A quart short in the area of "application by faith"

 

2 Timothy 3:7-9

We all met people who are very intelligent persons with all kinds of book smarts, but who are dumber than a rope?  Sure you have, we all met them, and as this Scripture states, “Always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth.”  (2 Timothy 3:7)  Yes, we know such people, but what about in the church, what about you and me, who attend Bible studies, who daily study the Scriptures, could verse seven be applied to us?   The Holy Spirit speaking through the earth suit of someone said the following to the Hebrew Christians; “About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing.  For by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God.  You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child.  But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.”  (Hebrews 5:11-14)  The writer goes on in chapter six to tell us it is time to by faith apply what has been learned or taught, to make it your walk and not just your talk.

Could it possibly be that many of us intelligent people who have been to all the Bible studies, still run a quart short in the area of application by faith.   It is not a new problem, the writer refers to Jannes and Jambres who apposed Moses, in fact the writer goes on to say “they opposed the truth – men of depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected.  But they will not get very far because, as in the case of those men, their folly will be clear to everyone.” (2 Timothy 3:8b-9)

A person with all the answers does not want to listen to truth, they want followers, they want to oppose authority, and it’s called being full of self.  Galatians 5:16-17 tells us all we need to know, but if we are living independent lives and not dependent on God the Father, we somehow believe Galatians 5:16-17 applies to others and not us.  “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.  For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.” (Galatians 5:16-17)  This truth applies to all, yes, even to pastors, teachers, and pew sitters, and to walk in the Spirit is a choice made often, many times everyday.  When we are walking in the Spirit, we experience love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control; so it should be easy for each of us to know when we are in the Spirit or in the flesh.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice