Why Growing in Biblical Knowledge is for All Christians
“For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding” (Proverbs. 2:6)
The idea of reading and studying may receive a wide range of responses.
If you are a student whose day has consisted of learning, the suggestion of further study may sound exhausting.
Or if your days are already filled with work, taking care of your family, and making sure every task gets done, then perhaps the idea of reading sounds like a distant dream instead of something that you could actually experience.
Maybe you have no idea how you would even go about making time to study. There rarely seems to be an hour to take a break. And even if there is free time, like many of us, you would rather do something that involves little to no brainpower to give yourself a well-deserved rest.
Another possibility may be that you actually love the idea of learning. The very idea of learning brings about excitement. You’re like a sponge; you like to absorb information about a wide range of topics. And that’s great!
Regardless of where you find yourself, there is a great need to pursue a specific area of study: diving into the things of God.
And it is a necessity.
The Scriptures make it very clear that this is not simply a suggestion but rather an essential part of our daily lives. God is incredibly practical, so there are a variety of reasons why further study is necessary and how exactly it can be done.
Growing in Knowledge is an Expression of Love
In the Old Testament, the people of God are told: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” (Deut. 6:5)
Later in history, the Greeks conquered most of the known world, establishing the largest empire of that time. Within the beliefs of the people of Greece, the mind was of great significance. Engaging in the latest philosophical ideas was valued greatly within the society. This had lasting consequences which rippled throughout the years, affecting the values of many people who were listened to the teachings of Jesus during His ministry.
When asked about the greatest commandment, He replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ (Matt. 22:37).
Jesus added the latter to highlight a practical way people could express love to the living God.
How do we do this? By studying and having a teachable spirit. By being willing to spend time to grow.
I once heard famous theologian Alister McGrath say that while we will not understand everything perfectly, we engage our minds by contemplating the things of God (theology) because it is important.
Like in any relationship, you invest time in doing activities that foster growth in the relationship. It’s the same with our relationship with God. It’s shouldn’t be to earn love, but rather is a way to demonstrate your love towards the other person and to get to know them more.
Thus, we study God’s Word to show how we love Him not just in words but also in action.
Knowledge is Part of Our True Purpose
God makes it clear that after being saved (coming into a relationship with Jesus Christ), He always intended that we would continue to follow Him; this consequently leads us to pursue bibical knowledge.
The author of Hebrews outlined this truth for believers to grow in order to become teachers. Scripture states:
“For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food” (Hebrews 5:12).
This is not referring to “teachers” as holding a specific office or job, but rather is an instruction for all believers. No matter where we find ourselves, we are influencing the people around us. As Christians, we represent God to others, even when we think no one is watching. Our actions speak louder than our words. Not that we will be perfect (after all, we’re only human), but we are called to act with the responsibility of this truth in mind.
One of my favorite authors, C.S. Lewis, wrote in his book titled Mere Christianity:
“Christ never meant that we were to remain children in intelligence: on the contrary. He told us to be not only ‘as harmless as doves’ but also ‘as wise as serpents’. He wants a child’s heart, but a grown-up’s head. He wants us to be simple, single-minded, affectionate and teachable, as good children are; but He also wants every bit of intelligence we have to be alert as its job, and in first-class fighting trim.”[1]
As believers, we were designed to grow in knowledge, becoming teachers as we engage our minds with the truth.
Knowledge Helps us Grow in our Faith
We also invest in our faith as we continue to grow in biblical knowledge.
Does faith (the belief in that which we cannot see) contradict the product of knowledge (obtaining reason)?
In addressing this topic, McGrath once talked about the purpose of studying theology. He attributed the motivator was not to understand every part of God. He is beyond our comprehension. Rather, we believe in Jesus Christ by faith. We take the Lord at His word. As mentioned previously, we study because it is necessary. But we also recognize our limitations as humans in that we cannot fully understand God and His ways completely. Rather, we can humbly lean into the mystery of our God.
In this, we are drawn closer to the Father, who is far above our reasoning alone.
You may ask the question: What about having a child-like faith? How does this actually increase my faith? And won’t knowledge put me in danger of becoming a New Testament Pharisee (a religious teacher who was more focused on rules and studying than on being in union with God)?
Theologian and pastor during the Great Awakening, Jonathan Edwards, wrote about the difference between head knowledge and heart knowledge in his book “On Knowing Christ.”. He made it clear that it is important that we learn things intellectually so that they will penetrate the heart. [2]
What does this truly mean?
A person can study the Bible, but if the information never changes their lives, it has not affected their hearts truly. The Holy Spirit works in our lives to bring what we learn to our hearts. It is a partnership in which He reveals and restores us. And in turn, we, through obedience and discipline, obey God and invest in the relationship. There are many decisions for us to make as individuals on whether we truly follow God with our words and actions. And God blesses a person that truly is seeking Him in action.
So while seeking knowledge is significant, the pursuit has little value if it is not transforming the heart of the person.
We seek for God to do this work within us as we walk it out in action. And He is gracious and patient with us as we learn.
Knowledge Helps us to Hold onto the Truth
When the heart is in the right place, the pursuit of biblical understanding aids in our ability to recognize and proclaim the truth. It equips us to properly recognize falsehood and provide the correction.
The Bible states:
“My people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge” (Hosea 4:6).
We see this also in the book of Nehemiah, in which the people of God were returning to Jerusalem to rebuild the wall after being exiled. Once the wall was built, Ezra, the scribe, read from the Law of God. The people repented and turned back to God in joy.
The Scriptures were read to ground the people in the truth.
The need is the exact same today. There are many out there who preach and proclaim the truth. But there are also many false teachers. They proclaim their own opinion and have their own agendas, which are in direct contradiction to the Word of God.
We are told to be aware. Growing in knowledge aids in our ability to retain the truth God has proclaimed and, in doing so, demonstrate love to both God and others (for love rejoices in the truth, as we see in 1 Corinthians 13:6).
Conclusion
My encouragement is that you enjoy the beauty that is offered to us through acquiring knowledge found within the Word of God. That it would not feel like a chore or another thing on the list to complete. And if it does feel that way, I encourage you to pray and as the Lord for a renewed sense of love for His Word.
Wrestle with the topics that you encounter. Learn, grow. Engage your mind to contemplate the things of God, but also be focused on the relationship behind the study. And when you face something you do not fully understand, I pray rest in the mystery of God, which places us in awe of the One who crafted us.
Surely, knowledge is a journey worth pursuing.
Blessings,
[1] Clive Stapleton Lewis, et al. The C.S. Lewis Signature Classics. HarperOne, 2017.71.
[2] Edwards, Jonathan. Jonathan Edwards on Knowing Christ. Edinburgh, PA: Banner of Truth
Trust, 1990.