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Let us continue with our examination of how God is building a "pyramid", a holy habitation for the Holy Spirit, a temple of Godly character! Last week we saw that true "knowledge" is reposed in Jesus Christ. He is the source and the Enabler of all truth and knowledge. We need to continue this week with a deeper look at knowledge, as it is used here.

It is important to note that there are different words translated as "knowledge" in verses 2,3, and 8, and verse 7 with which we ended our discussion. The same word is used in verses 2,3,8. However, another Greek word is translated "knowledge" in verse 7. In verses 2,3,8, the word roughly means knowledge of things divine, or divine knowledge, and refers to a complete, holy, and perfect knowledge which is ONLY reposed in God. In verse 7, with which we ended last week, the word "knowledge" refers to an acquired, developed, or experiential knowledge. This knowledge, based on Spirit-guided observation and practice, results in what we would call Godly DISCERNMENT, or wisdom (Esslesiastes 8:5). This knowledge is not God’s knowledge, but is OF God, developed with our active participation, dependency and effort. Therefore, it is OURS - but OF Jesus Christ. This again, is another one of the marvelous mysteries of our Lord in His workings of grace with us, that they may be in us! And as we have seen, this can only come about in us through the "virtue" of dedication, diligence and purity of motive on our part.

It has become a shame and disgrace, this writer believes, that so many who profess to belong to Jesus Christ either do not possess or, do not exercise, discernment ("knowledge"). Much of this can be laid at the feet of some wrong understanding about "judging" as discussed by Jesus in Matthew 7. A careful reading of this chapter makes clear that Jesus is not referring to judgment in the sense of CONDEMNATION, but rather judgment FOR discernment ("knowledge"), but righteous discernment must be accompanied by an equal discernment of ourselves. Many feel that to discern equals being judgmental. Some of it is related to the influence of a society that teaches that all ways are equal, one opinion is as valid as another, so "knowledge" (discernment) is rendered unnecessary, and even immoral! However, this is not the case. In fact, as we have seen, right knowledge, as is being developed in true Christians, is a faculty of the "diving nature" - like God Himself! In this growth in God-like character, God is never diminished. We are increased! (1 Corinthians 2:14-16) Now we are ready to begin build another strata of our character "pyramid". As Godly knowledge is being to built, we now can begin to lay the next layer:

SELF CONTROL - Oh! the perils of the lack of self control! Perhaps there is no greater practical need on earth than this one! However, as we have seen with the other characteristics, we cannot have one without the prior. I am reminded here of the old preacher who was emphasizing in his sermon the terrible inclinations of human nature, and how we are PRONE to evil. He ended the sermon with a succinct prayer: "Lord, deliver us from the prone!..." It almost seems, at first glance, that self control would solve most of the problems in the world. And it would, IF...the huge little word "if"! We first must see - down deep - that we NEED deliverance "from the prone". This is where the necessity for the prior construction is so important. Without "knowledge", we do not know (naturally), what needs to be controlled. There are all types of ideas about what NEEDS to be "controlled". There have been devised and implemented by mankind laws upon laws, and then more laws to "check and balance" those laws. Then there are all types of opinions of how these controls should be applied - should there be exceptions, and if so, when, how, and for whom! This is an attempt to control from the outside that which originates on the inside (Mark 7:18-23).

External laws are necessary of course - they keep a lid on fallen human nature enough so mankind can survive a little longer. There are so many lessons that the Exodus of Israel from Egypt and its subsequent 40-years of wandering in the wilderness can teach us. Not the least of which is that EXTERNAL law and enforcement cannot change the internal. LAW CANNOT CHANGE HUMAN NATURE. God’s Word then shows us the remedy (Jeremiah 31:29-34)! By writing His laws in our hearts, God does not mean that HE is controlling us. HIS laws, which are His "divine nature", are written in OUR HEARTS! This is facilitated by right and Godly "knowledge" (discernment) that enables us to make right choices, which results in self-control of our whole being - "But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the NEW MAN, which is renewed IN KNOWLEDGE after the image of him that created him" (Colossians 3:8-10).

Self-control must be conceived and birthed in "knowledge". This knowlwdge can come only from God's Word, the Bible, as prompted and guided by the Holy Spirit! Otherwise, there will be the wrong type of "discernment" of what to control! There is little real self-control because there is so little willingness - even on the part of some Christians - to develop and exercise knowledge. Some even approach the whole issue passively by claiming to believe that God will just do it all for them; that He will just take control of everything in their lives, and there is little they need to do. This essentially takes them "off the hook", they feel, and clears the way for easy Christianity, and cheap grace, wherein nothing is required of them. Matthew 7:13-23 should be of great concern. This scripture should be a chilling warning to all of us, and never forgotten, and always heeded. Perhaps it is time to be warned not to confuse works of service with the works of God’s grace IN us...

Now that the principal of self-control is being firmly established in us, the next attribute of divine nature and character can then become real and evident. As we strive for self-control, we will begin to manifest:

STEADFASTNESS (perseverance) - There are several synonyms for this quality: patience, endurance, etc. Once more, these character traits are not possible to be permanently produced in our being without the previous "foundations" having been enabled. The other qualities we have covered do not have to be developed in their fullness (actually they cannot be, until God finishes His creation of us at the resurrection) until the next one can begin to be formed. As with self-control, this is a most admirable character trait - even in the eyes of the world. Of course, we humans, even in our fallen state can manifest in certain ways good traits. The image that God originally made of Himself was not destroyed by the fall, only distorted and marred, twisted. Mankind’s attempts to manage the curse that God put upon creation, twists and distorts that image even more.

Then the question becomes IN WHAT WAY and WITH WHAT are we all becoming steadfast in? The self can be "controlled" to point in many directions, and then to become a settled steadfastness in ungodly ways, attitudes, and pursuits (Jeremiah 17:9-11). But the one who is building according to the enabling of the Master Builder, and has the "knowledge (divine) of Christ enabling him/her will have Godly patience, steadfastness, and endurance become a PERMANENT reality! There is a wonderful blessing, and a promise by Jesus Himself given to those who have built this trait (James 5:11; Mark 13:13). God’s Word is replete with references about "waiting upon the Lord", and that we should in our "patience possess" our souls.

Lets us be steadfast, patient, and endure - we CANNOT FAIL if Jesus Christ is in us to enable our efforts by His grace!

We are nearer the apex than when we began...

"And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation NEARER than when we believed." - Romans 13:11

[Continued...]

"Chip Shots from the Ruff of Life" from Tom Kelley

The Curse is Gone