The Greatest Thing I Don't Know
"Knowledge makes arrogant, but love edifies." I Cor. 8:1
There are those who generate knowledge and those who use knowledge. Ultimately, all knowledge is created by God. Some knowledge is discovered like the laws of physics. The laws of physics as they are discovered are described using contrived means of mathematics and language. This is generated knowledge. Art can be said to be created. However, art is created with minds and lives influenced by no means outside of God’s created order. Inasmuch as art communicates anything, it must rely on some common frame of reference. So, all knowledge comes from God and is discovered and generated by people.
What good is knowledge? People claim great knowledge for the purpose of appearing worthy of praise and honor. If a truth is discovered, what purpose does it serve just to know it? This question has been asked by students for generations. A well-rounded education, we may say, is necessary to help us to apprehend and apply useful information. Without the practice of having learned information and having learning how to apply the information, even if we will never use the information later in life, it provides a foundation and framework for understanding the world around us within which we can use to correctly identify, place and utilize new information.
Aside from this, knowledge is useless unless used. What should we do with one who seeks to share knowledge? What good is the work of a physicist unless an engineer applies the knowledge he generates? What good is the work of a composer of music without musicians to perform his music? What good is the study and theorization of theologians and philosophers without ministers and politicians to apply it to the lives of people for good or for ill? What good is the work of an author without a publisher to distribute his words to those who will read it and be edified? What good is a teacher without students? What good is a cartographer without people who don’t want to get lost? What good is it when the King of Glory comes with knowledge of the Father and we do not recognize Him? "I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me." Mat. 25:40
We must worship God in spirit and in truth. What good is the knowledge of the truth of God without worshippers? What good is love without the least of these?
If a physicist theorizes and has no engineer;
If an economist reports trends and has no businessman;
If a composer composes and has no musicians;
If musicians perform and have no audience;
If a philosopher speculates and has no politicians;
If a scholar compiles information and has no teacher;
If a teacher teaches and has no students;
If a theologian struggles with God and has no ministry;
If worshippers do not worship the true God…
…then what's the use?
There are those who generate knowledge and those who use knowledge. Ultimately, all knowledge is created by God. Some knowledge is discovered like the laws of physics. The laws of physics as they are discovered are described using contrived means of mathematics and language. This is generated knowledge. Art can be said to be created. However, art is created with minds and lives influenced by no means outside of God’s created order. Inasmuch as art communicates anything, it must rely on some common frame of reference. So, all knowledge comes from God and is discovered and generated by people.
What good is knowledge? People claim great knowledge for the purpose of appearing worthy of praise and honor. If a truth is discovered, what purpose does it serve just to know it? This question has been asked by students for generations. A well-rounded education, we may say, is necessary to help us to apprehend and apply useful information. Without the practice of having learned information and having learning how to apply the information, even if we will never use the information later in life, it provides a foundation and framework for understanding the world around us within which we can use to correctly identify, place and utilize new information.
Aside from this, knowledge is useless unless used. What should we do with one who seeks to share knowledge? What good is the work of a physicist unless an engineer applies the knowledge he generates? What good is the work of a composer of music without musicians to perform his music? What good is the study and theorization of theologians and philosophers without ministers and politicians to apply it to the lives of people for good or for ill? What good is the work of an author without a publisher to distribute his words to those who will read it and be edified? What good is a teacher without students? What good is a cartographer without people who don’t want to get lost? What good is it when the King of Glory comes with knowledge of the Father and we do not recognize Him? "I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me." Mat. 25:40
We must worship God in spirit and in truth. What good is the knowledge of the truth of God without worshippers? What good is love without the least of these?
If a physicist theorizes and has no engineer;
If an economist reports trends and has no businessman;
If a composer composes and has no musicians;
If musicians perform and have no audience;
If a philosopher speculates and has no politicians;
If a scholar compiles information and has no teacher;
If a teacher teaches and has no students;
If a theologian struggles with God and has no ministry;
If worshippers do not worship the true God…
…then what's the use?
posted by Jim Pemberton at 3:57 PM
2 Comments:
Your poetic style of writing always moves my heart Brother Jim. I guess comes from your musical gift, but it flows into your writing beautifully and brings my heart much joy in a challenging way. God bless you sir!
Thanks, Brother Lionel. That means a lot. This post was actually two-sided: I took a beef I had and tried to turn it into a blessing. The only way I know to do that is return it to God.
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