How many ounces in a gallon? Where is Smugglers Notch? In 1998 which football team beat Green Bay to win the Superbowl? Who was their quarterback? What is the difference between soul and spirit? Our heads are stuffed full of facts. Some of us are better at recalling them than others. You might know the answers to all those questions. You might not know any.
We derive pleasure from knowing, from getting the right answer. The TV show Schoolhouse Rock used to end their opening jingle with the expression, “Knowledge is Power.” Indeed, knowledge can open doors. Smart people are certainly revered in our society.
Church is a place where you can learn a great many things. In church we use the Bible for all our instruction. The Bible is different than any other book in that it contains pure truth. The information you get from other books may be true or may not be. You have to sift through each claim carefully. Not so with the Bible. Everything you learn from the Bible is true. So theoretically you will learn more and learn faster studying the Bible than any other text on earth.
Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies.
– Psalm 119:98
Think about it. That alone is a good reason to come to Bible class and come to church. But there is something else you should know about the Lord’s church: knowledge is not the goal here.
We do not gather each week just to see how much we can learn. The Lord’s church is not an academic institution. This is the assembly of the family of Almighty God.
We know that we all possess knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.
– I Corinthians 8:1 ISV
We do not assemble to swell our brains but to worship our Creator and enrich our hearts. If you hang around in church long enough, you’re going to learn some things, but the most important lesson to learn is you don’t have to know everything. You just need to know God.
