“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” (Prov. 1:7)
If someone offers you a book on the proper usage of a language, inflections, intonations, and the meaning of each of the words, but it is written in a language that you have never seen before, in letters that are completely foreign to you, that book would be completely useless for its intended purpose.
“But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” (1st Cor. 2:14)
We who have been blessed to be born-again are taught a new language, the language of faith, and we must not only be patient with ourselves, but with our Teacher as well. Faith in the promises of the Scriptures is not a one-day course, the ability to retain and recall what you have read in the Word of God will avail you nothing if it is not accepted in faith.
You may find this difficult to believe, but there are people who have memorized His Words who are not saved.
“This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.” (Matt. 15:8)
“Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?” (Matt. 7:22)
Those words of life are, so to speak, hid in their wrong heart, they are used for their own purposes, and the wisdom of those words are despised if they profit them nothing. These people are spiritual hypocrites, professing to be wise in the Word of God, knowledgeable of the words, adept at reciting them at the proper time and when applicable to the situation at hand, but their heart does not understand the words written.
A few pressing questions will reveal to you, and to them, that it is not Christ that abides in their heart, but pride, not a love for the Savior in all humility, but vainglory.
I offer as an example here not only those false prophets and religious cults that have always abounded, but Satan himself, who has every single word of the Holy Scriptures memorized, and the one who is indeed saved by grace through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, if they do not pray diligently and study to show themselves approved unto God may vey well fall prey to the deceits of those who claim to know Him, but whose hearts are still made of stone.
We are to test the spirits, every time, and if one comes to you with a different doctrine, one that cannot be verified in context completely with the Scriptures, we are to rebuke them. If they accept the correction and realize the error of their interpretation, well and good, if they refuse, and are steadfast in their adherence to the lies they adhere to, then they are a fool who despises wisdom and instruction.
“Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” (John 17:17)
I offer to no one my opinions on the Word of God, if He has said it, it is truth, if I do not yet fully understand what is written, I pray for the Lord to reveal His truths to me on that matter.
Our concern is not to read as much of His book as we can, it is not to memorize verses just to be able to see if we can retain them, it is to seek the face of God for the glory of God so that we may be profitable servants for His glory.
You must be instructed before you can instruct others, you must be taught not only the words of His book, but how to accept them in faith. Once you are sure without a doubt that the Holy Spirit has revealed to you the unmitigated truth of a matter, then you are to stand firm in that truth. Then, when wisdom and instruction is offered to those you meet, you will find out if they are fools or not.
