C.I.A. (Christian Intelligence Agency)
Are we members of the C.I.A. (Christian Intelligence Agency)? Do we deeply study our Bibles, history, ancient culture and then claim to be a good well-rounded Chrisitan? There was a man who had memorized the Bible from cover to cover. You could ask about any verse in the Bible, and he could then quote the book, chapter and verse back to you. This is an amazing demonstration of remembering all 66 books, 1,189 chapters and 31,102 verses. When he was asked if he thought of himself as the world’s greatest Christian his answer astounded many. He was not a Christian at all; he just had a great memory.
Jesus encountered the Pharisees throughout His life. They could quote and knew by heart the Old Testament, the Jewish traditions, the Torah, the history of Israel and prophecy. The Judaic governmental Sanhedrin consisted of the Sadducees, Pharisees and the scribes, yet they had Jesus killed. The apostle Matthew records what Jesus had to say about these learned people, who knew the scriptures so well. “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!” (Matt. 23:13 [NKJV]). Throughout Matthew 23 Jesus repeatedly called them hypocrites and finally a brood of vipers as they had knowledge but no understanding. Knowing the scripture through many years of study does not automatically make one a good Christian.
Have we studied so hard to learn the Bible that we have become a part of the C.I.A. (Christian Intelligence Agency)? For many years I have collected history books and Bible helps. I now have over 1,500 books. My personal library is larger than the local Florence, MT library where I live. I have studied, driven deep into history, stayed up late to read until my eyes would hurt. I am not against study, but is there more than memorizing the entire Bible to be a good Christian? I was very familiar with the verse, “but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ…” (II Pet. 3:18a). I was growing in knowledge with leaps and bounds and then it hit me. Grace is listed first. Knowledge is listed second.
John the apostle was not against Bible study, but he did confront a form of heresy called Gnosticism which had seeped into the Church of God. While there are several aspects to Gnosticism one of its main errors is that salvation is achieved by special knowledge. Gnosticism comes from the Greek word gnosis, meaning knowledge. Studying is good but relying on knowledge for salvation is bad.
Grace is listed before knowledge in II Pet. 3:18. It struck me one day that I had been trying so hard to learn about God that I was forgetting God saved me by His own free unmerited grace. All the knowledge in the world will never equate to salvation. Paul (Who was not against scripture study) pointedly tells us, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” (Eph. 2:8-10). Interesting how Paul said, “Not of works” (v.9). I found I had become a part of the C.I.A. and my study was my “works”. I began to understand God’s grace comes before knowledge.
We are to study and learn. Paul tells us we should, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (II Tim. 2:15 [KJV]). Studying is good. Study is needed. Study helps us understand God’s truth. We need to remember and spiritually reflect that God’s grace comes before study. We need to put God and His grace first as we become a part of the C.I.A. (Christian Intelligence Agency). Solomon the wise warned us, “And further, my son, be admonished by these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is wearisome to the flesh.” (Eccl. 12:12 [NKJV]). I have plans to write a book about the first century Church of God. I guess I will be adding to Solomon’s list of books. Paul was pleased with how well the Berean’s studied scripture to see if what he said was truth. (Acts 17:11). Study is good. Grace is first.
What really matters to God when it comes to our Christianity? Is it how hard we study and pray? Do we study so much that we neglect the needs of the Church of God? (See Gal. 6:10). Do we lean towards being Gnostic by studying to “make it into the kingdom”? Have we memorized the entire Bible? Have we misread scripture so much that we would sacrifice Jesus like the Pharisees did? In our Christian walk with Jesus, we must maintain a balance of understanding that we are saved by grace through faith, not by knowledge. Remember Paul told us we were created for good works (Eph. 2:9). James, brother of Jesus tells us exactly what to do, “Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.” (James 1:27). Visiting those in need (orphans and widows) and keeping oneself from the ways of this world are what we need to do as we grow in His grace and His knowledge. Join the C.I.A.
Mike Wallace
