Read, Obey and Grow

I had a great conversation with a new believer in Jesus who was saved this week, and we briefly discussed the importance of reading God's word to grow in maturity.  Just like we need to eat food to uphold the health and strength of our bodies, we need to regularly receive God's word to be strengthend in faith as we obey.  When we read the Bible, it can be quite foreign and strange to us because it is not the way we naturally think, God's ways and thoughts being higher than ours.  Careful reading ought to provoke questions in the spiritually hungry, and we will wonder with the disciples at time how things Jesus said could possibly be true.

Reading the Bible with faith in God is key to receiving spiritual benefits from God's word, for divine truth is obscured and even appears foolish to the natural man.  It is important for us to allow the Bible to begin to frame our new worldview as children of God and disciples of Jesus Christ rather than imposing our own opinions upon the text or disregarding what we do not agree with.  Bit by bit, we grow spiritually as we submit to the truth of God's word, receiving it as such--not merely helpful advice compiled over the years we can take or leave--but as part of our daily lives.  Observing what the Bible says, interpreting what the Bible means by comparing Scipture with Scripture, we can then apply the wisdom of God's word personally and be guided into all truth by the Holy Spirit.

Paul said in 1 Corinthians 8:1 that "Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies."  As we grow in knowledge of God's word and begin to develop our own theology (the systematic study of God by reading the Bible), it is important to realise our limitations:  no matter how much we learn or know, there will be things only God knows.  Based on what we understand in God's word, over time we will often take doctrinal positions based on our convictions and interpretations.  Some can become so rigid or dogmatic with their views that God becomes caged in a framework of doctrine He must bow to, cannot do what is impossible, or even give more grace.  We must be cautious to hold fast to good doctrine according to Scripture, yet at the same time realise we lack full understanding even after decades of continuous study.  Like Apollos, we often require a more perfect explanation of the way to take to heart, and thus we ought to remain teachable and give grace to others who, like us, still need to grow and be more fruitful.

King Solomon wrote, "It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, but the glory of kings is to search out a matter. ³ As the heavens for height and the earth for depth, so the heart of kings is unsearchable."  God is glorified by His ability to conceal a matter no king can discover.  If men cannot know or search out all that is in the hearts of kings, how could any of us on our own discover a single thing about God unless He guides and helps us?  Those who are proud of their vast Bible knowledge have not learned much, and all who humble themslves before the LORD will be heard by God and exalted.  If our doctrines do not exalt the greatness, goodness, grace and love of God and are more about technicalities, pressuring others to accept or promote our rigid doctrinal framework, debating words and pitting Bible translations against each other, we might be missing the whole point.