Knowing God and Knowing Stuff

In a class I lead, someone reminded us of the news report that, on a point by point basis, the folks who know the most about religion are often atheists. Christian folk sometimes just have never bothered to learn much, in theology or history, in the writings of the saints and poets. I'm not being anti-intellectual or anti-historical, just saying that a long list of "truths" is not the ball-game for Christians!

One of my favorite folks likes to say, "Well, I don't know, but my heart is pure and I love Jesus!" I like that. You know, there is nowhere in Scripture, as I remember and perceive it, that gives us credit for knowing STUFF. It does give some credit just for knowing/trusting Jesus. In fact, Jesus seems to take that tack, himself.

The Sermon on the Mount does not focus on knowledge, anyway, but on performance. It's not KNOWING STUFF, so much as DOING THE STUFF THAT JESUS WANTS, seems to me. The promises in Revelation are not for the "one who knows" but for the "one who conquers".

I'm glad some folks know the answers to lots of historical questions, I guess, and there's a value in that. But the key question for Christians is not "What do you know?" BUT a question much more for disciples: "How is it with you and Jesus?"

That's the big one!

Bryan