Useful knowledge

Life teaches us a lot, for example, that fear is a bad counsellor, that strength comes from peace, that dogs who bark don't bite, that it is not easy to study on an empty stomach, and that milk makes a man energetic. Are these all fairy tales, naïve sayings or childish wisdom? At least people, at some time, pondered on these things and formulated sayings through their own experiences or acknowledged mistakes. If one would assume that, in order to believe in the forgiveness of sin, it would be helpful to acknowledge that there is a God who requires our insight, repentance and acknowledgement of sin, in order to free us from sin? Would that be logical, acceptable and feasible? We read in 1 John 1:9-10 “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.” It is logical that I cannot find any forgiveness of sin if I don't believe that I have sin. On the other hand, we as Christians know, that the natural (carnal) man cannot receive anything which comes from the Spirit of God (1 Corinthians 2:14). How then, can we receive the knowledge of salvation? I think that one uses one's God-given, inherent character to familiarize oneself with the topic of God and the Bible, using one's thoughts, feelings and eyes. I don't have to first become enlightened to do this. It happens when I search for God, and through self-searching reach a certain consciousness and understanding in that which I find and read. Many people have some knowledge of the Bible, and know that Jesus Christ lived and died on the cross of Golgotha and rose again after three days. We even learn some of it at school, or from a good book, or sometimes from a movie that we watched.

There is a salvation (which many know theoretically) and a knowledge of salvation (which must come as a gift from God). Similarly, there are people who are pious and born again (1 Peter 1:23), and even those who only have a form of godliness, because they have never gotten beyond the stage of head knowledge and religiousness (2 Timothy 3:5). There is sin and the knowledge of sin (Romans 3:20). Very astonishing, however unfortunately true, is that which we read in Proverbs 20:6 “Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?” If we are honest and humble before God, then we are authentic. And to such an extent that we are unable to deceive ourselves – Galatians 6:3 “For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.” If we truly seek God from the heart, HE will let us find HIM – Deuteronomy 4:29 “But if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find HIM, if thou seek HIM with all thy heart and with all thy soul.” What we will find then, is the knowledge of sin, and the knowledge of the grace in Jesus Christ. And we will realize that people are always justified by faith and never by their works (Romans 3:28). We will accept God's conditions and pray for grace before righteousness. Jesus said in Luke 11:9-13 “And I say unto you, ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him?''

Jörg Bauer