From the meeting: Experience

I thought it might be nice to, each week, share thoughts that I get out of the meetings. Today one topic was Experience. In 1 Timothy 6:20-21 we read Paul encouraging Timothy to oppose ideas derived from knowledge, science in the KJV, where this knowledge is false (i.e incorrect, based on bad facts, etc…). The warning is very clear: false knowledge leads people away from the faith.

Given certain discussions, and some posts, that I have had over the last year this really made me think. Have I been arguing from false knowledge? In the end I decided the answer is: No!. Still, I feel this is a fair question, especially given some of the topics: aliens, evolution, lost tribes of Israel, tongues, etc… A few of us have truly intellectualized, or used knowledge, beyond any reasonable level. This really boils down to the question: Is it OK to question your beliefs?

The obvious answer is yes! But let’s be a little more conscientious: Paul’s exact works are “guard what has been entrusted to you”. It is only through our knowledge of the scriptures, our understanding of faith, our experience with Christ that truly equips us to perform this task.

There are obvious spiritual areas that should be addressed, however, questioning your beliefs, or more correctly, questioning your understanding of your beliefs also will certainly help build experience. Naturally this doesn’t work for everyone, and, there are other ways: John 16:13 tells us that the “spirit will lead us to all truths”. Yes. It is OK to question your beliefs. But do it looking to build your experience and understanding: to “guard what has been entrusted to you”.