“… in understanding be mature …”
(1 Cor. 14:20, NKJV)
If we then understand that there is a sixth kingdom coming which will radically redefine everything that we’ve learnt from the other five world dynasties, it is practically impossible for us to imagine what the world will look like once it has arrived.
We alas live in a time of spiritual illiteracy, and I do not say this from an elevated intellectual throne of self-righteousness. Scripture often notes that the people of God “have gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge …” (Isa. 5:13) and also: “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me …” (Hos. 4:6).
Because of spiritual laziness believers have started holding onto non-Biblical ideas like You just need to have faith like a child. With this they motivate that they’ve chosen to remain within a “discussion of the elementary principles of Christ” (Heb. 6:1). Paul calls this “the weak and beggarly elements” (Gal. 4:9), and the writer of the book of Hebrews strongly speaks out against this mentality: “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food.” (Heb. 5:12).
The Scripture that people often present to argue their case that they believe to merely believe is sufficient, is interestingly enough Matt. 18:3: “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.” This “conversion” points to a deeply-rooted change, as the ALTNT translates it: “unless you are turned around [fig., changed inwardly]”. This is the process of becoming born-again, and is presented in the same mode by Jesus, when He makes the following point to the great master, rabbi and head of Israel’s theological education, Nicodemus: “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” (John 3:5).
The section above in Matt. 18:3 is aptly translated in Mark 10:15 as “Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.” But we should note the full scope of the word receive in this context, which The Complete WordStudy Dictionary describes as: “To accept an offer deliberately and readily. To take to oneself what is presented or brought by another, to receive.” The kingdom does indeed need to be taken by force (Matt. 11:12).
For this reasons Paul makes it clear in 1 Cor. 14:20: “Brethren, do not be children in understanding; however, in malice be babes, but in understanding be mature.” There it is, plain and simple!
For this reason, Jesus is very clear when he confronts this mentality where people do not want to learn what God expects them to know: “Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition?” (Matt. 15:3). The terrifying consequence of this is what Jesus said about the Pharisees and scholars of the law in Luke 7:30-32: “But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the will of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him. And the Lord said, ‘To what then shall I liken the men of this generation, and what are they like? They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling to one another, saying: We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we mourned to you, and you did not weep.’”
It is thus possible to, through a lack of knowledge, reject “the law of God for themselves”! This “counsel of God” (ABP), “the purpose of God” (ASV), and this beautiful AMP translation, “God’s purpose concerning themselves”, occurs through a lack of knowledge! The strong admonishment in Luke 11:52 shows how serious He takes this matter: “Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge. You did not enter in yourselves, and those who were entering in you hindered.” The Bride is certainly “the form of knowledge and truth in the law” (Rom. 2:20). Alas the people who can lay claim to being part of the Bride “have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge” (Rom. 10:2). Solomon clearly declares: “it is not good for a soul to be without knowledge …” (Prov. 19:2). But is alas the case that “there is not in everyone that knowledge” (1 Cor. 8:7). For believers and the saints Paul notes: “Awake to righteousness, and do not sin; for some do not have the knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame.” (1 Cor. 15:34).
Through “the knowledge of the Son of God” believers grow “to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” (Eph. 4:13). Therefore, the apostle prays and “ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God …” (Col. 1:9-10).
We are not concerned with knowledge for the sake of knowledge. Col. 3:10 points out that the Bride will be renewed after the image of his Creator, through KNOWLEDGE. 2 Pet. 1:2 makes clear that “grace and peace be multiplied to you” through knowledge. The “knowledge of the truth” (Tit. 1:1) is not just concerned with salvation and becoming born-again – these are only the first foundation stones of our unfolding salvation. We need to grow “through the knowledge of Him who called us” (2 Pet. 1:3), or we will never be able to grab a hold of our calling and purpose (2 Pet. 1:10). Therefore, we should under no circumstances be “barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Pet. 1:8).
Solomon already knew this in the old covenant: “The heart of the prudent acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.” (Prov. 18:15). And this leads to the following immense discovery: “a man of knowledge increases strength” (Prov. 24:5). Indeed, it is like the Psalmist writes in Ps. 84:7: “They go from strength to strength; each one appears before God in Zion.”
If the earth is filled with the knowledge of the Lord (Isa. 11:9), and the knowledge of glory eventually covers the earth (Hab. 2:14), it will require “wisdom and knowledge” as “the stability of your times” (Isa. 33:6). From the prophecy of Dan. 2:14 we know that “the knowledge will increase”. But alas there is no “knowledge of God in the land” (Hos. 4:1). A bit further in Hosea God makes this strong statement: “For I desire mercy and not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.” (Hos. 6:6). This means that we completely misunderstand priesthood, and the earlier Scripture in Hos. 4:6 is more pressing than ever: “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me …”
- Selah: Do you see yourself as a priest? Realise that “the heart of him who has understanding seeks knowledge” (Prov. 15:14).
- Read: 3-8
- Memorise: 8:2
