Ever Learning, and Never Able to Come to the knowledge of the truth [podcast]

“And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” John 17:3 

If relationship isn’t our goal, all we we have is religion.

“That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;” Philippians 3:10

First there’s the knowledge of what the Word says but you have to be in continuous learning. Then, the manifestation of it, the performance of it in our lives. Knowing God’s Word and obeying aren’t automatic, aren’t necessarily found together in every man who claims to be Christ’s (John 8:31-36; Romans 7). Remember that Satan knows and quotes God’s Word (Luke 4). One can know the Bible and not the author. Or, one can know the Bible well and not know the Author well (Job 22:21-28). Obeying God’s Word requires knowing Him, abiding in an intimate fellowship with Him, thereby enabling that saint the grace (divine enablement) to obey Him (John 5:39-40; 7:17; 14:21-23; 15:1-16, etc.).

Instead of obeying the LORD on HIS terms and coming into full maturity and victory through Christ, many today argue and change the divinely stated terms and conditions. These waste their lives in this endeavor of futility.

“But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.” Acts 20:24

Those who count the cost refuse to count their own life dear to themselves and this is the only way not to be derailed, to finish our course, enduring to the end.

“And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.” Revelation 12:11

Ever Learning, and Never Able to Come to the knowledge of the truth

The harshest of biblical truth is the delicacy, the delight of the true disciple of Jesus. He runs to all of it and never from any of it. He embraces the cross, never evading it. He delights in the sword of the Spirit that cuts to the core and carves the image of Christ into his life – into the fabric, the innermost core of who he is in Christ! Christ and Christ alone is his sole identity and he counts not his own life in this world dear unto himself so that he is able to finish his course with great joy – hearing from His Savior the sweetest of all words “Well done, thou good and faithful servant … enter thou into the joy of thy lord.” (Matthew 25:21; Acts 20:24; Romans 8:29; Galatians 2:20; 6:14; 2 Timothy 2:3).

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