Fulton Church of Christ » Knowing and Not Knowing

Promises of understanding
- 1 Corinthians 2:6 – 3:2
  - Christians can understand the wisdom of God through the Spirit, although some spiritual maturity is required.
  - If only the teachers were made to understand, they would have no students.
  - Understand “the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”
  - “Know the things that have been freely given to us by God.”
  - “We have the mind of Christ.”
- 2 Corinthians 3:3:12 – 18
  - The veil over understanding is taken away in Christ.
  - Christians should “behold as in a mirror” their transformation
  - With unveiled understanding (“heart”) through the work of the Spirit.
- Ephesians 1:15 – 21
  - Paul prayed for the Christians in Ephesus, implying that they were not there yet.
  - In the knowledge of Him
  - The eyes of your heart be enlightened
  - That you may know the hope of His calling
- Ephesians 3:13 – 19
  - Comprehend with all the saints what is the length and width and depth and height of Christ’s love
  - Paul prayed that it be “granted” to some.
Some knowledge is not promised
- The date on which Jesus returns (Matthew 24:36, Mark 13:32, 1 Thessalonians 5:2 – 3, 2 Peter 3:10)
- Anything not specifically promised
Speculation is discouraged
- 1 Timothy 1:3 – 7, 6:4, 6:20, 2 Timothy 2:16, 4:4, Titus 3:9
- Romans 12:3, 16 Do not think more highly of yourself than you ought
How do we know if our question can be answered?
- If it requires a human to explain what God was unable to make clear…
  - The Trinity
  - How we interact with our spirits
  - What our spirits are doing now
  - What our spirits will do between our physical death and Judgment
  - What we will do in heaven
  - Simplicity, not complexity
  - Summary, not expansion
- Evidence
  - Is my faith big enough?
  - Do I do enough?
  - The evidence is in the work of the Spirit.
- Focus on what you know, not on what you don’t know.
- Be satisfied with what God has revealed through the Word.
- The Spirit is the one tasked with increasing our understanding