Faith Isn’t Enough
The word “faith” gets bantered around a lot in Christendom and of course, faith is extremely important (probably far more import it than most people give credence to).
But the Bible also says that something needs to be added to our faith.
Peter said in his second letter, chapter five, add to your faith knowledge.
Jesus said, you shall “know the truth and the truth shall set you free.” Judging by Jesus’ equation, the reason that many people are in bondage is not that they lack faith, it’s that they lack knowledge.
Consider the following:
- Knowledge of what the Scripture actually says and means.
Biblical illiteracy is at an all-time high, even in some of America’s strongest churches.
Though led by some of the best Bible preachers in history, those same preachers will readily tell you that there’s never been a day when it seemed that God’s people were more ignorant of what the Scripture actually says and means. The inevitable results is bondage, worldliness and spiritual confusion.
- Knowledge of what God really thinks and feels about them.
Whether or not I see a man as a friend or an enemy will directly determine how I relate to him. True, no?
Your view of God matters, and quite frankly, a corrupted view of God inevitably results in a compromise relationship. You won’t feast at the table if you don’t trust the food.
Knowledge that you’re the object of God’s passion and the object of his everlasting love will make the difference.
- Knowledge of what was actually accomplished in salvation.
Nowhere does the Bible say God cleanses your heart of sin when you come to Christ in salvation. What it does say is that God gives us a brand-new heart in salvation (cf. Ezek. 36:26 & 2 Cor. 5:17).
If you see yourself as merely a reformed version of your former self, you will live a crippled spiritual life. But if you see yourself as the new creature that God says that you are it will then affect the choices that you make. This knowledge is crucial.
Faith is good and necessary. But faith without works is dead, and faith without knowledge is, quite frankly, no help at all.
Let’s follow Peter’s admonition and add to our faith knowledge and enjoy the freedom that comes by knowing the Truth.
By the way, there’s a lot more to the list (speaking of knowing what the Bible says), so we would all be wise to check them all out in 2 Peter chapter 5.
Why? Because according to verse 8, these “qualities in increasing measure will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Hey, surely none of my readers want to be unproductive. See you on the fruity side.
July 9th, 2009 at 9:13 am
“Your view of God matters, and quite frankly, a corrupted view of God inevitably results in a compromise relationship. You won’t feast at the table if you don’t trust the food.” — now that’s an analogy that really grabbed my eye! Great insight, Scott, God bless you! Seems that what this whole world needs to know! Preach on, brother!