From “Share The Word - 1-25-2014

Education (learning) comes in a number of ways from the time we are born till the time we pass from the stage of this life. We learn from our parents; we learn from our environment; we learn from our schooling; we learn from our occupations: and, we learn from God.

Many people have allowed their education go to their head and it affects their personally in a negative way. The “Book” gives us great learning for both women and men on this subject. The wisest of mortal men, Solomon, said “A foolish woman is clamorous: she is simple, and knoweth nothing” (Proverts 9:13). So women, don’t be clamorous or simple minded - (clamorous means: noisy, loudmouthed, boisterous, brazen, overly outspoken). The most educated of the Apostles, Paul, said in I Corinthians 8:2, “And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know.” One of my greatest pet peeves is being around a man who “knows it all” and then proceeds to fail in proving it.

The highest learning I know comes from God. There is none better. Matthew, in his writing in chapter 11:29 quotes Jesus as saying, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” Many times over the years I have heard those who seek God’s teachings say, “The more I learn of Him, the more I want to know, and the more I learn how little I do know.” There is a big difference from this statement as compared to the man or woman who thinks they know it all and are more educated than anyone else.

When Jesus gave us parables such as of the sower in Matthew 13:18; or of the fig tree in Matthew 24:32; the parable of the kingdom of heaven liken unto leaven in Matthew 13:33; and many others, all of them are for our learning. Jesus, in Matthew 13:33-34, says “All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet; saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.” The things which we learn from our Lord are things we can never learn from all the preacher schools, Sunday schools, colleges, commentaries, or secular men’s writings. These things spoken of by Jesus are only revealed by the revelation of the Spirit of God and from diligent study of the Written Word of God - The King James Translation of the Bible.

The men I truly respect in this life are those who are schooled in the Word of God. Don’t preach unto me what some other man says entirely, preach unto me what the Lord says about it from the true source of learning - The Holy Bible. The Apostle Paul spoke strongly against the Galatians and even called them foolish for turning back to men’s teachings of the law rather than the truth preached by Christ and the Apostles. Paul said, “This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?” (Galatians 3:2-3). The teachings of men in this vile world are not spiritual. Once we have been born of the Spirit, we are to look unto Christ and His teachings for our guidance and learning.

While Moses told Israel in Deuteronomy 5:1 to learn the statutes and judgments and to keep and then do them; the Israelites failed to keep them. Might we fall into the same condition and fail to keep that which we learn from God? Lord forbid! Titus instructs us as he did Zenas the lawyer and Apollos to, “also LEARN to maintain good works for necessary uses, that they (we) be not unfruitful” (Titus 3:13-14).

May we this day purpose to be more fruitful in the cause of Christ by learning more of the Will of God; whether we are preachers, deacons, church members, or just children of God who are seeking to do HIS WILL by learning His Gospel found in HIS WORD.