SEARCHING FOR KNOWLEDGE 2

1 NOW . . . WE KNOW THAT WE ALL HAVE KNOWLEDGE. KNOWLEDGE PUFFS UP, BUT LOVE EDIFIES.
2 And if anyone thinks that he knows anything, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know.
3 BUT IF ANYONE LOVES GOD, THIS ONE IS KNOWN BY HIM.
11 AND BECAUSE OF YOUR KNOWLEDGE SHALL THE WEAK BROTHER PERISH, FOR WHOM CHRIST DIED?
1 Corinthians 8:1-3,11 (NKJV)

• It is becoming a trend now that some have started differentiating Paul's writings from other parts of the Bible. They would say, It was Paul who said it, not Jesus or God.

• They said most of the things taught and written by Apostle Paul were his thoughts, not that God gave him those words. Usually they quoted out of context what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 7:12,40: "BUT TO THE REST I [Paul], NOT THE LORD, SAY . . . . 40 . . . ACCORDING TO MY [Paul] JUDGEMENT—AND I [Paul] THINK I ALSO HAVE THE SPIRIT OF GOD."
• Because of such statements, they said things written by Apostle Paul were his thoughts or words and not God's Word. But that would be far from the Truth, because God would not use someone against his or her thought or mind.
• Whatever God would write through anyone would still be through the person's thoughts. The thoughts of what to write were given to Paul, not what he put together in his mind by himself—his own Will (2 Peter 1:21).
• The words written by Paul were given to him through the Revelation of Jesus Christ and the inspiration of the Holy Spirit:
  11 BUT I MAKE KNOWN TO YOU, BRETHREN, THAT THE GOSPEL WHICH WAS PREACHED BY ME [Pau] IS NOT ACCORDING TO MAN. 12 FOR I NEITHER RECEIVED IT FROM MAN, NOR WAS I TAUGHT IT, BUT IT CAME THROUGH THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST" (Galatians 1:11,12 NKJV).

20 KNOWING THIS FIRST, THAT NO PROPHECY OF SCRIPTURE IS OF ANY PRIVATE INTERPRETATION,
21 FOR PROPHECY NEVER CAME BY THE WILL OF MAN, BUT HOLY MEN OF GOD SPOKE AS THEY WERE MOVED [inspired] BY THE HOLY SPIRIT."
2 Peter 1:20,21 (NKJV)

• How would someone who claims to be Jesus' follower begins to query the Bible, and chooses the part of the Bible to believe and the part not to believe?

• Jesus Christ Himself said there were things He would have said or taught to the Disciples before He left, ascended; but He would not tell or teach them because they would not be able to understand or comprehend them.
  HOWEVER, when the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, comes, He would teach them such things:
  12 “I STILL HAVE MANY THINGS TO SAY TO YOU, BUT YOU CANNOT BEAR THEM NOW. 13 HOWEVER, WHEN HE, THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH, HAS COME, HE WILL GUIDE YOU INTO ALL TRUTH; FOR HE WILL NOT SPEAK ON HIS OWN AUTHORITY, BUT WHATEVER HE HEARS HE WILL SPEAK; AND HE WILL TELL YOU THINGS TO COME. 14 HE WILL GLORIFY ME, FOR HE WILL TAKE OF WHAT IS MINE AND DECLARE IT TO YOU" (John 16:12-14 NKJV).
• Things given to Apostle Paul to write were the things that Jesus said the Holy Spirit would teach the church. Paul was inspired by the Holy Spirit to teach and write those epistles which were later canonized, which we have As the Bible today.
• Even Apostle Peter attested to it that those things were given to Paul, that is, he, Paul, wrote according to the wisdom given to him:
  "AND consider that the long-suffering of our Lord is salvation—AS ALSO OUR BELOVED BROTHER PAUL, ACCORDING TO THE WISDOM GIVEN TO HIM, HAS WRITTEN TO YOU" (2 Peter 3:15 NKJV).
• Then, Who gave the wisdom in question to Paul, which Peter was referring to? God, Of course. But those things were being twisted then, and that is happening now again:
  "AS ALSO IN ALL HIS [Paul's] EPISTLES, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, WHICH UNTAUGHT AND UNSTABLE PEOPLE TWIST TO THEIR OWN DESTRUCTION, AS THEY DO ALSO THE REST OF THE SCRIPTURES" (2 Peter 3:16 NKJV).

• If you had learned things which are not edifying, that are making you to doubt the authenticity of the Word of God, the Bible; you would do well to unlearn such things.

• Whatever knowledge acquired that is making you to doubt the Bible and argue with the things written or found in it, would not take you anywhere—such knowledge would rather make you a rebel or a dissenter or a heretic in the Kingdom, the body of Christ.
• Any knowledge acquired that would not edify other believers, that would be contradictory to the Bible and harmful to the body of Christ, is not a good knowledge and such is not from God.
• If you are walking in love, you would not consider your knowledge what you know which you treasure, more than the edification of the brethren—other believers in the body of Christ. Love edifies, whilst knowledge puffs up. Thus, Walk in love.
• Would you want to mislead the sincere brethren because of your knowledge? The question is: " . . . BECAUSE OF YOUR KNOWLEDGE SHALL THE WEAK BROTHER PERISH, FOR WHOM CHRIST DIED? (1 Corinthians 8:11 NKJV).

• You will not fail in Jesus' name.

• If you are having any ailment in your body, as you read this piece, I declare your healing now in the mighty name of Jesus Christ.
• Whatever hold that is broken in your life would never rise again in Jesus' mighty name.
  Peace!

STEPS TO SALVATION
• Take notice of this:
IF you are yet to take the step of salvation, that is, yet to be born-again, do it now, tomorrow might be too late (2 Corinthians 6:1,2; Hebrews 3:7,8,15).
a. Acknowledge that you are a sinner and confess your Sins (1 John 1:9); And ask Jesus Christ to come into your life (Revelation 3:20).
b. Confess that you believe in your heart that Jesus Christ is Lord, and that you confess it with your mouth, Thus, you accept Him As your Lord and Saviour (Romans 10:9,10).
c. Ask that He will write your name in the Book of Life (Philippians 4:3; Revelation 3:8).

• If you took the steps As highlighted above, It means you are saved—born-again. Join a Word based church in your area and Town or city, and be part of whatever they are doing there. Peace!