What Have You Learned Lately?
"...always learning but never coming to a knowledge of the truth...for the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but with itching ears they will gather around themselves teachers to suit their own desires." (2 Timothy 3:7; 4:3-4)
What have you learned lately? And who from?
Learning from the Bible is a great thing, and if we haven't learned anything new lately, it is most likely because we have refused "the truth" when presented to us by one who has "come to a knowledge of the truth". Our study of the Bible may be continuous, "line upon line, hear a little, there a little" but in all our meticulous study we may never learn antything new, but in fact fall "backward, and be broken, and snared"...
"And the word of the LORD will be to them precept upon precept...line upon line, here a little, there a little that they may go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken." (Isaiah 28:13)
There was a progression in God's revelation to mankind. Paul received the final hidden truth, or "mystery" as the Greek word is usually translated. Peter says we should "grow" in that "grace and knowledge".
"I became its servant by the commission God gave me to fully proclaim to you the word of God, the MYSTERY that was hidden for ages and generations but is now revealed to His saints, to whom God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this MYSTERY, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. We proclaim Him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom...grow in the grace and knoledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." (Colossians 1:25-28; 2 Peter 3:18)
When this "mystery" is presented and rejected, there is no more "growing in grace", but one falls "backward" into some mixture of law and grace. Paul said of those who rejected the truth of salvation by grace alone...
"...I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; which is really no gospel at all." (Galatians 1:6-7)
This is the status of Christianity today - both Protestant and Catholic - they have fallen "backward" and have ceased to "grow in grace". Talking about it is not growing in it.
Here is Paul's progression in his understanding of the grace of God.
First, Paul says that the gospel of Christ is the power of God that brings salvation to both Jew and Gentile (Romans 1:16).
Second, in 2 Corinthians 4:4, Paul tells us that the God of this world has blinded the minds of unbelievers in order to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ's salvation.
Third, in Ephesians 3:8-10, Paul tells us that grace opens the eyes of the blind and brings to light the mystery of the eternal purpose of God in saving both Jews and Gentiles through the finished work of Christ Jesus.
Fourth, in 1 Timothy 2:3-6; 4:9-11, Paul tells us he and other believers were called to teach that God is the savior of all mankind.
Any finally, in 1 Corinthians 15:22-29, Paul summarizes all that God had revealed to him about His plan to make all alive and become all in all....
"For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming, then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power. For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be abolished is death...so that God may be all in all." (1 Corinthians 15:22-28)
Believing that Christ Jesus is your personal Savior is great, and a measure of peace can be found therein, however, believing that Christ Jesus is the Savior of the whole world is growing "in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ".
What have you learned lately? And who from?
Learning from the Bible is a great thing, and if we haven't learned anything new lately, it is most likely because we have refused "the truth" when presented to us by one who has "come to a knowledge of the truth". Our study of the Bible may be continuous, "line upon line, hear a little, there a little" but in all our meticulous study we may never learn antything new, but in fact fall "backward, and be broken, and snared"...
"And the word of the LORD will be to them precept upon precept...line upon line, here a little, there a little that they may go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken." (Isaiah 28:13)
There was a progression in God's revelation to mankind. Paul received the final hidden truth, or "mystery" as the Greek word is usually translated. Peter says we should "grow" in that "grace and knowledge".
"I became its servant by the commission God gave me to fully proclaim to you the word of God, the MYSTERY that was hidden for ages and generations but is now revealed to His saints, to whom God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this MYSTERY, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. We proclaim Him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom...grow in the grace and knoledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." (Colossians 1:25-28; 2 Peter 3:18)
When this "mystery" is presented and rejected, there is no more "growing in grace", but one falls "backward" into some mixture of law and grace. Paul said of those who rejected the truth of salvation by grace alone...
"...I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; which is really no gospel at all." (Galatians 1:6-7)
This is the status of Christianity today - both Protestant and Catholic - they have fallen "backward" and have ceased to "grow in grace". Talking about it is not growing in it.
Here is Paul's progression in his understanding of the grace of God.
First, Paul says that the gospel of Christ is the power of God that brings salvation to both Jew and Gentile (Romans 1:16).
Second, in 2 Corinthians 4:4, Paul tells us that the God of this world has blinded the minds of unbelievers in order to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ's salvation.
Third, in Ephesians 3:8-10, Paul tells us that grace opens the eyes of the blind and brings to light the mystery of the eternal purpose of God in saving both Jews and Gentiles through the finished work of Christ Jesus.
Fourth, in 1 Timothy 2:3-6; 4:9-11, Paul tells us he and other believers were called to teach that God is the savior of all mankind.
Any finally, in 1 Corinthians 15:22-29, Paul summarizes all that God had revealed to him about His plan to make all alive and become all in all....
"For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming, then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power. For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be abolished is death...so that God may be all in all." (1 Corinthians 15:22-28)
Believing that Christ Jesus is your personal Savior is great, and a measure of peace can be found therein, however, believing that Christ Jesus is the Savior of the whole world is growing "in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ".