Increasing in knowledge is not increasing in faith. I ran across this phrase (at least something similar) on social media this week. It is kinda true and sorta false all at the same time! But we should not miss the point. People can align too easily at the poles instead of the equator. At one extreme, is the person who has pride in their Bible knowledge to the point they use the word of God as if it were their sword instead of the Spirit’s. A full 180-lines of latitude away is the person whose faith is built on sinking sand. They understand God’s love and grace, but have no respect for the authority, sacrifice paid, or holy nature of our God.
This dichotomy is demonstrated in our knowledge and faith. How can I have faith without the, “knowledge of salvation”? The Bible tells us John the Baptist preached knowledge to guide his followers to, “the forgiveness of their sins,”-Luke 1:77. There is no faith without knowing something about Jesus, “(the gospel) is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”-Romans 1:16. How can a sinner, “believe in him of whom they have never heard?”-Romans 10:14. Faith and knowledge are inseparable in God’s scheme of redemption, “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.”-Romans 10:17.
While knowledge is essential to faith, knowledge itself can become an idol or even a weapon used to defeat personal enemies instead of the Lord’s. The Spirit puts it this way through the pen of the apostle Paul, “’knowledge’ puffs up, but love builds up.”-I Corinthians 8:1. “If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.”-I Corinthians 13:1-3.
So how is a Christian to grow in knowledge and faith? The answer is love. Love for God shown in the sacrifice of his Son, is the power of love (Why do you think it is called “good news?”) to produce faith in Jesus and righteousness before God. My love for the Savior whose resurrection is the bedrock of my faith, will drive me to learn more about a God whose is Father, Son, and Spirit.
It is love which prevents cold, expressionless knowledge. Love for Jesus who is truth will lead me to seek to, “worship in spirit and truth.”-John 4:23. Knowledge is God’s gift. It teaches us the story of love. Faith is God’s gift. It drives me to know Jesus in whom I believe.
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