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I am a born-again Christian, who is Reformed, but also charismatic, spiritually speaking. (I do not speak in tongues, but I believe glossalalia is a bona fide gift not given to all, and not as great as prophecy, for example.) I have several years of college education but only completed a two-year degree. I was raised Lutheran and confirmed, but I didn't "find Christ" until I was in the Army and responded to a Billy Graham crusade in 1973. I was mentored or discipled by the Navigators in the army and upon discharge joined several evangelical, Bible-teaching churches. I was baptized as an infant, but believe in believer baptism, of which I was a partaker after my conversion experience. I believe in the "5 Onlys" of the reformation: sola fide (faith alone); sola Scriptura (Scripture alone); soli Christo (Christ alone), sola gratia (grace alone), and soli Deo gloria (to God alone be the glory). I affirm TULIP as defended in the Reformation.. I affirm most of The Westminster Confession of Faith, especially pertaining to Providence.

Sunday, December 4, 2016

A Dangerous Knowledge

We all need to know the scoop, the lowdown, or the skinny in the world of theology to navigate faithfully through the Word, i.e., to know our way around the block in the Word with correct interpretation and application.  In the last days, according to 2 Tim. 4:3, many will bail out theologically and in 1 Tim. 4:1 it says even believers will give heed to seducing spirits, or doctrines of demons.

Today's Eastern philosophy predominates with New Age (the Age of Aquarius) and it's 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.
Soli Deo Gloria!  

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