SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES FOR THE CHRISTIAN LIFE
Part 12 Learning
- Have you ever known a Christian who deliberately chose not to learn new things? Or one who sought learning continually? What did you observe about each?
Why do so many Christians live as though they’ve been told, “Choose this day whom you will serve: Scholarship or devotion”?
A biblically balanced Christian has both a full head and a full heart, giving off both spiritual heat and light.
** A while back a new believer i know, and I were visitnig in a hospital. We visited with a man there. We each held one of his hands and prayered for him. The man with me later said that the man in the bed was now a Christian because we had each held a hand and as we prayed the Holy Spirit had travled through him. Is that how a person is saved. How is this want-a-be witness gonna know different if he isn't taught? We must not be content to have zeal without knowledge.
We don’t have to be scholars, and we don’t have to know everything, but we should strive to grow and learn.
Jesus at age 12 – Luke 2:46 After three days, they found Him in the temple complex sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.
Jesus was striving to learn.
> Proverbs 10:14 The wise store up knowledge, but the mouth of the fool hastens destruction.
> Proverbs 23:12 Apply yourself to instruction and listen to words of knowledge.
I. FULFILLING THE GREAT COMMISSION
> Mark 12:29-30 “This is the most important,” Jesus answered: Listen, Israel! The Lord our God, the Lord is One. 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.
What God wants most from you is your love and one of the ways you demonstrate your love is by learning about Him. God is glorified when we use the mind He has given us to learn about Him, His Word, His ways, and His world. Unless we love God with a growing mind we will be like Christian versions of the Samaritans to whom Jesus said, “You Samaritans worship what you do not know” (John 4:22).
I cannot tell you the number of questions I have had to answer and the misunderstandings I have needed to correct with new believers coming into the church who wanted to know where in the Bible it talkled about eating fish on Friday, purgatory, or what happens to a baby when it dies. How are people to know these things if they do not learn and are not taught?
II. LEARNING IS ESSENTIAL FOR INCREASED GODLINESS
How is it that we are to be transformed into Christlikeness? The Bible indicates that one of the crucial ways is through mind renewal. Romans 12:2 Do Be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind. We will not grow much into godliness if we do not know much about what it means to be godly. We will not become much more like Christ, if we don’t know more of what Christ is like. The Word of God must go through our head if it’s going to change our heart and our life.
III. LEARNING IS MOSTLY BY DISCIPLINE, NOT BY ACCIDENT
We must not assume that we are wiser, just because we are older. ** Do you know some older people who are stupid? …
> 1 Timothy 4:7 But have nothing to do with irreverent and silly myths. Rather, train yourself in godliness,
It takes work.
> 2 Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman who needeth not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
IV. HOW DO YOU LEARN?
Books on CD, radio, TV, books, other Christians. Sunday School, etc.
V. LEARNING HAS A GOAL
The goal is Christlikeness. It isn’t just to fill our heads with knowledge about how things used to be …
> Matthew 11:28-29 “Come to Me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 All of you, take up My yoke and learn from Me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for yourselves. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
There is a superficial learning that leads to pride and to being puffed up 1 Corinthians 8:1 About food offered to idols: We know that “we all have knowledge.” Knowledge inflates with pride, but love builds up.
Godly learning leads to godly living.
