The Danger of Not Knowing the Bible

by Randy Kea

God through His prophet in the Old Testament said, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge," Hosea 4:6. The inspired apostle teaches us, "Be not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is," Ephesians 5:17.

ELDERS

It is absolutely essential that elders be men of the Book. Paul says they must be "apt to teach" 1 Timothy 3:2, and "be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers," Titus 1:9. without a working knowledge of the bible this would be impossible.

DEACONS

An often overlooked qualification of deacons is the fact that they must be familiar with Bible teaching. Of deacons Paul says, "holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience," 1 Timothy 3:9. The faith here is the gospel, Galatians 1:6-9; Jude 3. You can't hold to something you don't know.

TEACHERS

The Hebrew writer says, "when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God' and are become such as hae need of milk, and not of strong meat. for everyone that useth milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. but strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil," Hebrews 5:12-14. James states the principle of the higher degree of responsibility that teachers have when he says, "Be not many of you teachers, my brethren, knowing that we shall receive heavier judgment," James 3:1 ASV.

PREACHERS

It seems several times recently that I have had comments made to me by older Christians that they do not hear today from the pulpit the Bible-centered lessons that they used to in years gone by. this is a sad commentary on preachers today in the Lord's church. Of course the only way a preacher is going to qualify himself to preach the Bible is to take the time necessary to study the bible. To preachers Paul would say, "but speak thou the things which become sound doctrine...Sound speech that cannot be condemned... These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority...hold fast the form of sound words...give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine...take heed unto thyself and unto the doctrine...preach the word," Titus 2:1,8,15; 2 timothy 1:13; 1 Timothy 4:13,16; 2 Timothy 4:2.

ALL CHRISTIANS

Paul wrote to the brethren generally and said, "be not unwise but understanding what the will of the Lord is," Ephesians 5:17. On another occasion he wrote, "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom," Colossians 3:16. the apostle Peter also exhorts, "but grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ," 2 Peter 3:18.

If the church is going to be what it needs to be and do what it needs to do, all of us regardless of our station are going to have to take the time and make the sacrifice to inform ourselves concerning God's will.