You’re not just trying to acquire knowledge. Knowledge - the Bible says knowledge puffs you up - love edifies - if your only motive is to gain knowledge, knowledge will take the place of knowing Him. And your knowledge will replace your relationship with the Lord. Your Bible knowledge will become your identity. And you’ll just take pride in your ability to know what the word says. In the long run that will bite you because all that you know the word says you realize is not your reality. And in time it works a weird thing in people. I’ve watched it a whole lot. It’s love that edifies. Watch this. Faith works through love. You say, “Yes, brother but ‘faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word.’” Right? Romans says that. But the truth is God is the word. And faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word because the word introduces you to the truth of who God is and the truth of God’s will and the truth of God’s nature. So the word stirs faith in you because through the word you see God’s love for us. Do you get it? So you don’t want to get rigid with it and say, “well, faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word so read the word, read the word, read the word.” And we get mechanical. And we give our hearts because we do care and are going in an avenue that doesn’t necessarily produce God reality. And some of the most committed people in that arena that I’ve known can be just the most discouraged, confused, frustrated because they’ve done everything they were told… “But I’ve done everything - but I’ve been doing that for six months - but I did that.” Do you hear the language? What’s that language reveal?... It reveals that it’s not a relationship - it’s a method. I’m doing something to get a result. Now that keeps you self-conscious, self-driven, could be self-centered at some level… It’s still just about you - what you can do to get Him to move. - Dan Mohler - see reference below.1
I'm not rightly defined by how much I know ABOUT God but by knowing God.
Notes:
1. Bible knowledge - identity through knowledge instead of knowing/love - (2:34)
2. Bible knowledge - life of love reveals knowing God - not words - (1:13)
3. Religion - doctrine without God reality - just learning the language - (1:01); (:29)
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