Ifear there are hundreds of religionists in this country who never think of understanding that which they attend to under the name of religion. It can never be a sanctifying word to any except so far as they receive it into their understanding. To realize by experience a doctrine is the only way of knowing it. Those men never forget a truth who have had it burned into them as with a hot iron.
I. Let us consider this searching question, “Have ye understood all these things?” as spoken to those who can humbly, but yet confidently, say, “yes, i have understood these things.” We can say, “One thing I know; whereas I was blind, now I see.” If we have understood these things, what then?
1. Let us be thankful to God, for this understanding of Divine truth is not due to any natural intelligence we possess.
2. If you have been led to understand these things, ought not this to encourage you to seek to understand more?
3. You should not be backward to tell them to others. We are to be pupil teachers; pupils always, but teachers too.
II. But some who think they understand all these things do not understand them. Is your life in accordance with what you know? It is a solemn thing to have an understanding of Divine truth, but not to be affected by it to repent of sin. Many professors with big heads and small hearts.
III. Are there not some who would hardly know how to answer this question? They understand, and yet they do not: theoretically but not spiritually. You know Jesus Christ; but have you accepted Him? (C. H. Spurgeon.)
God will perfect the knowledge of the humble believer
If I find myself growing in God’s garden, though I be the tiniest plant in all the bed, yet it is such a mercy to be in the garden at all-I who was a wild rank weed out in the wilderness before-that I will not doubt but what He will water me when I need it, and that He will tend and care for me till I shall come to perfection. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
Knowledge to be communicated to others
Let other candles be lit from thy candle, and thy candle shall burn none the less brightly; but the rather in this it may be said, that to enrich yourselves in all knowledge you must enrich others with the knowledge that you have. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
The responsibility of knowledge
I charge thee, knowing professor, to remember thy solemn responsibility. I beseech thee, as thou lovest thine own soul, not to make a downy bed out of thy knowledge, for it shall be a thorn in thy dying pillow. I charge thee, man, not to make hell hotter to thyself than it need be by taking all this knowledge in, and punting after more, while you forget that to obey is better than sacrifice, to trust is better than to boast, to love is better than to rival, and to serve out of simple affection is better than to prate, and to discuss, and to criticize, and to censure. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
