It is the glory of God to conceal a matter,
But the glory of kings is to search out a matter. Proverbs 25:2
All of God’s children have been blessed with a holy curiosity – a desire in their hearts to search out the matters and mysteries of God’s kingdom. In fact, this blessing is one of the ways we are distinguished from the lost.
He answered and said to them, “Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries [secret or hidden truths] of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.” Matthew 13:11
To know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven has been given to every follower of Jesus Christ. Why would anyone neglect so great a salvation? Indeed, we are commanded to faithfully steward the gift.
Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful. 1Corinthians 4:1-2
Now, one might argue that the searching out and stewardship of God’s mysteries are for some elite group of Christians. To that one, we would ask: Even if that notion was true, how would you know you are not one of God’s chosen for this purpose?
Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Matthew 7:7-8
Truly, the mysteries of God and searching them out are for every one of His children. I pray the following treasure, revealed by the Holy Spirit just the other day, will encourage you to become a faithful steward of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven.
God’s Way for Knowing All Things
Like many, I have a Bible reading plan; my plan is to read the Bible every day. I do not try to read a prescribed amount each day – that just doesn’t work for me. I have found it more profitable to read smaller sections – sections I can consider and digest. I find this approach protects me from missing a treasure the Holy Spirit intends to reveal.
While reading slowly through John’s First Epistle, I came across a rather curious proposition that stopped me in my tracks.
But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things. 1John 2:20
While I have understood for some time (from Acts 1:4-5) that the anointing from the Holy One is the Holy Spirit, I had not considered this matter of “you know all things.” “That’s impossible!” was my first reaction.
“How can that be possible?” was my second reaction (just to be clear, I wasn’t asking myself). In response, the Holy Spirit reminded me of Jeremiah 31:33… and the search was on.
“But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” says the Lord: “I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them”, says the Lord. “For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.” Jeremiah 31:33-34
This Old Testament prophesy of the New Covenant has long been a mystery to me. What does it mean to have God’s law put in our minds and written on our hearts? And how does this happen?
John goes on to explain:
But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him. 1John 2:27
Imagine yourself digging for treasure, digging, digging, digging, until finally you notice a small glint of metal. Excited about what you might find, you dig deeper and discover a huge nugget of gold. That describes how I felt when I came to verse twenty-seven: “There’s treasure here!!”
What the Holy Spirit, through John and our searching, would have us know is we do not need to be taught by anyone because the Holy Spirit is our Teacher, sent by God to teach us all things (John 14:26). He is “the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord (Isaiah 11:2).” Let that sink in for a minute.
There are several amazing things I learned from my short time in God’s word that morning. First, I came away convinced and convicted that I do not look to the Holy Spirit and His responsibility to my spiritual maturity with the attitude and anticipation I should. That revelation alone was more than I expected when I began my Bible study.
As I sat there amazed at the Holy Spirit, three additional thoughts came into my heart and mind. First, the realization that storing up Bible knowledge (e.g., memorization) is not the way we “know all things.” Knowing all things is not static, but dynamic – “For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say (Luke 12:12).” We know all things through our real-time and perpetual access to the Teacher – the One Who will lead us into all truth.
Secondly, the Holy Spirit putting God’s law into our minds is related to our having the mind of Christ (1Corinthians 2:16) and a mechanism for our transformation (Romans 12:2). To “know all things” insinuates an ongoing and expanding supernatural process accomplished more by the Holy Spirit than by our diligent and disciplined study.
Lastly, our continual access to the Holy Spirit as our Teacher helps explain the supernatural work of Romans 10:17 – So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. The word (rhema) is written on our hearts, to become faith, by the Holy Spirit.
It is worth repeating: The Holy Spirit has taken on more responsibility for our spiritual maturity than many of us have acknowledged and considered. You might say we need to get our noses out of our books long enough to get to know the Teacher of all things.
Furthermore, the Spirit’s patient and persistent attention to my development, in the light of my ignorance and resistance, has been absolutely astounding. He deserves so much more of my attention, worship, and thanksgiving.
So, there you have it: One of several treasures the Holy Spirit has revealed in the last couple of weeks. The good Lord willing, we will share more next time.
Pursuing and sharing the truth has been one of the greatest adventures of my life. If you are not already enjoying the same, please allow the Spirit to stir the holy curiosity God the Father has personally placed in your heart.
Have a curious day in the Lord,
Rob
#iamjustthepen