God and the Evolution of Knowledge, and its Divine Limits

[newton3005]

The last verse in the Book of John, namely John 21:25, says “Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.” That is a lot of books! It would appear that God through Lord Jesus implies that it is not necessary to know everything, at least in matters involving God. Would be nice, though, if we had an opportunity to explore what might have been written in those books if such a thing were to come to pass.

Proverbs 1:7 says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge...” to the extent of our understanding, that makes sense since our minds often put blinders on our hearts, making us prone to the sins of the world; and so, it is necessary to counter our knowledge of sin with the knowledge of what would gain God’s favor so that we need not live in fear of Him.

Jesus, by way of Luke 11:52, believes in the free flow of knowledge. That is indicated when he criticizes lawyers for holding knowledge back from the people. How did this quest for knowledge come to be?

In Genesis 2:16-17, God says to Adam that he may eat of any tree in the Garden of Eden except the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. There is an inference that this applies to Eve also, since God punishes Eve as well as Adam for imploring Adam to eat the apple of that tree, and for eating the apple themselves. Commentators write that this command of God is meant to test Adam and Eve’s faith in Him. He was not concerned of them knowing as much as He, as he declares in Genesis 3:22 when He says, “Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil.” But in seeing that they defied Him by eating from that tree, he then punishes them by imposing mortality on them when He says to Adam in Genesis 3:19, “...for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” And so, this is the curse that is to follow man in all the succeeding generations.

So, what is left for man while he lives on earth? This is pretty much spelled out in the Book of Ecclesiastes which determines what man is fated to do all the days his life, amidst the seasons, the times and the places for everything under Heaven.

But the Bible offers the hope that while we may die in the flesh, our souls will spend eternity in the House of the Lord. The last verse of Psalms 23 says ‘Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life, and I SHALL DWELL IN THE HOUSE OF THE LORD FOREVER.’ And the New Testament tells us that we may live in the House of the Lord forever if we have knowledge of God’s Grace, that He may confer on those of who love Him with all our heart, soul and mind, and we love our neighbor as we love our self. So, the acquisition of knowledge, which started out as a sin followed by a curse, becomes the very instrument that will enable us to rightfully hope for God’s Grace. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says that the Scriptures are breathed out by Go for our teaching, correction, reproof and training in righteousness, that the man of God may be equipped for every good work. The Scriptures, then, are meant to put us on the path to the possibility of gaining God’s Grace that we may dwell in his House.

For some of us, John 21:25 poses a temptation for us to explore what may be in the books that have not been published. But at this juncture, at least it is not a sin for us to pursue this possibility, to the extent such knowledge may now gain God’s Grace along with the knowledge in the Scriptures.

 

[timewerx]

For some of us, John 21:25 poses a temptation for us to explore what may be in the books that have not been published. But at this juncture, at least it is not a sin for us to pursue this possibility

I have been for the last several years. It's the only time I actually set on something with purpose.

I used to want to become a missionary. But what use is that if what I knew or what many others presume to be right might be in error? Then I'll only be deceiving a lot of people.

If the Truth (Jesus is the Way, The Truth, and The Life) is food, and we live in a world of lies, then finding it must be the most important thing in this world. It's the thing we need to teach others.

It might as well be for us to be faced by a cunning, two headed serpent and we can't trust neither who is telling the truth. We must figure out with cunning, courage, and dedication.