In evangelical churches, three emphases prevail. Some denominations focus on decisions, stressing the human will. Others focus on emotions and stress expressing their faith in vibrant worship. The third is on knowledge, the intellect and stressing studying the Word of God. All three are important but putting too much on any of them can diminish the value of the other two.
The NT encourages balance. Today’s passage includes all three in one long sentence:
And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. (Colossians 1:9–12)
If I stress human will, I am apt to replace the sovereignty of God and His power with human decisions and express my salvation as ‘I decided to follow Jesus’ whereas Jesus plainly says I did not choose Him but He chose me. (John 15:16) This does not negate my cooperation, but it does affect my humility.
If I stress emotions and let them govern worship and serving God, there will be many days where I don’t feel like it, and unlike Jesus, I will have trouble submitting to His will when I am sweating blood.
If I stress knowledge, the Bible reminds me that we all possess knowledge (defined as “the psychological result of perception and learning and reasoning; sometimes simply endowed by God (often with focus on application of the knowledge)” but this “knowledge” puffs up and can make me proud. Instead, I’m to love others (1 Corinthians 8:1-2) and God’s love is focused on others, not on my determination, raising my hands when I sing, or how many verses I’ve memorized.
It is true that as my knowledge of God’s Word increases, the Holy Spirit renews my mind and transforms my thinking. Also, as I gaze into the glory of the Lord as revealed in Scripture, I am “being transformed into the same image from glory to glory” (2 Corinthians 3:18). However, the NT Christians did not have the NT to read and study! Their understanding of God came from the OT and the Holy Spirit who was able to open their eyes to the Person and nature of God.
There are many who study the Bible and do not know Christ at all. I read it for many years before Jesus came into my life and gave me a new life and an awakened understanding. This does not mean we toss the Bible, but it does mean that even daily reading does not guarantee a fruitful life. That fruitfulness is not so much about knowledge of truth as it is about the power of God to use His people. Fruitfulness comes from Him. It shows up in new believers who have just begun to open the Bible and can be missing in doctors of theology.
Growing in grace and the knowledge of God is vital. It is also vital to realizing where that grace and knowledge comes from because that keeps me from becoming puffed up and thinking I’m a great student of the Word or that I know more than those who are new to the faith or don’t read their Bible very much. The Lord is their Savior too and it is up to Him to teach them.
This week I talked to a prodigal who has come home. His knowledge of biblical truth and the way He now lives is startling considering he has not read the Bible for many years. This tells me of God’s power and fills me with worship. Again, not an excuse to toss the Bible, but to realize where our understanding comes from. Our hearts need the encouragement and clarity of Scripture so we can be loving to others, and “reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” (Colossians 2:2–3) He is all we need!
Getting to know Jesus involves spending time with Him, listening to what He says, not blocking my ears with unconfessed sin. Also, doing what He says is one of the best ways of finding out that He knows what He is talking about!
Jesus, in You “are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” but faith and obedience remove the ‘hidden’ part so I can see You more clearly and walk in Your wisdom. You produce the fruit, and for that I give You glory. And I do agree that comparing Ephesians 5:18-19 with Colossians 3:16, shows how being filled with the Spirit is related to letting the Word of God dwell in me richly . . . and realize that if I put my study ahead of Him, pride can creep in and ruin it.
MORE: Read Psalm 119 and notice all that God’s Word means to the psalm writer.
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