HOW MUCH DO YOU KNOW?

In the days of the prophet Hosea, an indictment was leveled against God’s people for their lack of knowledge. The prophet said their lack of knowledge was destroying them (Hos. 4.6). Their spiritual immaturity was accompanied by this stinging rebuke, “I have written for him the great things of My law, but they were considered a strange thing:” (Hos. 8.12).

God’s desire for us today as New Testament Christians is that we “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Pt. 3.18). There was a time in the Lord’s church when members were walking, talking Bibles. I remember hearing a gospel preacher tell of the time when people in the community where he preached could speak as easily about the Bible as they could the sporting events that transpired the evening before. If we are going to be able to evangelize a lost and dying world, it would only stand to reason we have some measure of competency in the Scriptures. The old saying, “You can’t sow what you don’t know” is true.

I want to encourage us to dig deeply into the word of God and strive to develop a greater understanding of the sacred Scriptures. The ancient Psalmist serves as an excellent example of one who spent time meditating on the truth “day and night” (Ps. 1.2). Regular Bible study will sharpen our sword and give us the needed proficiency to evangelize our friends and family members.

Here are some questions to which we must know the answer if we are going to fulfill the responsibility of reaching a lost and dying world with the gospel.

1. Is Jesus the Son of God (Mt. 16.16; Jn. 8.24)?
2. Does the church exist in accordance with God’s eternal plan (Eph. 3.9-11)?
3. What are the steps of salvation (Jn. 8.24; Ac. 17.30; Rm. 10.9-10; Ac. 2.38)?
4. Are we born in sin (Ezek. 18.20; Mk. 10.14)?
5. Is baptism essential to salvation (Mk. 16.16; Ac. 2.38, 22.16)?
6. Do you have to be a member of the Lord’s church to go to heaven (Eph. 5.23)?
7. How does one become a member of the church (Jn. 8.24; Lk. 13.3; Ac. 8.37, 2.38, 47)?
8. Can a Christian fall from grace (Gal. 5.4; 2 Pt. 2.15, 20-22)?
9. Who is the head of the church (Col. 1.18; Eph. 5.23-24)?
10. How many churches are authorized to exist according to the Bible (Mt. 16.13-19; Eph. 4.4-6, 1.22-23)?
11. What washes away our sins (Heb. 9.22; Eph. 1.7; Rev. 1.5)?
12. What are the five acts of New Testament worship (Eph. 5.19; 1 Cor. 11.23-26, 16.1-2; 1 Tim. 2.8; 2 Tim. 4.1-2; Ac. 20.7)?
13. Is instrumental music authorized in the New Testament (Col. 3.16-17)?
14. How often are we instructed to partake of the Lord’s Supper (Ac. 20.7)?
15. Are we under any type of law today (Gal. 6.2; Jm. 1.25, 2.12)?
16. Does God’s grace negate the importance of obedience (Tt. 2.11-12; Gen. 6.8, 14, 22; Heb. 11.7)?
17. What is the organizational structure of the local church (1 Tim. 3.1-13; Php. 1.1; 2 Tim. 4.5)?
18. What is the standard of authority in matters of faith and practice (Mt. 28.18, 17.5; Col. 3.17; 2 Tim. 1.13)?
19. What are the wages of sin (Rm. 6.23)?
20. What is the standard that will judge us on the last day (Rm. 2.2; Jn. 12.48; Rev. 20.12-15)?

Mike Hixson