The Second Answer to Our Question:
The pleasure in knowledge without action is a danger, and true understanding of God's thoughts requires divine revelation through the Holy Spirit.
Andrew Murray emphasizes the danger of delighting in knowledge without belief or action, particularly in the spiritual realm. He explains that while human teachers can cultivate virtues in their pupils, understanding divine truths requires supernatural revelation, as our natural state is incapable of grasping spiritual realities. Murray points out that many Christians fail to recognize their complete dependence on Christ for wisdom, righteousness, and holiness, mistakenly believing that mere engagement with Scripture will yield spiritual growth. He warns that human reasoning cannot reach the divine truths of God, which can only be revealed through the Holy Spirit. Ultimately, he calls for a deeper reliance on God's Spirit to truly understand and live out the teachings of the Bible.
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In the spiritual realm this pleasure in the power of knowledge is still more dangerous. This brings us to the second answer to the question we asked: How it is that men can delight in knowing about what they neither believe nor do; about a character and a life they do not possess.
When a teacher seeks to train his pupils to obedience, diligence, truthfulness, he is dealing with a life that is capable of these virtues, and has their seeds sown in conscience.
But God's Word and the church have to deal with supernatural realities of a heavenly life, to apprehend which nature of itself is incapable.
It is because this is not believed or remembered, that all our Bible teaching has no larger results in training humble, holy believers wholly living for God, for the supreme and most blessed work of making God known to fallen men.
In 1 Corinthians, chapter one, Paul speaks about Christ who was made unto us of God's wisdom, righteousness and sanctification. In regard to the latter all evangelical Christians believe that we have neither righteousness nor holiness of our own, and that we must find them in Christ, the righteousness through his death, the holiness through his Spirit.
But they do not believe that, just as little as we have a righteousness for merit, or a strength for holiness of our own, as little have we any wisdom of our own, nor is our human wisdom capable of apprehending divine things.
They do not believe that just as much as our heart has been depraved and our will perverted, so our mind has been deceived and darkened by sin as to spiritual things.
They have the impression that if God's Word is heard and read with interest and intelligence, it will work out its own blessing. No mistake can be more fatal.
God has said: As the heavens are higher than the earth, so my thoughts are higher than your thoughts.
As little therefore as I with my arm can reach to the stars, can I with my human reason reach to the spiritual truth and power of God's thoughts.
I can form conceptions, pictures, shadows of what he thinks, and so apprehend them with the mind. But to apprehend the spiritual and substantial reality, this I cannot, but as God is pleased by his Holy Spirit to reveal and give it into the heart and life.
(Excerpted from The Coming Revival, by Andrew Murray , pg. 22)
Sermon Outline
- The Pleasure in Knowledge
- The Problem with Bible Teaching
- The Limitations of Human Wisdom
- The Importance of Divine Revelation
- God's Thoughts are Higher than Human Reason
- The Need for the Holy Spirit's Revelation
Key Quotes
“God has said: As the heavens are higher than the earth, so my thoughts are higher than your thoughts.” — Andrew Murray
“As little therefore as I with my arm can reach to the stars, can I with my human reason reach to the spiritual truth and power of God's thoughts.” — Andrew Murray
Application Points
- Recognize the danger of delighting in knowledge without putting God's teachings into practice.
- Understand the limitations of human wisdom in reaching spiritual truth and power.
- Seek divine revelation through the Holy Spirit to deepen your understanding of God's thoughts.