David Ray
These days, people go from job to job quite regularly. Many times they even leave the entire industry in which they’d been working to go on to something different, even though they may have spent years in that particular field.
Sadly, this happens spiritually too. Have you ever known a preacher who could preach the Scripture extremely well, exegete passages with the best of them, and soundly refute any error by bringing out deep truths from multiple passages of the Bible? And have you ever seen such a preacher “change industries”? One day he seems firmly planted in the truth of the Word, and the next he’s left the church altogether in order to pursue some ungodly lifestyle? How does this happen?
The problem, whether with this preacher or any individual member who leaves the church for other ventures, is that the truth never took root in his heart. It never really meant to him what it should have; it was only academic.
Knowledge is useless without application. Without personal commitment, one can have the knowledge and ability to teach the truth on any topic; but when he loses interest, he just forgets about it and goes on to something else, just like changing jobs. All that technical information that he knew so well from the first job is discarded and forgotten in order to pursue the next. No big deal!
But a brother or sister who has the word hidden in his/her heart will not do this! “Thy word have I hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against thee” (Psa. 119:11). This is who he is! This is the essence of his life! He cannot just throw it away!
Do you have a good knowledge of Scripture? If so, is it just knowledge; or does it define you? What will you do when times get tough, or if you’re tempted to “change industries”?
