Back in 1999, during my first year of seminary at Mid-America, I fell in love with the study of theology. Simply, I fell in love with the study of God! At that time at Mid-America you chose from one of 5 tracks you could study and theology was one of those tracks...it's an easy guess as to the track I chose. While writing a research paper I ran across the following article at the Leadership U web site http://www.leaderu.com/aip/docs/scott.html A Vision of Veritas: What Christian Scholarship Can Learn from the Puritan's "Technology" of Integrating Truth. Sounds really exciting I know:) In the article I found the diagram below of the "Circle of Knowledge." I will never forget the big ah ha moment for me as I process the inf
ormation when my eyes landed on theology...theology is the art of living well! Orthodox Christianity is a body of knowledge, BUT IT IS SO MUCH MORE THAN A BODY OF KNOWLEDGE! IT IS THE ART OF LIVING WELL BEFORE A HOLY GOD! What do we learn in1 Cor 8:1? “knowledge” puffs up, but love builds up." God does not give knowledge for knowledge sake...God gives knowledge, understanding and wisdom that we may live well, that we may live in a manner worthy of the gospel, that we may live a life that is pleasing to HIM.
Our reading in James 3:13-18 today highlights this point I believe.
Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. 15 This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. 16 For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. 17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. 18 Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
What is this fruit of righteousness?
Proverbs 11:18 The wicked earns deceptive wages, but one who sows righteousness gets a sure reward.
Isa 32:17 And the effect of righteousness will be peace, and the result of righteousness, quietness and trust forever.
Hosea 10:12 Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap steadfast love; break up your fallow ground, for it is the time to seek the Lord, that he may come and rain righteousness upon you.
Gal 6:8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.
Mark, you have not answered the question...where does the fruit of righteousness come from? Paul tells us in Philippians 1:11 that "the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God." Paul gives further explanation in 2 Cor 5:21 "For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. "
As leaders, teachers and communicators of the truth of God's Word...our responsibility is not to simply communicate information..."the demons believe and tremble." The demons have more information than we every will this side of eternity. OUR RESPONSIBILITY is to communicate a person, JESUS CHRIST. The degree that we are yielded, surrendered, Spirit-filled, expressing our desperation for God...is the degree that Christ is incarnate in us, in our lives, is the degree that we will "live well," from God's perspective.
Oh Father in heaven,
grant me, grant us YOUR wisdom that is from above for your glory and our JOY in YOU.
love,
m