Are We Seeking the Right Knowledge?

The Lord has a way of shaking us up and setting our focus right. That can be hard, especially when we think we are heading in the right direction already. If you’re one who regularly reads this blog, you might have noticed that things have slowed down a bit. There are a few reasons for that.

For one, I can honestly use that old excuse, “my dog ate my homework.” In my last article I wrote about a hard day that started with my dog eating a bible I was currently studying in. I still have my old bible and its notes along with some I have typed up, but a lot was lost.

On top of that, I recently injured my shoulder when I got angry and did something stupid, so now typing hurts. So, for one, I’m re-thinking some priorities — both in my life and in Kindling Truth. Secondly, since I work from home and type thousands of words a day usually, I need to conserve my strength and hope this injury heals properly.

I hope to finish the article series “The Severity of Sin and the Mercy of Jesus Christ” soon, and I will complete the other works I have started, but all that has happened recently has me asking these questions over and over:

Are we seeking the right knowledge? Are we asking the right questions?

Truthful doctrine is important, of course. Often there are bits of understanding that can help strengthen our faith, give us some insight into the nature of God, and aid us on our Christian journey. I care a lot for solidifying my own beliefs, such as on topics concerning predestination, hell/the second death, and other ideas that might not be “salvation” issues.

But, you know what? The knowledge I really want is how to not do sinful things. The questions I want to ask are from a heart that seeks the Lord often, asking for His Holy Spirit to continue working on me and filling me full of Him. I want the knowledge of perfect peace and patience. I want to have the knowledge of the things of God so deeply set within my very nature that I will stand strong in the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ no matter what.

Knowledge of doctrine is important, but if we are not careful, we can become proud or puffed up in our own understanding. We can also start to lose sight of the RIGHT knowledge — the kind that really matters when it comes to fighting the darkness of this world, strengthening the body of Christ, and growing into children of God worthy of life eternal (not by our power, but by the power of Christ in us).

After all, did Jesus die so that we could argue over secondary issues and spend our time gaining “knowledge?” Wasn’t it the desire for “knowledge” that led to the downfall of Man in the first place? Jesus died so that we can recognize what is evil, and by His power and the knowledge that only He can give, avoid evil and do what is good and pleasing in His sight.

He died so that our sins could be forgiven, and He lives so that we too can LIVE — so that we can live a life freed from bonds of sin in this life and defeat sin and death once and for all when we too are resurrected at His coming.

THAT is the knowledge I want! That is the knowledge that I want to be so full of that those around me and those who follow this blog will be encouraged in seeking these truths themselves. The truths of the righteousness of God. I want to kindle that truth!!