You've probably heard it wisely said that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing. Some people also know enough to be dangerous, especially knowledge of the Bible. No one has a monopoly on the truth and can speak for the Church ex-cathedra all by himself, of his own authority--the Bible is the sole authority and arbiter of truth. We must be careful not to acquire an exclusive mindset and think we have arrived at the truth that no one else knows--that they need to be clued in or privy to it. The Gnostics were one of the original cults who thought along these lines. The Bible doesn't beat around the bush as to the way of salvation and requires no secrets. No one has cornered the market on truth and can say that they are right and everyone else is wrong if they don't join their church or sect. We still see some churches with this Bible-club mentality today as they cling to one translation and call themselves "King James-only" readers.
We've got to be careful not to think that because we are better informed that we are a cut above other Christians. Ignorance isn't bliss (Proverbs 24:5 says that "a man of knowledge enhances his might" (ESV) and Sir Francis Bacon also said, "Knowledge is power."), but knowledge can puff up according to 1 Cor. 8:1. No church has exclusive rights to your mind and you don't stop questioning authority or give up thinking when you join a church but are advised to be as noble as the Bereans of Acts 17:11 who searched the Scriptures to see if the things were so that Paul preached.
Knowledge should not be an end in itself but have purpose and application, or it leads to arrogance, and, worse yet, intolerance of those with other views. Remember the dictum of Augustine: "In essentials, unity; in nonessentials, liberty; in all things, charity." We are never to judge our brother solely because we disagree with him on a questionable or disputable doctrine--agree to disagree and disagree without being disagreeable. We need biblical savvy, however, to confront error and heresy in the church (and this polemic fight is not popular in today's church). In the last days, many will bail out theologically according to 1 Tim. 4:1. The best line of defense against being led astray is to have a sound foundation in doctrine and not to drink of only one fountain or preacher, so to speak--get other opinions and views and don't bail out theologically, but learn to "contend for the faith" (cf. Jude 3, ESV).
Hosea said, "My people perish for lack of knowledge" (cf. Hos. 4:6). In v. 14 he says, "[A]nd a people without understanding shall come to ruin" (ESV). Also: "Therefore my people go into exile for lack of knowledge" (Isa. 5:13, ESV). God puts no premium on ignorance and "fools despise wisdom and instruction" (cf. Prov. 1:7, ESV). Doctrine is not mumbo-jumbo gobbledygook but all Scripture is profitable for it; another name for it is teaching or what the Bible teaches about a subject. I'm hoping to whet your appetite so that you will realize that doctrine gives a point of view or a frame of reference to interpret things. We must know the scoop, the lowdown, or the skinny, as it were, and be in the know, theologically, to be protected from the onslaught of the doctrines of demons--going on to maturity and leaving the elementary doctrines of faith and repentance per Heb. 6:1.
In summation, beware the brother who is overconfident in his superficial knowledge of the Bible and becomes contentious, judgmental, argumentative, or divisive. Education is really going from an unconscious to a conscious awareness of our ignorance, and the more we learn the more humble we ought to be.
We've got to be careful not to think that because we are better informed that we are a cut above other Christians. Ignorance isn't bliss (Proverbs 24:5 says that "a man of knowledge enhances his might" (ESV) and Sir Francis Bacon also said, "Knowledge is power."), but knowledge can puff up according to 1 Cor. 8:1. No church has exclusive rights to your mind and you don't stop questioning authority or give up thinking when you join a church but are advised to be as noble as the Bereans of Acts 17:11 who searched the Scriptures to see if the things were so that Paul preached.
Knowledge should not be an end in itself but have purpose and application, or it leads to arrogance, and, worse yet, intolerance of those with other views. Remember the dictum of Augustine: "In essentials, unity; in nonessentials, liberty; in all things, charity." We are never to judge our brother solely because we disagree with him on a questionable or disputable doctrine--agree to disagree and disagree without being disagreeable. We need biblical savvy, however, to confront error and heresy in the church (and this polemic fight is not popular in today's church). In the last days, many will bail out theologically according to 1 Tim. 4:1. The best line of defense against being led astray is to have a sound foundation in doctrine and not to drink of only one fountain or preacher, so to speak--get other opinions and views and don't bail out theologically, but learn to "contend for the faith" (cf. Jude 3, ESV).
Hosea said, "My people perish for lack of knowledge" (cf. Hos. 4:6). In v. 14 he says, "[A]nd a people without understanding shall come to ruin" (ESV). Also: "Therefore my people go into exile for lack of knowledge" (Isa. 5:13, ESV). God puts no premium on ignorance and "fools despise wisdom and instruction" (cf. Prov. 1:7, ESV). Doctrine is not mumbo-jumbo gobbledygook but all Scripture is profitable for it; another name for it is teaching or what the Bible teaches about a subject. I'm hoping to whet your appetite so that you will realize that doctrine gives a point of view or a frame of reference to interpret things. We must know the scoop, the lowdown, or the skinny, as it were, and be in the know, theologically, to be protected from the onslaught of the doctrines of demons--going on to maturity and leaving the elementary doctrines of faith and repentance per Heb. 6:1.
In summation, beware the brother who is overconfident in his superficial knowledge of the Bible and becomes contentious, judgmental, argumentative, or divisive. Education is really going from an unconscious to a conscious awareness of our ignorance, and the more we learn the more humble we ought to be.
Today's Eastern philosophy predominates with the New Age (the Age of Aquarius) and its many Buddhist and Hindu applications are stealing people away from the truth of Scripture by an experience with the occult or Eastern religion. We need to be informed of a balance of doctrine and know what we believe (the problem with today's youth is that they largely don't know what or why they believe). A little knowledge can be a dangerous thing and when we think we've cornered the market or have an exclusive mindset (no one has a monopoly or has all the truth!) or if we seek knowledge for its own sake, we've misused it. Knowledge must not remain theoretical but must have an application and become real to the person's experience.
Not many are mighty in the Scriptures, but we all need to train to show ourselves approved unto God (cf. 1 Pet. 3:15). The Bible warns that "knowledge puffs up!" (Cf. 1 Cor. 8:1). One of God's peeves is that man perishes through lack of knowledge or ignorance (cf. Hos. 4:6). Ignorance is not bliss, but it binds you and opens you up to being led astray. Don't you sometimes just thirst for the unadulterated truth of God: sometimes there's no knowledge of God in the land as Hos 4:1 says.
The biggest error Christians have in acquiring knowledge is to be over-influenced by one teacher and drink of only one fountain, as it were--this is a good way to lose perspective and to be led into error. Indeed, there are Christians who are like bulls in china shops, or more accurately, like Dennis the Menace! Their middle name is trouble and their head knowledge is way above their application of it.
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