Do you not know...?

Well I’m about ready to go to bed but I wanted to briefly share the following thoughts. I just finished reading Paul’s letters to the Corinthians and am struck by a theme I see throughout the first letter, which is Paul’s repeated phrase “do you not know…” We see this phrase in the following passages and probably in more that I just did not pick up on (it’s late and I’m tired):

1 Corinthians 3:16
1 Corinthians 5:6
1 Corinthians 6:2,3,9,15,16,19
1 Corinthians 9:13,24

“Do you not know…”

My thoughts on this are that it strikes me as quite important that Paul seems to expect a certain amount of knowledge from those to whom he is writing. What a contrast to the attitude of too many professing Christians today! Oftentimes when I have been in Sunday school and we talk about becoming familiar with the Word or even memorizing it, we hear the common complaint that we are asking too much of people…that to know Jesus is enough. Now, quite frankly, I don’t disagree with that. To know Jesus IS enough…but how can we truly know Jesus if we don’t know His Word? Or how can one claim to know Him and be ignorant of that which speaks of Him and through which He speaks?

Another common complaint I hear is that knowledge for its own sake does not characterize a Christian. Well who says it does?

Quite frankly those who use this argument are usually the ones less likely to be IN the Word! Their defensiveness comes from feeling challenged and convicted and rather than repent they go on the warpath and throw out that tiresome old charge of legalism…as if it is an unbiblical idea to actually study the Bible!

The problem with this argument is not just that it is the usual response of those most in need of study…no, the bigger problem is that it is unfounded. Of course having biblical knowledge does not save you, nor does being able to recite from memory long passages of Scripture matter one iota as far as your salvation goes. In fact, James tells us in James 2:19 that “even the demons believe”! But guess what? Despite their belief in God, they tremble! You see, they know God, they don’t doubt His existence, but they do not serve Him nor do they acknowledge Him as Lord! So, yes, we know that prideful knowledge means nothing…but seriously, what kind of Christian are we being if we do not desire to learn MORE about Him? And again…only the Bible can tell us of Him, therefore it is to the Bible that we should be drawn on a daily basis…and it is His Word that we should WANT to commit to memory, that we might have it in our hearts at all times!

One final thought…this evening I was thinking about the Lord and what a poor servant of His I am. I so want to be on fire for Him every second and every moment, but my flesh is weak and I sin more often than I wish I did. I hate to say this, but I am NOT among the best workers at the library…I am NOT the best husband and father…I am NOT the best spiritual leader of my family. And yet I should strive for all of these things, not for the sake of worldly acclaim but for the glory and honor this would bring to my Lord. When people think of me and of my performance in any area of my life, I want them to think to themselves that of course [inset my name here if you know me] is among the best workers and among the best family men…of course, for He is a Christian.

Do I think people say that of me? No…to my shame I do not think that they do.

So as I prayed to my Lord tonight, I asked Him to help me change, to help me be a faithful servant of His. And you know what? I don’t know if I will die this week or this year or 50 years from now (okay, at my current weight I think 50 years is a bit much to expect!), but I do know that whatever His will is for my life, I want to strive to be IN His will all the time! I want to know Him; and brothers and sisters, I know of only one way to know Him better and better…and that is to be in the Word.

God bless and good night my brethren.