Let us say, that you are in one of “our” Christian schools, and you have a question, let us say about proving that God exists; so, you put it to your professor. After some thinking, and an effort or two, he simply says: “I cannot answer your question.”
First, no one has seen God, as John the apostle of Christ wrote: “No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him” (John 1:18). So, if no man has “seen God at any time,” and no man has, how is man to know God? Here is a good question, that will help us, just here, can you know someone you have never seen? This brings on a second question: Have you ever had someone describe another so well, that you know him/her before you see him/her? The answer is “yes!” Well, let us return to the words of John, he wrote: “he hath declared him.” It is true, that no person can describe another, as did Jesus when he “declared” God! Let us continue the thought, we will notice the Greek word used by John, it “exegeomai” means: “to consider out (aloud), that is, rehearse, unfold (Strong). Jesus literally “unfolded” God before the eyes of those who followed him. Then, when Philip said to Jesus, “shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us.” What was Jesus’ answer? Here are his words to Philip: “Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?” (John 14:9). Was Jesus not saying to Philip, that you can know another without seeing him? Yes!
Now, here I quote Dave Miller in “Reason and Revelation,” he wrote: “Sadly, many people dwell on matters that cannot be fully known, while they neglect those things for which they will be held responsible in eternity. No wonder God frequently issued warnings against being ignorant, uninformed, or resistant to knowing.” It is here that he gave the following passages 1) Isaiah 1:3: “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool;” 2) Isaiah 5:13: “Therefore my people are gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge: and their honourable men are famished, and their multitude dried up with thirst.:” 3) Jeremiah 9:6: “Thine habitation is in the midst of deceit; through deceit they refuse to know me, saith the LORD;” and 5) Hosea 4:6: “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.” While I was in the Northside Preaching School in Harrison, Arkansas, one of the students, would always say “Deuteronomy 29:29.” This was his answer to every difficult question. After a few times of this, I thought it only right that I look up this passage and see how it was the answer to every difficult question; it reads: “The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.” This student and I formed a lifetime bond! However, I did point out to him, that Moses wrote: “but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.” It is up to us, to seek the revealed answers to our questions! It will never do, for us try and put the responsibility on others! Our ignorance of the word of God will not be acceptable on the day of Judgment!
Our plea, “I just cannot understand the word of God;” just will not do as we stand before the judgment seat of Christ: “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad” (2 Cor.5:10). Solomon wrote: “All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing froward or perverse in them” (Pro. 8:8); then he followed with these words: “They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge” (verse 9).
Let us conclude this second article on the subject: “Who is responsible?” with these words from the wiseman: “I love them that love me (God); and those that seek me early shall find me (God).” (Pro. 8:17). So, who is responsible for you knowing the word of God? Yes, your parents had the first responsibility; your school teachers hold some responsibility; and your college professors hold yet more responsibility; but when it is all said and done; the responsibility for you knowing the word of God, rests upon you!
Frank R. Williams