I have always had a knack for getting interested in a subject and reading as much information as I could find . Then I would settle in , reading the material , gaining head knowledge. When I was a teen, it was about different rock bands , supernatural phenomena ,historical events and hockey teams . One could say I was a information junkie .
Lately this has got me thinking about God. It is one thing to know about God. Studying the doctrines of the trinity,justification,eschatology,the atonement etc... However do we study these things for just head knowledge only. My mind can give ascent to these truths ,but unless it grips the heart and impacts it , my affections will not change. It can become so easy for anyone who has a knowledge hunger to want just the facts. It can become almost clinical. Doctrine studied should not be detached from the heart.
There is a deceiving nature to studying about God but not knowing Him . To rattle off facts about Him is not the same as loving Him and having Him know you. Granted , without study of these great and grand doctrines, one cannot know God properly but if we become more interested in the doctrine than our Lord, it will lead to a cold affection for the Lord.
Can we say we know Christ and He knows us. Can we call Him Lord of our heart , as well as our mind. The two need not be divided. They mustn't be divided . If the mind becomes all there is , we can become puffed up and cold or self righteous.Looking down on others who have yet to grasp the deeper truths. If it is all heart , than your feelings and emotions will sweep you along a roller coaster ride , leaving one always unbalanced . Both are wrong.
When Jesus was asked what was the greatest commandment, he answered with this:
[37] And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.
(Matthew 22:37 ESV)
We are not to divide the way we love God into compartments. It involves the whole person. Our affection must be driven by our knowledge , our knowledge should deepen our affection. May this be our prayer ,that the Holy Spirit would stir up our heart unto knowledge and that deeper understanding of God would deepen our affection for our Lord.
2 comments:
I totally agree, we must have head knowledge and heart knowledge. I've seen a lot of people with just one either head or heart. Good post brother
God bless!
Yohn
I can attest to that. You're still an information junkie. Without engaging our hearts, souls and minds, our relationship with God is so one dimensional, rather than rich and multifaceted. Just going through the motions does God a disservice and cheats us of the richness of His glory, in our lives. If we have head or heart knowledge, but not both, we leave ourselves open to Satan's lies. We become either puffed up with sanctimonious pride or we make God in our own image. If we don't know who He is, from His word, we're open to all kinds of false rumours about Him. Love you, Mrs Reg
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