Articles
Do You Know And Understand?
Do You Know And Understand?
Greg King
The Physician Luke began his gospel of Jesus Christ by stating, “ Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus,that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught.” Luke 1:1-4
John expressed a similar purpose in writing his gospel of Jesus; he said, “Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” John 20:30-31
The written gospel accounts were well suited to man's capacity for knowing God’s will. As Paul told the Romans; they were written to produce faith. Timothy had known the sacred writings from the time that he was a child, having been instructed by his grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice (2 Timothy 1:5; 3:15). Jesus expected men to be able to read the prophets and understand them (Matthew 24:15). Ezra read the word of the Lord to the Jews and they were able to understand it (Nehemiah 8:7-12). Many different people in the Bible are said to have known the truth. Paul warned Timothy about some who would depart from the faith being deceitful liars and “forbidding foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth” 1 Timothy 4:3. The Hebrew writer warns that “if we go on sinning after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but just a fearful expectation of judgment” Hebrews 10:26.
An individual can only know the truth (the will of God) through knowing God's revelation which is the Bible. Deuteronomy 29:29 states, ““The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law. Paul stated, “Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is” Ephesians 5:17. Do you know and understand?
