Knowledge Versus Knowing

My family and I have now lived in Missouri for approximately four-and-a-half years. We moved here at the very end of 2018 and, almost half-way through 2023, we are still here with no signs that will change soon, Lord willing. I have learned many things during this time and have probably forgotten just as much as I have learned (maybe more, who knows?!). However, there are three things that I carry with me every day that I have gleaned from my successes and, more importantly, my failures.

Information Versus Intelligence

First, we look at intelligence versus informed. I have heard it said time and time again that the more access to information that a person has, the smarter, or more intelligent, that person will become. That has been the argument for the fast spreading of the internet, the world wide web as it was once called. Now we have instant gratification for our need to know. We have instant news (see my feelings for that here), and access to vast amounts of information, knowledge that would put philosophers of old to shame. What we don’t have is an increase in intelligence. Honestly, with what I read on social media, the news, and other platforms, it’s almost like we are getting dumber. I don’t have any scientific data or studies to back this up, it’s purely anecdotal, but, I am convinced that I am right. Now, I know that not everyone is getting dumber, but, societally, I think we have made a turn for the worse in this regard. And this leads me to the second lesson that I carry…

Knowledge Versus Knowing

Literacy does not equal maturity. Specifically, biblical literacy does not equal Christian maturity. Thinking that biblical literacy could be equated with Christian maturity was one of my downfalls as a pastor. Just because someone knows their Bible does not mean they know how to apply it to their lives or that they are living it out in any aspect of their life. The author of Hebrews tells us “Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go onto maturity,” (Hebrews 6:1, ESV), and in 1 Corinthians 3, Paul wrote of spiritual milk versus solid food (1 Cor. 3:2). While many people who are mature Christians know their Bibles really well, we must not assume that people who know their Bible really well are mature Christians! The lie of biblical literacy equating Christian maturity is one that will lead people down a path of destruction!

We must understand that saying a biblically literate person must be a mature Christian is saying that a biblically literate person must be saved! This is simply not true. I have met people in life who are not believers that know more about the Bible and what is in it, its histories, narratives, and so much more. Short of the regenerating work of God the Spirit in their lives, they will never taste the glory that is revealed in Scripture because they know the Scripture and not the Author.

So, next time you are confronted with someone who acts like they have all this knowledge, all this information, I exhort you to believe that they do, in fact, have all that knowledge. Then, if given the opportunity, ask them to explain things to you. Ask them “What is the gospel?” and how to explain it. Ask questions about application, not just knowledge and memorization questions. And when you meet that person who thinks they are going to heaven because of how much they know about their Bibles, do the same thing. Bring it back to the basics and build from there.