Tuesday, July 28, 2015

Knowledge Is Not Power; The Spirit Is


     
     I have been in some good discussions these past two weeks. Some with believers, some with people of other religions and some with unbelievers. I hit a snag with some conversations with unbelievers. They often would debate faith, the Spirit and the capacity to believe. They would debate the authenticity of the three and the amount we as Christians rely on them. With all the knowledge they had, they couldn't understand why Christians would believe in the gospel and Bible. With all the information we shared, why would Christians have the faith to believe, and the understanding of the things of God, and unbelievers so clearly disagreed.

     I would share what the Bible defines as faith and prayer and the gospel. We would be able to go from that point and grow in knowledge in the topics. But even with shared knowledge, unbelievers just can't grasp why Christians can believe in it all.

     What I finally found in this study really put the pieces that I had together. What I knew already, but had trouble articulating is easily found in scripture. This helped as a guide and comfort to me in my discussions with unbelievers. That no matter how much knowledge one has, the power lies in the Spirit's gift of understanding and guidance.

     God also makes believing in Him simple. To those that only have a basic knowledge of the gospel and of God can be saved by the power of the Spirit. It isn't a case of how much one knows, but the Spirit intercedes for us and gives us the understanding. This is why it is easy for anyone to believe, but not everyone. The gospel int't just for the "smartest" and most knowledgable in the Bible.

     There was a time where knowledge equaled understanding. That was in the garden. When God dwelled with Adam and Eve. But once the fall happened, faith became a requirement for belief. Sin and the fall took away God's light from the earth and Satan was given dominion. Unless that veil of darkness is lifted by the power of the Spirit, the world system is all that we can comprehend. I found that no amount of scientific, prophetic, or historical evidence is sufficient. That those aspects of faith come after belief to grow a believer in their faith, not the other way around.

     It is such a miracle that the Spirit would dwell in a believer. That we are rescued. That we need to go out and share this miracle as much as possible. That as believers we can grow in knowledge and understanding and grow in our own faith. How regular study in God's miraculous revelation, particularly the Bible, can not be under appreciated. I am so grateful that the Bible makes this particular topic clear to us and that I have the capacity to study it. 

Thought putting the verses down here would be better. Please add to them in the comments. Thanks and God Bless.


  • 2 Chronicles 12:14 - And he did evil, because he did not prepare his heart to seek the Lord. 
  • Psalm 119:41-45 - Let Your mercies come also to me, O LordYour salvation according to Your word. So shall I have an answer for him who reproaches me,For I trust in Your word. And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth,
    For I have hoped in Your ordinances. So shall I keep Your law continually, Forever and ever. And I will walk at liberty, For I seek Your precepts.
  • John 14:26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.
  • John 15:26,27“But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me. And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning.
  • John 16:7-15Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in Me; of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you.
  • 1 Corinthians 2:5that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.
  • 1 Corinthians 2:9-14But as it is written:
    “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,
    Nor have entered into the heart of man
    The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”
    But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.
    These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
  • 1 Thessalonians 1:5For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance, as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake.
  • 2 Thessalonians 2:10and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
  • Ephesians 2:1-8And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.
    But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly placesin Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,
  • Hebrews 11:6But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
Others:

4 comments:

  1. The last scripture says it all.
    Faith is power.
    Faith precedes the miracle.

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  2. Yes exactly. And we wouldn't have the faith without the Spirit/God. Thanks a lot.

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  3. The Spirit has to open our eyes to the truth before we can accept it. The lies of this world are convincing, but only I God do we find all the answers to life's mysteries. Great article.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you. It was something I had worrying too much about. So cool that God is always here to comfort and teach with His word.

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