Knowledge - "More, More About Jesus"

Scott Price

"And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding" Jer 3:15

The Scriptures are often twisted by preachers to the detriment of many of God's sheep. Some preachers hold their congregation back from progressing in knowledge in fear of the potential risk that they will become "puffed up". Is that risk a real threat? Have we not met people in different congregations who are hard to deal with because they are know-it-alls and as a result are not pleasant to be around? Yes, these people do exist in some places. But should we, as the old saying goes, "throw the baby out with the bath water"? If we look at God's word as a whole, comparing Scripture with Scripture, we very quickly find a preponderance of texts exhorting us to progress in the area of knowledge rather than staying stagnant or ignorant in our life and walk of faith.

Besides the clear testimony of Scripture, which, by the way is enough, but also from our experience in times past, the joy of our minds being enlightened by the knowledge given by the means of God's word should be an incentive to progress in knowledge. When we see glimpses of our Lord Jesus Christ as our minds are exercised in meditation of the gospel throughout our lives is the best part. This results in edification and worship. God is says in John chapter 4 to even seek worshippers who worship Him in Spirit and in truth. So, if this is the case what do you think would be a good means for the Spirit of God to use to spur on worship in the hearts of God's people, ignorance or knowledge?

The Scripture says people who are those who are perishing think the gospel is foolishness (I Cor 1:18) and that they have not received the "love of the truth that they might be saved" (II Thes 2:10. Do you think God's sheep are hungering for the knowledge of their Savior? Is not this their food for life, the truth as it is in Christ? As the old hymn goes, "More about Jesus would I know". Give us Christ else we die! In this land of famine why on earth would people who claim to believe God's gospel of free and sovereign grace ever, ever want to stunt the growth of God's sheep by withholding or slowing the process of knowledge? Is it like the Dark Ages where the information was bond up and hoarded? Truth is only profitable for God's people if it passes through their mind and sticks there in the form of growth in grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. Ignorance is NEVER bliss.

Just as the old satanic idea of doubting one's salvation being somehow humility, the same goes with the halting of knowledge. Being "puffed up" is definitely sin. Let's not starve the church because some are puffed up. God gives grace to His people to see that He is the One who makes people to differ. God gives wisdom as He gives knowledge. As God's people we cannot take the place of God. He alone can make people utilize knowledge properly. We are not to try to be grand puppet masters of people's minds. This is not the mission of the church. God will deal with the folks who are puffed up. Do not join the other side of the war thinking you are helping God weed out the puffed up people but at the same time starving out the hungry. "For the weapons of our warfare are not fleshly, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds, pulling down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought into the obedience of Christ...." II Cor 10:4-5 (MKJV). Ignorance kills!

Preach and promote the knowledge of Christ and His gospel using whatever means available and necessary. This should be the unceasing effort of the church. Spread the knowledge far and wide of the Savior who this world is so ignorant of. The same Savior who the church is panting for the knowledge of like the deer that pants, thirsty by the brook. Let the church have a bountiful gospel buffet to feed on. Let us progress (grow; a mathematical idea) in knowledge of the Truth. I wish it were not the case but I actually heard a "sovereign grace preacher" on tape, say that you can get too much gospel. There is no excuse whatsoever for the promotion of ignorance. It only takes an elementary reading of God's word to see the trouble folks get in for two things: Not knowing and not remembering what you know. Oh that God would give us the maximum dose of the knowledge of His Son! Is God's church hungry for Him or not? Can you over-eat in this case? You cannot get too much gospel, ever.

Loving Him More as We Know Him Better

"We love Him because He first loved us" is a verse we often quote. God gives us the desire, the will, the ability, to love Him by giving us an understanding of who He is and what He has done for us in His Son, Jesus Christ the Lord. This cannot be said of the non-elect, who hates God. If God loved them, they would true love Him since His love is always effective. Do you see the effect of God's love to His people? It is effectual, in that it is more than words that says He loves, but rather ACTION. This action was displayed in choosing the His people, not conditioned on anything in them or even any future performance by them, but for Christ's sake alone (Rom 9:11 & Eph 1:4-6).

The effect of God's love does not stop at this Covenant of Grace, wherein the promise is that salvation is conditioned on Christ alone as their Representative and Surety. The effect of His love goes to provide what His holiness demands from all His people: Absolute perfect satisfaction to law and justice and the establishment of a flawless righteousness by Jesus Christ, that is imputed to the elect's account and justifies them before God Almighty, forever.

The effect does not stop there but extends to the work of the Spirit of God in regeneration and conversion through the means of the gospel of free grace. This is where we actually experience the fruit and effect of Christ's life and death for us as God dispenses the spiritual gifts from the Spirit that were merited by Christ. We are given knowledge of Him in the gospel. We are given eyes to see and ears to hear, a renewed mind. We are given an understanding that we may know Him. It is impossible to love Him if we do not know and understand who He is and what He did. We are given faith to trust and lean on Him for our righteousness, peace, assurance, and completeness.

The effect of His love never stops but takes us to the state of glorification where we shall see Him face to face. He insures we will be finally delivered from even the very presence of sin, and not having sickness and sorrow anymore. The more we learn of Him in His word and His gospel the more we love Him. Thank God for this means He has given us to increase our love for our Savior. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. For it is written, The just shall live by faith. Make continual use of the gospel, the gift He has given us to help us see Him clearly and love Him dearly.

The Doctrine of Christ Crucified

"Everyone transgressing and not abiding in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ, he has both the Father and the Son" II John 9

In a day when thinking, especially on spiritual things is unpopular, Mystics calling themselves preachers have been the means to further blind the minds of modern churchgoers. This goes beyond not defining, being cloudy, not explaining, passing over or leaving out certain Biblical teachings on purpose, but even all the way to making definite and dogmatic statements that would totally divorce the doctrine of the death of Christ from the gospel itself. How can someone fall for such a deception? How can some preachers from all over the world who would even call themselves "Sovereign Grace Preachers" fall for such a thing? How can they disconnect the very Person of Christ from His glorious work? It is a constant struggle and battle to exhort, teach, warn, etc., God's people about the bombardment of these evil things.

Many today in so-called "Christianity" deny that the Scripture is the infallible and inspired word of God. This is the first step down the road to swallowing just about anything that comes along. Where then is their basis for believing something? They become their own standard implying they are wiser than God. Those who do at least claim the Scripture is the very word of God often wrestles it to their own destruction. This too is an indication that implies they think they are wiser than God. Yet another type are those who hear it, CLAIM to believe it but fold under pressure because it is not the popular view to hold and they compromise to avoid persecution.

The offense of the cross, which is the result of the clear gospel preaching of the effectual redemption of the elect by God's Christ, encapsulates the focal point of what really matters. It keeps the main thing being the main thing. The main thing is the glory of God in the death of Christ. It is simply the magnification of the redemptive glory of God by the Person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ in the salvation of sinners. It is the message that honors His love and at the same time magnifies His justice. It is a message that excludes all boasting without exception. It is a message that holds in place the preeminence of Christ making sure that from start to finish that salvation is of the Lord. It is a message that looks at grace as it opposes and excludes works for salvation. It shows the Righteousness of God in Christ as opposed to all other forms of righteousness. It corners and flushes out humanistic doctrines that men have invented. It cuts the wicked throat with the Sword of the Lord of false gospels such as Pelagianism, Arminism, Freewillism, and any other doctrinal thief that attempts to rob the Lord of His glory.

Most all the doctrinal wickedness can be summed up in the satanic stronghold of Universal Atonement. Denominations small and large are dominated by this lie of a failed "Christ". Most of you already know this to be true. But the problem comes when people tolerate Satan's lie to legitimize their seniority in religion as a whole and count themselves saved when they believed such God-dishonoring garbage. God is not impressed at all. The pride of man to include a few extra decades onto their supposed conversion by claiming hope in such a wicked message speaks volumes of what they really of God in the first place. They have, in the end, divorced, the glorious, effectual and victorious death of Christ from the gospel itself. O how freewill dumbs down the heart and mind to fool itself. God sees the heart. Repent now if this describes you. Join us in the stand against the popular "gospel" which is no gospel.

A Reasonable Gospel

Scott Price

"Come now, and let us reason together says the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be like crimson, they shall be as wool" Isaiah 1:18

The gospel is made to be the most reasonable and logical message that God's people have ever heard in their life. The gospel, used by the Spirit of God, is a message that is clear to them, trust worthy, backed with promises from the God who cannot lie, based on unchanging, absolute truth that is used to actually convert the soul. The Spirit convinces the elect of the doctrinal truths of the gospel and the converted sinner now understands and loves the truth and has his assurance of salvation strengthened in this gospel as he lives by faith (Rom 1:17, Heb 6:13-20, II Peter 1:2-10).

God uncovers the mystery of the gospel by revealing it to us and gives us an understanding that we might know Him (Matt 11:25-27, John 17:3, I Cor 2:10, II Cor 4:6, Eph 1:18, Phil 3:8, I John 5:20). God must give us a spiritual capacity to know and understand because since the sin of Adam, Man has lost his ability to receive spiritual things (II Cor 2:14). Before God gives His people spiritual life, faith and understanding they are in a state of condemnation and have no understanding of the value of the object of faith, Christ Jesus the Righteous. Before faith is given, the sinner has natural prejudices against God and His only way of salvation by the merits of Christ. The sinner is too busy comparing himself with other people (II Cor 10:12) instead of comparing himself God's only standard which is Christ and His perfect obedience. Without fail they are trusting in the way that seems right to them and are going about to establish a righteousness of their own (Prov 14:12, Rom 10:2-3). God's way is unreasonable and not logical to the spiritually dead sinner and he is hostile toward God's gospel of grace.

Jesus Christ is the logic/language-Living Word of God in the person of the God-man Mediator. Who He is and what He has done for salvation is made real to us by knowledge and revelation, then the dullness and ignorance gap is filled and supplied with the most wisdom ever put together: the gospel of God's free grace in Christ. Faith is NOT a blind leap into the darkness of ignorance, but rather is something God gives us to hold on to all that is true, clear, reasonable, logical, and trust worthy. Let us not muddy the waters by promoting ignorance, doubt, unreasonableness, paradox, and vagueness where scripture does not (Prov 1:22). Thank God for His irresistible, converting, sovereign grace!

Putting the Puzzle of Doctrine and Theology Together

Scott Price

When I listen to music I really think about it in separate parts, then as a whole. When I hear a song I first notice the beat because I am a drummer. The next time I hear it, in no particular order, I pick out the bass guitar, rhythm guitar, lead guitar, keyboards, lead vocals, back up vocals, etc., and listen to see their separate contribution to the song. Then when you hear the whole band play and contribute all at the same time it can be understood and appreciated very much. It takes discernment to identify the different instruments. Give that a try sometime and you will be surprised at the increased quality of listening pleasure.

The same goes for doctrine and theology. When we are seeking to prove a point, for example; the fact that salvation is eternal and it cannot be lost. You should not just give a list of 101 verses that say once saved always saved. The best thing to do is use theological concepts and whole doctrines. The way to prove how a person is eternally secure is to show how a person is saved in the first place. This would be done by showing justification, imputation, propitiation, redemption, reconciliation, election, etc. These doctrines contain all those 101verses, only not isolated from theological concepts. This takes spiritual discernment.

Our society likes things quick and convenient. Goofy ideas like the "Romans Road", the "Altar Call", the "Sinner's Prayer", "Smile God Loves You" bumper stickers, are all a result of today's pop tart (with icing & sprinkles) gospel. It fast and convenient but is it good for you? They do not want to be bothered with doctrine or theology but only point to their "Jesus Fish" emblem or "What Would Jesus Do" T-shirt, with their cross necklace on the outside of it.

May God deliver this generation from such shallow nonsense and cause them to worship the only true God who is both just and the justifier of His people. I pray God would sent a revival in the land that would overturn the idols of self righteous, works religion and reveal a gospel with some substance (doctrine) that shows how God is glorified and honored in salvation by the accomplished death and established righteousness of His Son. Let the sweet sound of the gospel flow and let us enjoy every part together as a whole.

The Vital Importance of Knowing God

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Scott Price

"And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent." John 17:3

The only true God of the Scriptures with all His wonderful character attributes loves to reveal Himself to His people using the means of the gospel by the power of the Spirit. He does on the other hand hide Himself from the non-elect. Both the revealing and hiding of Himself are done sovereignly. Those whom He has loved, chosen, and Christ died for are called and this is where the vital importance of knowing God comes into action.

As we said, the way He reveals Himself is through gospel by the power of the Spirit of God. The gospel of grace contains doctrine and theology that declares, defines, and explains how the LORD Jesus Christ came into the world by means of the virgin birth and was made flesh to become the God-man Mediator so He could obey, honor, fulfill and magnify the law as a Representative for the elect. He then went to the cross to die a substitutionary death for the elect as He took on their sin, in this being a satisfactory sacrifice to the Father to reconcile His people, allowing God to be both a just God and a Savior. This was specifically done in the merit of Christ bringing in an everlasting righteousness that He earned that can be imputed to His people and is the ground of their justification.

God cannot be known except through this gospel revelation, which He says is the power of God unto salvation. The view of God in the conscience is not enough. The view of God in creation is not enough. The combined views of creation and conscience are not enough either. God is revealed in all His redemptive glory and majesty in the gospel of grace. The unregenerate have dull ears and cannot hear to be converted until the Spirit of God gives them ears to hear and eyes to see. In other words He calls them by the gospel and gives them an understanding so that they will know the God of the gospel. They are made willing to come to God through Christ by the blessed gifts of faith and repentance.

God does not teach that ignorance is bliss. Ignorance is our enemy. Knowledge of Him is what we desperately need. Knowledge about both the Person and work of Jesus Christ the LORD is what we lack by nature. When God gives us an understanding and we seek Him by faith, Christ is OUR Wisdom as well as our Righteousness, Sanctification, and Redemption. Knowing Him is an important part of God's wise purpose in salvation. This is how God is glorified in the hearts of His people when they see Him as He reveals Himself in the gospel of grace. His people submit to Him as King and their LORD in salvation....THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. God's throne is in their heart. We thank God for this knowledge and understanding through the operation of the Holy Spirit by His revelation.

Doctrine

Scott Price

The following is a quote taken from Dr. John Robbins forward to Dr. Gordon H. Clark's book, Faith and Saving Faith, on page vi-vii:

"The difference between Judas and the other disciples is not that they had a "personal" relationship with Jesus and he did not, but that they believed, that is, assented to certain propositions about Jesus, while Judas did not believe those propositions. Belief of the truth, nothing more or less, is what separates the saved from the damned. Those who maintain that there is something more than belief, are, quite literal, beyond belief." Jan 31, 1983

Several things run through my mind when the issue of conversion is brought up. One is the idea of what is called "cold, dead, orthodoxy, or doctrine". There is no such thing! People may be cold and dead but not truth or true doctrine. Do a word study on the word "doctrine" and you'll soon find it is vital and that God holds it in high regard.

Secondly, people say you arrive at doctrine through Christ not Christ through doctrine. My question is how can a person come to Christ unless they are taught certain doctrines about this Christ. Can a person savingly come to a christ who is not God, who is a sinner, who did not resurrect, who did not bear their sins on the tree, who did not come in the flesh, who is a bastard child of a Roman solider, etc.? You cannot just go up to a person who knows nothing about Christ and tell them to believe on Christ and let that person fill in his own blanks. The blanks are DOCTRINE and God uses doctrine as a means so faith can logically, rationally, intellectually willingly, lovingly, irresistibly, grab a hold of the Christ DOCTRINALLY explained. Of course this will not happen until the Holy Spirit reveals this Christ spiritually and grants faith to the person.

These same folks cry that you must trust Christ not doctrine. You must believe in HIM, not doctrine ABOUT him. The above explanation should take care of the same argument. Some of these statements are made by people too lazy to put forth their effort to try to insure their congregations any doctrinal purity. Maybe some do not want their "authority" challenged when doctrinal details are questioned.

Some of the time people giving these arguments say it is their job only to declare the gospel and not their job to explain it. Without explanation of the gospel there will be much trouble. People will be free to develop their own perverted conclusions if there are no barriers doctrinally explained to guide them. The Spirit of God uses means to convert sinners. In other words they need to know what the gospel is NOT as well as what gospel is.

Part of what the gospel is NOT is salvation by going about to establish a righteousness of your own. This is something that is missing today: a repentance of self-righteousness. If the imputed righteousness of the LORD JESUS CHRIST (HIM) is the only ground of salvation that demands our justification then this means our own righteousness not only forms no part of the ground of our salvation but also must be hated and repented of.

Today in some Calvinistic circles self-righteousness is not exposed as evil but sometimes is encouraged through legalism. Touch not, taste not, handle not based assurance is promoted. Sincerity replaces doctrine. Unity replaces truth. Cute little sayings replace theology. Works get added to grace. Christ's character is dishonored. Man's pride is exalted. Dung and filthy rags somehow are now on the same playing field as grace. How did this happen? A disdain of the doctrine that we are supposed to promote and not suppress. It comes from trying to trim the sharp edges off the offense of the gospel by removing words such as "ALONE" from doctrinal statements.

Both salvation and true assurance is in the object of our faith, HIM AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS. Repent daily from all else as any hope of salvation or assurance and we will have the peace that only HE can give.