Sun 9:30a Class; 10:30a Worship; 11:35a Communion
Bible Bites
“Fast Away the Old Year Passes”
As 2013 draws to a close, many of use are looking simultaneously backward and forward: backward across the past year of life; forward to another year of opportunity.
The apostle Paul urged the Corinthian Christians to “Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves.” (2 Corinthians 13.5a) While he wasn’t speaking of the end of the year, he does remind us of an important daily duty of every believer — self-examination.
How do you objectively look at your spiritual life? Obviously the Bible is the measuring stick; but how do you condense its many exhortations into a useful, simple test of character development?
There are several correct answers. One passage I want to suggest is Paul’s prayer for growth written to the Christians in ancient Colossae.
“For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light. For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1.9-14).
Notice the first part of this prayer (v 9). Paul’s desire is that they will be filled with knowledge in all spiritual wisdom and understanding. The goal of this (v 10) is to walk worthily of the Lord, to please him, to bear fruit, and to grow. Verse 9, then, provides us with a useful measuring stick for growth — spiritual knowledge, understanding, and wisdom. Without these spiritual stepping stones, spiritual progress toward mature growth is not possible.
Knowledge
How much have you grown in knowledge in the past year? Twice in this prayer (v 9, 10), Paul prays that they will have knowledge (Greek, epignosis = full knowledge; penetrating insight). He wanted them to know deeply the will of God in their lives.
There are two dimensions to this kind of knowledge. First, there is the intellectual content of knowledge. This comes by old-fashioned Bible study. It is the result of reading, reflecting, and remembering the Scriptures. Paul’s advice to Timothy the preacher is good advice to every Christian as well: “Be diligent to present yourself approved unto God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2.15).
Second, there is the experience that is formed by this knowledge. When the Bible speaks of knowing God, it means that we have come to know something about him, not by reading, but by experiencing the power of his Word in our lives. Here we put into practice what we have been reading. It is then, and only then, that we realize something about the God behind these commands, rebukes, exhortations and promises. Jeremiah promised that under Messiah’s new covenant, “all will know me, from the least of them to the greatest” (Jeremiah 31.34).
Understanding
How much better do you understand things spiritually? Are you more adept at looking at things in a spiritual way, from a spiritual perspective? Paul admitted that he once had to learn to adjust his perspective on things: “Therefore from now on we recognize no one according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer” (2 Corinthians 5.14).
In the prayer from Colossians 1, Paul prays for their understanding (Greek, sunesis = insight; discrimination; the ability to distinguish between things). This kind of understanding comes from reading and reflecting upon the written word of God (Ephesians 3.4; 2 Timothy 2.7). He also promises a veritable gold mine of assurance and encouragement when we mutually apply ourselves to this (Colossians 2.2).
Understanding takes us from the “what” of God’s commandments to the “why”. It is much easier to do follow through on a commitment when we understand why we are doing it. Pursuing love, joy, and peace are much easier when I understand that these are the antidotes to enmity, strife, and jealousy (compare the Deeds of the Flesh with the Fruit of the Spirit, Galatians 5.19-23). Knowing that my body belongs to God and that it is the Spirit’s residence helps me control my bodily desires (see 1 Corinthians 6.12-20).
Wisdom
Wisdom (Greek sophia = insight; utilizing all the faculties) is the full application of knowledge and understanding in every life setting. Wisdom ultimately comes from God (James 1.5) and is evidenced by one’s conduct (James 3.13, 17).
Biblical knowledge is never an end in itself, and can even be a hindrance (1 Corinthians 8.1ff). It is ultimately for the purpose of governing our actions and attitudes. We cannot expect God’s blessings if we do not practice his precepts. “If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them” (John 13.17).
As 2013 draws to a close, how much have you grown?
