Church bulletin for August
John 7:17, “If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine”. Pursuing spiritual knowledge involves using our minds, and it also involves our obedience. In order to gain knowledge of mathematics, science or English one needs to only engage the mind. Yet to understand God and the things of God you must not only use the intellect but also be determined to walk in the light as it is given. God’s truth is moral truth and it needs to be applied. Without application we will continue to dwell in ignorance. When we struggle to comprehend doctrine and grow in knowledge we must consider what amount of time and effort is given to meditation, but we must also examine how we are living. If we are walking in darkness we shall not receive light.
John 8:12, “Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” John 12:35-36, “Then Jesus said to them, “A little while longer the light is with you. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you; he who walks in darkness does not know where he is going. 36While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.”
It reminds us that all preaching and Bible study must ultimately be concerned with application. While the Bible is not moralistic, it is concerned with sanctification. Believing the truth we are to put on the truth; knowing who God is, we are to live accordingly. The letters of the New Testament teach both doctrine and its implications for our lives. Sanctification begins with the mind and our understanding (Rom 12:1-2); it progresses to our desires, motivations and priorities; it is outworked as we bring our behaviour and decisions into line with the will of God.
Let us examine ourselves. If we tend to dwell in spiritual confusion and uncertainty, are we walking in the light already given? If there seems to be little growth and maturity in terms of Godliness, are we patterning our life according to Psalm 1 – meditating daily upon the Word of God and applying its lessons? Growth in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ is not by accident but belongs to those who engage their minds and yield up their bodies as living sacrifices