Good Wednesday morning! Perhaps the final day before winter pays us a visit. Winter this year has been only an occasional visitor thus far; will it stay for a while this time? We don't know the answer to that question, but we do know someone who does. Many questions will occur to each of us and we will not always find the answers within our own knowledge. Proverbs tells us about our own knowledge:
Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6 NKJV
If you have come to the realization by now that your knowledge and understanding is a bit on the limited side then you are in good company. At least I like to consider myself good company. As a whole, the human race does know and understand a lot, but we also have no idea how much more there is to learn. That's a pretty serious shortcoming. If a runner took off on a race and covered a lot of ground, but had no idea how long the race was, he might never know where the finish line was supposed to be. God warns us through the writing of King Solomon to lean not on our own understanding. This is not a command to stop learning or searching the Scriptures, but a notice of our own weakness in understanding.
Part of our own learning in this life involves setting aside some of what we learned before. This becomes painfully obvious when you follow the news reports about what you should eat or drink. All of us can remember the days when a disciplined and healthy person never touched tobacco, alcohol, or chocolate: These days we are all supposed to partake in two out of three of those in order to live longer. We can only wonder how long before some study surfaces showing the long-term health effects of a certain type of tobacco use. Why do we like to go back to the Bible? The understanding of the world seems to change over time; we cannot trust it to save us.
Even if we don't trust in the world's knowledge, what about our own store of knowledge? How much of that knowledge is dependent upon what you have been taught in schools? Again the Bible is not against learning, but does hold some warnings about the pursuit and acquisition of knowledge.
For in much wisdom is much grief, And he who increases knowledge increases sorrow. Ecc 1:18
Now concerning things offered to idols: We know that we all have knowledge.
Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies. 1 Cor 8:1
Speaking of the eating and drinking thing, Paul has this to say: Food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do. 1 Cor 8:8
Jesus also had a few words about worrying too much over what we eat and drink in Mark 7:15. There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him." This is a word about defilement of the body and spirit, and not a license to eat anything. If you gobble down some rat poison, you won't be defiled, but you will very likely be dead. Webster's defines defile as: to make ceremonially unclean or to corrupt. Jesus went on to explain what he meant by the things that come out of a person:
And he said, "What comes out of a person is what defiles him. For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person." Mark 7:20-23 ESV
As we read over that list, it is easy to see that these are all the things that trip us up in our Christian walk. The evil thought starts us down the path to sin if we allow the thought to continue in us. If you watch certain stations on the television these days, it is also a list of all that the world considers entertaining. This list also shows how unqualified any of us are to be the sacrifice needed for all of sin. Jesus stopped his sin at the source; he didn't have the sinful thoughts that come out of our corrupted hearts. We all look forward to that day when Jesus will bring us home and remove that corrupted heart of ours, bringing us into His kingdom and cleansing us from the lust of the flesh. Although you might read through that list and admit being guilty in all of them, Jesus has paid the price for those sins at the cross. Believe in Jesus; trust in Him; live with His Spirit in your heart!
Have a great Wednesday... before the snows of winter arrive!
Bucky
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