Always Learning...Never Knowing
by Vin Santanelli
"...always learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth..." (2 Tim. 3:7).
A man can spend most of his life in pursuit of the knowledge of God, concern himself in much study, yet "never able to come to the knowledge of the truth." (2 Tim. 3:7) The word is: "always learning..." This does not describe a mind disinterested in those kinds of mental pursuits so often applauded by the world or Christendom or academia. Such a one reads - he may read books, he may read commentaries, and he may continually read his Bible. He may even desire to teach the Bible! Though such may be the case, he, nevertheless, can be amongst those that the apostle describes as "desiring to be law-teachers, not understanding either what they say or concerning what they so strenuously affirm." (1 Tim. 1:7) Ignorance can be written across the student of religion, even if his religion centers around God's Word!
How can this happen, you say? How can a learned man who always studies and desires to share the Word be spiritually ignorant as to the truth?
When the study of the Scriptures is disassociated from Christ Himself - allegiance to Him, adoration of Him, transformation by Him, all is empty and such will be the word regarding us - "Ye search the scriptures, for ye think that in them ye have life eternal, and they it is which
Also, when the desire to instruct others becomes more important than learning from the hand of Christ for ourselves, real ignorance will be the result. Sadder still will be the man in which this happens to, for he, though passionately affirming that which he thinks he's got, is really self-deceived. Notice, he "strenuously affirms." How pitiable to see a man affirming some teaching by raising his voice and lifting up his hands, yet when pressed regarding that word he brings, found to be quite ignorant as to it's meaning. Showmanship replaces power and others can be deceived by this outward deception.
Learning and desiring - these two things do not go far enough, yet are often seen as the sole justification for the ministry of the Word. Let a man read many books in seminary, get his degree and if he desires to teach, let him teach. This is common today.
Is it any wonder why there are so many "instructors," yet few "fathers?" (1 Cor. 4:15)
When study of God's Word becomes an academic exercise, when reading many books (of which there is no end - see Ecc. 12:12) replaces habitual subjection to the Book, oh, a man will learn, brethren. Yes he will! He will acquire information. He may even gain a great capacity for retaining all kinds of knowledge, religious and otherwise. Remember, the apostle says, "always learning..." But one thing will be missing from his education - he does not possess the knowledge of the truth!
Such is the result when the Scripture is studied merely to enlighten the mind, rather than to subject it (2 Cor. 10:5) and drive us to Christ and be transformed by His glory. (2 Cor. 3) We must allow Christ to expound the Word to us personally, seeing it intimately bound up with Himself. (Lk. 24:27,32) Only then will the heart be set aflame for Christ! Do you remember the two disciples on the Emmaus road? The flame burning in their hearts caused them to cleave to Christ, (Lk. 24:29) fellowship with Him, (Lk. 24:30) and speak of Him to others. (Lk. 24:33-35) Such is always the effect when we study the Scriptures in the presence of the Lord and behold Christ in them.
Reader, if you walk away from the study of God's Word without cleaving to Christ more, fellowshipping with Him more, or speaking of Him to others more, you are in a fearful state! Your heart, though perhaps full of impressive information, is not aflame. And when that holy fire goes out, you will be ignorant as to whom the Scriptures bear witness to. The knowledge of the truth will be absent. You may "strenuously affirm" that which you think you have. You may even win religious arguments with others by "outwitting" them. But, if you are not on the side of Truth, you will one day have to give an account to Him "who is ready to judge the living and the dead." And you will not win the argument there.
Now we are not against an "enlightened mind," when such enlightenment is the operation of God's sovereign working, but even then, the apostle would describe such an act in this way - "that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, would give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the full knowledge of him, being enlightened in the eyes of your heart, so that ye should know..." The word is "enlightened heart," not "enlightened mind." In the Bible, the heart (though related to the mind) is more than the mind. It is the place of a man's being, the seat of his will, the arena of feeling and affection. And it is there that we are to be "enlightened," not merely the head. The mind may apprehend a truth (through the Spirit's illumination), but it is the subjected heart that applies it, thereby gaining true understanding. After all, those who "desire to practice His will, shall know of the doctrine..." (John 7:17) The willing and obedient heart is led into the knowledge of the truth. This is how God wants us to understand His truth. He does not want us to play with it, to philosophize about it, or to entertain our heads. He wants us to obey it and be changed by it - into the wonderful and blessed Lord Jesus Christ! (Eph. 4:13; Col. 1:28) We can say with confidence that the heart attached in love to Christ and willing to obey Him will be enlightened by the Father of glory, receiving a spirit of wisdom and revelation.
It may interest our reader to note that when a man's mind, rather than his heart, holds the truth (apart from love for Christ); he may still be what many consider "orthodox." But orthodoxy is no safeguard from disapproval by the Lord. Men pretend to be safe if they can memorize a creed or systematize doctrine in their heads, but this will not keep them from losing their testimony. The Ephesian assembly was an orthodox company. They received very high truth from the apostle (see Ephesians). In Revelation, we see them defending the truth and not bearing with false teaches. But they lacked one thing - love for Christ, which was their "first love." (Rev. 2:1-7) And if that were gone, so would be their lampstand or "testimony." Their doctrine, though driving them to remove that which was inconsistent with the truth, did not stem from Him who is the Truth.
From this we learn that correctness of doctrine is not enough, it must be held "in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus." (2 Tim. 1:13) Will you hold onto God's Words? Then you need faith and love, but you can only find those things "in Christ Jesus." Therefore, you cannot separate that which is needful in "holding fast...sound words" apart from Christ Himself. (see 2 Tim. 1:13) May we trust him more and love Him more, as we hold fast the truth!
Finally, you'll remember that love of self is the first principle that characterizes men who love to learn, yet never arrive at the truth. (2 Tim. 3:2) When self-love (that principle which caters to the natural man and his tastes) replaces love for Christ, though a man may not give up the study of the Word, he will be ignorant as to the truth. Though he impresses others, he will not empower them, for they will be more impressed by his knowledge, but not the knowledge of the truth - for he has not got that.