I got this from some study this morning. I just wanted to pass this on to you:
“In our day, as in the ancient world, people often measure the value of what others say by how well they say it. Even within the church we put great stress on a person’s academic credentials, as if a Ph.D. granted one a corner on heavenly wisdom. The result is that we learn to value elegant systems of church dogma that are held together by sophisticated and learned arguments. In the life of many congregations, faith has become so intellectualized that its relational, experiential dimension has been bleached out. Certainly it is important to think through carefully what one believes and why. Yet many of my students come to university with strongly held convictions about Christ but without the experience of a vital relationship with him. Knowing what to believe has replaced knowing whom to believe.”(IVP Commentary)
This spoke to me for a few reasons.
- I love knowledge and learning. It’s an extremely important part but it’s not the only part. Living a life for Christ is one that calls for results. And doing is more important than learning most of the time.
- Learning is still important. Just like intellectual relationships without experience are flawed, the opposite is also true. If you don’t take the time to study and grow in your knowledge then your relationship will become stagnant.
- In a world where there are so many different things to believe it is so important to remember that we serve a God that is more than we could ever think or imagine. He is always there and always has our best interests in mind.
I would like to leave you with this thought.
“Relying on carefully thought-out ideas or rules of abstinence rather than on what God has already accomplished for us in Christ is at least imprudent, because it imperils the present results of Christ’s work in us.” (IVP commentary
Always let Grace be present in your thoughts. Where are you at with God right now? What situation is He leading you through? Praise Him for it today.
Ephesians 1:7
7In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace
