Do you not know?
Ponder: Knowledge and its proper application.
Scripture:”Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin” (James 4:17).
Ten times Paul asked in First Corinthians, “Do you not know . . . ?” He asked this in regard to spiritual truths, like the church being God’s temple (3:16). He also asked in regard to common sense maters with spiritual overtones such as leaven spreading through bread dough (sin spreading through a congregation, 5:16).
You can almost hear the exasperation in Paul’s words. “What’s the matter with you? Don’t you know . . . ?” Either the Corinthians didn’t know these things, or else they were failing to properly apply what they knew. In either or both cases, the result was a multitude of messy problems in that congregation.
Ignorance and failure to apply what we know still hinder the cause of Christ today. We must learn God’s word! Bible classes, personal study, videos, dvds, correspondence courses, and other tools may help. Whatever tools you choose, treasure up God’s word in your heart; it will help you not to sin against Him (Psalm 119:11).
For knowledge to be helpful, it must be applied. Knowledge is not an end in itself! Jesus commended the wise man for hearing His words and “doing” them (Matthew 7:24, 25). But James said the hearer who does not do the word is self-deceived (1:22).
The Corinthians ought to have known better than to behave as they were – dividing, tolerating immorality, suing each other, etc. Before we judge them too harshly, let’s ask ourselves: Don’t we know better than to attend only sporadically? or complain over trivial matters? or gossip? or . . . (you can extend this list as well as I can).
If we don’t know better, we ought to learn. If we do know better, we ought to make proper application of what we know.
Song: “Open our eyes, Lord”
Prayer: Father, please forgive us for being so slow of heart to learn and believe and do Your will. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Joe Slater (Justin, TX)