THEOLOGY >
Future
> The Believer in Eternity >
Increasing in Knowledge
INCREASING IN KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUTH
From the moment of his creation Adam was blessed with knowledge, that is, a certain framework by which to think and to process his thoughts. Initially he was not a struggling and inept anthropoid incapable of thinking analytical thoughts and voicing the same, rather, shortly after his creation he named the animals and conversed with God in the cool of the day. Man was created with great intellectual acumen—a primitive man, struggling with limited mental and social capabilities, is the figment of sinful imagination by man (see: Innate Knowledge).
With the Fall this intellectual ability was defaced; thinking became impaired and improper conclusions were consistently drawn because the perspective was no longer Theistic but humanistic; the orientation changed from God to man, from above to below, from heaven to earth (see: Perverted Thinking). When the cosmos is viewed from the horizontal plane it is impossible to interpret the cosmos correctly or to draw ultimate conclusions concerning the cosmos that are valid (see: Image of God, Nature of the Image, and Status of the Image).
But the point is that knowledge has always been fundamental to what it is that constitutes man—the ability to know and a reservoir of knowledge are part of the essential nature of man. Without knowledge man would not be man (see: Innate Knowledge and Intellectual Astute). In His creation of man, God constituted man with knowledge.
To become a believer, or to be made a believer—Embraced by Truth—is to come to have a reference point by which to reorient one’s perverted thinking. It is to be blessed with the grace of a Theistic point of view. All of creation is now viewed and interpreted from the perspective of God. The leaf is viewed as God’s leaf and as existing for God’s glory; the leaf is fulfilling God’s purpose. Everything has meaning. There is no luck, chance, or autonomous event (see: God is Sovereign). The leaf is not an evolving thing devoid of meaning and purpose.
The believer can contemplate the content of Revelation, and increase his knowledge as he constantly peruses the pages of holy Scripture. More importantly, perhaps, is the fact that the believer has a hunger for Revelation; that is, the believer has the desire to think the thoughts of God. The believer longs for more knowledge; he desire to think correctly.
To be a believer in time is to be increasing in knowledge of the Truth as the Spirit gives additional comprehension of God’s Revelation, and also in eternity the believer will continually be increasing in knowledge of the Truth. The Scriptures support both concepts:
Increasing in knowledge of the Truth is growing in the knowledge of God and His Word. The increase is both intellectual and personal, in fact, the propositional is the basis for the personal (see: Personal or Propositional, Information or Transformation, Understanding-Factual and Redemptive, and Fellowship with God).
Though the life of the believer, both in time and eternity, is one of growth in knowledge, it must be admitted that the knowledge will never be complete, for God is greater than man.
Return to: The Believer in Eternity; Next Article: The Heavenly Assembly
For overview of THEOLOGY, see: Site Map - Theology
INCREASING IN KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUTH
From the moment of his creation Adam was blessed with knowledge, that is, a certain framework by which to think and to process his thoughts. Initially he was not a struggling and inept anthropoid incapable of thinking analytical thoughts and voicing the same, rather, shortly after his creation he named the animals and conversed with God in the cool of the day. Man was created with great intellectual acumen—a primitive man, struggling with limited mental and social capabilities, is the figment of sinful imagination by man (see: Innate Knowledge).
With the Fall this intellectual ability was defaced; thinking became impaired and improper conclusions were consistently drawn because the perspective was no longer Theistic but humanistic; the orientation changed from God to man, from above to below, from heaven to earth (see: Perverted Thinking). When the cosmos is viewed from the horizontal plane it is impossible to interpret the cosmos correctly or to draw ultimate conclusions concerning the cosmos that are valid (see: Image of God, Nature of the Image, and Status of the Image).
But the point is that knowledge has always been fundamental to what it is that constitutes man—the ability to know and a reservoir of knowledge are part of the essential nature of man. Without knowledge man would not be man (see: Innate Knowledge and Intellectual Astute). In His creation of man, God constituted man with knowledge.
To become a believer, or to be made a believer—Embraced by Truth—is to come to have a reference point by which to reorient one’s perverted thinking. It is to be blessed with the grace of a Theistic point of view. All of creation is now viewed and interpreted from the perspective of God. The leaf is viewed as God’s leaf and as existing for God’s glory; the leaf is fulfilling God’s purpose. Everything has meaning. There is no luck, chance, or autonomous event (see: God is Sovereign). The leaf is not an evolving thing devoid of meaning and purpose.
The believer can contemplate the content of Revelation, and increase his knowledge as he constantly peruses the pages of holy Scripture. More importantly, perhaps, is the fact that the believer has a hunger for Revelation; that is, the believer has the desire to think the thoughts of God. The believer longs for more knowledge; he desire to think correctly.
To be a believer in time is to be increasing in knowledge of the Truth as the Spirit gives additional comprehension of God’s Revelation, and also in eternity the believer will continually be increasing in knowledge of the Truth. The Scriptures support both concepts:
One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after: that I may
dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze
upon the beauty of the LORD and to inquire in his temple (Psalm 27:4);
They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea (Isa. 11:9); And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent (John 17:3); For we know in part . . . but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away (I Cor. 13:9);
For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known (I Cor. 13:12);
And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit (II Cor. 3:18);
In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God (II Cor. 4:4);
walk in a manner worthy of the Lord . . . increasing in the knowledge of God (Col. 1:10);
But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (II Pet. 3:18);
Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is (I John 3:2).
They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea (Isa. 11:9); And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent (John 17:3); For we know in part . . . but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away (I Cor. 13:9);
For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known (I Cor. 13:12);
And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit (II Cor. 3:18);
In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God (II Cor. 4:4);
walk in a manner worthy of the Lord . . . increasing in the knowledge of God (Col. 1:10);
But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (II Pet. 3:18);
Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is (I John 3:2).
Increasing in knowledge of the Truth is growing in the knowledge of God and His Word. The increase is both intellectual and personal, in fact, the propositional is the basis for the personal (see: Personal or Propositional, Information or Transformation, Understanding-Factual and Redemptive, and Fellowship with God).
Though the life of the believer, both in time and eternity, is one of growth in knowledge, it must be admitted that the knowledge will never be complete, for God is greater than man.
Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised,
and his greatness is unsearchable.
Ps. 145:3
and his greatness is unsearchable.
Ps. 145:3
Return to: The Believer in Eternity; Next Article: The Heavenly Assembly
For overview of THEOLOGY, see: Site Map - Theology