselves into thinking that they are the same... which they are infinitely not. Being obedient to the Word of God is the answer. Not keeping rules and regulations and doing everything perfectly... weighing the scales between good an bad, depending on my own understanding and how good or bad I am doing at any given moment is all living by law. If effect, you wind up still paying for your sins through remaining dysfunctional, repeating old behavior patterns, doing the things you don't want to do as Paul said in Romans 7. We are to be transformed by the renewing of the mind, but that won't happen just because I know the scripture. That only comes by incorporating disciplines like "taking EVERY thought captive to the obedience of Christ. This is a discipline, not a head knowledge "concept" or quote from the Bible that will somehow magically work because I "know" it. Don't forget, Jesus wants to KNOW you through your obedience to His Word...intimately. We, as average humans don't think in these terms generally.

We think of the things of God as "religion", sets of rules, dos and dont's, etc. That's the last thing Jesus is looking for. Religion won't save you, Jesus saves you through surrendering your will, your way of doing things to Him because He loves you and would love for you to love Him back.

So... the more I seem to know of God, I find that His infinite love, wisdom, grace, forgiveness and power are actually unfathomable. Yet I can know Him in an eternal relationship without "knowing" everything.

Philippians 3:7-9 The Message:

"Yes, all the things I once thought were so important are gone from my life. Compared to the high privilege of knowing Christ Jesus as my Master, firsthand, everything I once thought I had going for me is insignificant—dog dung. I’ve dumped it all in the trash so that I could embrace Christ and be embraced by him. I didn’t want some petty, inferior brand of righteousness that comes from keeping a list of rules when I could get the robust kind that comes from trusting Christ—God’s righteousness."

Come to the knowledge of the Truth, (know Jesus - a lifelong relationship and process), and He will start to set you free to be and become who you were always meant to be.

BH