Back Print Page Email Page

When it comes to the word of God, the intellectual knowledge of the most reputable scholars is a poor substitute for what God can do when He decides to touch the heart and mind of a lowly, perhaps even uneducated individual.  The odd thing about it is that when knowledge is not mixed with humility it has a way of making the individual worse off than before they obtained it.  It seems that arrogance can replace the very purpose of the knowledge. But when the Lord illuminates a person’s mind, He allows them to see what no amount of study, debate or penance can accomplish. Think about this for a moment: after the prophet Malachi left the scene, about 400 years before Christ, there were no prophets sent at all.  Based on the book of Malachi, the spiritual state of Israel was completely apostate.  They were offering lame animals for sacrifice, they had “wearied the Lord” with their words, they were dealing “treacherously” with one another without any regard for the law of God, the priests had departed out of the way, and people were questioning the value of serving God at all.  It was a bad state. But did this terrible state and God’s reluctance to send another prophet to His people cause them to consider their ways?  No.  In the absence of a prophet, a true messenger sent from God, doctors, lawyers and scribes were born in the nation of Israel.  These men, most likely well-intentioned, would pore over the scriptures meticulously with only a single ingredient missing: the Spirit of God.  As a result, during this span of 400 years the majority of the political and spiritual leaders were content with an outward shell of religion that carried no weight beyond ordinances, traditions and anything that would allow them to appear righteous and pious in the eyes of others.  They knew all the scriptures prophesying the coming of Messiah but when He finally came they could not recognize Him at all.  Rather, bypassing them God illuminated the minds of lowly people like old Simeon and Anna; people who were determined to walk in integrity towards God despite the darkness around them.  Religion was rampant, but God was virtually silent.  “[Ye] search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.”  (John 5:39).  These men were completely blind, but because they thought they saw, that they were spiritually healthy, their prejudices of what is right, holy and acceptable to God blocked them from the light of their Messiah.  “Therefore speak I unto them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand…  But blessed are your eyes for they see: and your ears, for they hear.” (Matt 13:13, 16). I Will Build My Church… We are living in a day where it is more common to be intellectually challenged in church than to be spiritually illuminated.  As the apostle Paul prophesied, the masses of today have “itching ears” and love a new thought just like they did in Athens when Paul preached on Mars’ hill.  (Acts 17:21).  But probably the most powerful illustration of our need for the genuine touch of God’s hand in our lives is found in the book of Matthew chapter 16.  If after reading this article you take nothing else away, our prayer is that you would leave with at least this. One day the Lord Jesus decided to confront his inner circle with a question: “Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?” (:13).  Each of the disciples chimed in with what popular opinion thought of Him…  John the Baptist freshly resurrected, Elijah, Jeremiah or perhaps another prophet that had been long dead.  But then Jesus turned them away from what the masses thought, and asked a more direct question: “But whom do ye say that I am?” (:15). And Peter answered Him right away, without any wavering or doubt, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him saying, “Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.” While men like Nicodemus, steeped in religious education and a knowledge of the prophets, were struggling to discover who He was (John 3), a simple fisherman with no formal training received a revelation directly from God as to what He was doing in that time.  While the doctors and lawyers groped in darkness, so-called “unlearned and ignorant men” had a firmer grasp of what God was saying and doing.  As a result of this Jesus went on to say, “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” (:18).  For centuries the Catholic church has largely derived its authority from these lines of scripture outlined here.  Protestants have untidily argued that Jesus was actually referring to Himself – not Peter – as the rock on which He will build His church. In reality, the “rock” is neither Peter or Jesus.  The “rock” is in fact the revelation and illumination that Peter received from God.  This is the foundation on which Christ will build His church – men and women whose eyes and ears have been touched by the Lord God directly.  While man can dispense information, only God can give light. A few decades later, when heresies and false doctrines had crept into the church, the apostle Paul wrote a letter to Timothy, a young pastor.  In 2 Timothy 4, Paul identifies two individuals responsible for a false teaching that had actually overthrown the faith of a few members – Hymenaeus and Philetus.  These men were actually teaching that the resurrection from the dead had already happened.  The result?  Some people left the church. But Paul went on to say directly after this disappointing news, “Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his…” (2 Tim 4:19).  In other words, though we can be discouraged at this, God is still building His church in the lives of those who are His – nothing is lost in God’s sight. People may come, people may go.  Fads may come and fads may go – even in the church world.  But those whose minds have been touched by the Lord stand sure because they have not simply been educated or persuaded into a way of life that “seems to make sense”, but they have been persuaded and convinced in their inward parts so that they can boldly say, even in the midst of severe opposition, “let God be true, but every man a liar…” (Rom 3:4).  Though these saints may be pressured and bent here and there, the roots never let up their grasp.  They may appear beaten or fallen but they will rise again.  They are not tossed with every new philosophy because they have a vision that man has not given.  Though it is possible that their vision can grow dim, they humbly seek after and cling to God throughout all circumstances.  The church stands firm and is not overcome because God has stabilized individuals by revealing to them the import of what it means to live for Him in a world of darkness.  After all, when the world changes and the church follows suit, that church is not a church. The Futility of Education Alone A common trend in today’s Christian world is to hear pastors quoting “original” Greek and Hebrew as a means of drawing out the true meaning of the scriptures.  But what profit is the original Greek if you’re blind?  Jesus didn’t even speak Greek.  And remember, renowned men like Annas and Caiaphas the high priest heard the words fall directly from Jesus’ mouth in the most original language and context, yet it profited them nothing whatsoever. Today you can buy a doctorate in theology over the Internet for a few dollars.  If you’re a pastor, you can visit any number of websites to download your sermon for next Sunday, complete with PowerPoint presentation slides.  If that’s not to your liking you can pick up the latest best-selling Christian book and glean a few “nuggets” and clichés to impress your people with.  Seek after God?  This is the Information Age.  Now you can preach without having to study or pray all week and the undiscerning congregation never knows the difference.   The truth of the matter is that education and illumination are two different things.  Man may try to cover up what he lacks by becoming more knowledgeable, outwardly pious and holy, but nothing is the same as when God touches a man’s mind and allows him to see not only the truth of the scriptures which is important, but speaks to his heart also and enables him to see present truth. Isn’t this the definition of the role the prophets of old played?  They did not give history lessons but spoke directly to the heart of what sin, rebellion and evil the people were partaking of in their day.  They were not necessarily scholars or members of the prestigious school of the prophets, but God illuminated their hearts and minds with a message for the people.  Of course, what was the result?  Though long after their death the people loved them and quoted them, during their day they were persecuted and killed because of spiritual blindness.  “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets and stonest them which are sent unto thee…” (Matt 23:37).  Scripture alone is dead.  What is needed is for God to illuminate our minds and hearts so that scripture becomes alive – this is the definition of the word of God. In writing the church of Ephesus, the apostle Paul said, “That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling…”  (1:17-18).  Nothing can compensate for a revelation and illumination. Only God Though man can dispense religious knowledge, only God can grant repentance and give us eyes to see.  The Pharisees traveled land and sea spreading their message, but after they were done the result was that their new converts were “twofold more the child of hell” than themselves.  It would have been better to have been left in their state than to receive the message of error from the Pharisees. That is why today, with so much at our fingertips in terms of technology, marketing know-how, educational resources and information we must never come under the illusion that we can substitute our activity for a revelation only God can give.  Evangelists host mass crusades with hundreds of thousands, and sometimes millions of people.  Sometime during the meeting, after they’ve paraded a few healings across the stage and sung a few songs, they pass out “decision cards” on which people, in the height of excitement, are asked to make a decision to follow Christ.  These cards are then tallied up after the show and the evangelist can proudly report back to the folks at home that 34,000 people gave their hearts to Christ today.  It sounds spectacular, but how many of these people can be found serving the Lord next month?  How about in six months or a year?  If God doesn’t do the work then it’s all in vain: “Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it…”  (Ps 127:1). The truth is that the methods of man, while elaborate and exciting, can never compensate for the true spirit of God.  It is only the surface that responds to noise and agitation.  This does not mean we become inactive.  God forbid.  Rather, we rely on the fact and acknowledge that the work of the Spirit is God’s, we hold dear to the illumination we have received and maintain our revelation at all costs. The same basic need, from the beginning of time to its end, is this: to be rid of our sins, to obtain eternal life and to be brought into communion with God. As Job said, after going through the most grueling experience a man could face, “I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee.  Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.” (Job 42:5-6).