Why do I have to study?” declared the high school student. “Life is an open-book test!” He was bright, bored, and oh-so-much-more-interested in the vital things of life—like playing online games and texting his “gf.” His assertion holds a certain appeal, doesn’t it? After all, information is just a mouse-click away. The problem is, he’s failed to draw the distinction between knowledge and wisdom—the accurate and timely application of information.
In Luke’s account of the life of Jesus, we get a unique glimpse into the Savior’s childhood. At just 12 years old, Jesus displayed amazing knowledge of God’s Word in the temple (Luke 2:47). “That was easy for Him,” you might say. “He’s the Son of God!” But the context to me indicates that Jesus was still youthfully naïve; He couldn’t understand His parents’ concern over His absence for several days (Luke 2:48).
Years later, when Jesus was tempted by the devil in the wilderness, He quickly countered the devil’s insolent proposals with an ease that displayed a thorough and accurate knowledge of the Scriptures (see Luke 4:1-13).
Later, on the day of Jesus’ resurrection from the tomb, He appeared to two travelers who didn’t recognize Him. Jesus observed that they were “foolish people” because of their lack of belief in the words of the prophets. But then He explained the Old Testament prophecies to them. They would say that evening: “Didn’t our hearts burn within us as He talked with us?” Jesus used His knowledge to bolster the faith of two discouraged believers (see Luke 24:13-32).
The accumulation of knowledge without wisdom will make us proud and ruthless. But biblical knowledge applied with love and discernment will keep us from bad choices, and will help us serve others.
More:
What kind of knowledge leads to wisdom (Proverbs 9:10), and what are the benefits of studying God’s Word? (Psalm 119:9-16).
Next:
What are your motivations for learning? What do you do with the knowledge you have gained?
daisymarygoldr on December 18, 2010 at 5:24 pm
When I was a novice like that high school student those were exactly my thoughts about open book tests. I learned it the hard way that open book test is not easy—the questions are tough, twisted and tricky. The answers to those questions do not appear as black and white in the textbook.
Also, while taking the exam, there is not enough time to find the right answer from a sea of information. And flipping the pages of the book from cover to cover eventually ended in frustration, fear and failure. It requires prior reading, diligent study, thorough knowledge and a complete understanding of the entire concept to answer those challenging questions.
Life is like an open book test. It is filled with challenging questions—issues for which there is no black and white answer. The Bible does contain all the information I need to answer those tough, twisted and tricky questions. But if I opened the book to look for the answer when suddenly facing a problem, then nothing made sense.
I must therefore, read the Bible every day; commit scripture to memory i.e. to hide it in my heart and diligently study God’s Word.
So why study? If I do not study God’s Word, then I will surely end up in doubt, discouragement, disillusionment, and defeat when overwhelmed with the harsh realities of life. To study involves both hearing and doing. In Deut 6:4, Moses urged the people to hear God. Faith to endure trials comes from hearing God’s Word.
A onetime theological study of the Bible is not enough. Paul encouraged young Timothy to “continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise…” (2 Tim 3:14-17)
Knowledge means to know God. And then whenever life presents each trying test, God’s Holy Spirit empowers me to apply the knowledge gained and imparts His wisdom to help me overcome all of my problems.
joshuadaniel on December 18, 2010 at 9:24 pm
When I was a child in India, growing up I was made to memorise passages in scripture every sunday noon after church. If I did not do that my lunch kept getting delayed. Sometimes I would recite verses with tears and hunger pangs. Reason was India was close to the USSR and we had a feeling may turn communist. Then there would be no Bibles and how would we feed ourselves/souls with the word of God without it.
But nowadays we find no one committing God’s word to memory and we need to do that. Those painful days of memorising helps me in may walks of this life when I fear, am angry, sad, depressed etc as the words keep flooding my thoughts and encourage me to go on.
Yes Dear friends PLEASE do study the word and commit to memory so the Lord works through those verses in your mind.
tim gustafson on December 19, 2010 at 9:13 am
Thanks for a couple of great comments. Joshuadaniel, You really give me cause to be thankful that I have had the freedom to study. The Word of God will never return void.
The Bible has all the answers we require—but we may have to dig deeply for those answers. Our study is never in vain. We learn to trust the Person behind the Book—Jesus Himself.