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NASB | Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Proverbs 3:5 Trust in and rely confidently on the LORD with all your heart And do not rely on your own insight or understanding. |
Bible Question:
My home group is currently doing a word study using the book by Selwyn Hughes - Every Day with Jesus - The Christian's True Identity. The author states that a Christian is a person with two identities - their natural and the new one given by God. Now the issue is, the author states that it is vital that we know something about ourselves. Any attempt to know more about God without desiring to know more about ourselves and our spiritual identity will result in an unbalanced type of christian living. The author also added that as an e.g. a pastor of a very successful church and appeared to have a deep knowledge of God but little about himself led him to commit a sin which ruined his ministry. Now, I do not agree that we should look at ourselves following my understanding of Paul's epistles in Romans and Galatians about seeking one's carnal mind. Proverbs 3:5-6 clearly states that we do not lean on our own understanding. 5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways acknowledge him,and he will make your paths straight. Psalm 139:23-24 23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. 24 See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. All my other home group members do not agree with me. Am I wrong? Thanks |
Bible Answer: Dear Ngkh... It is good to see you posting again! I often think of you and the many other believers around the world. We generally have so little contact, yet we are united through Christ and by His Spirit! What Hughs is trying to say is two fold: First, most theological errors are rooted in a misunderstanding of who God is and a misunderstanding of who man is. Consequently, its important that we learn both! The former discipline is called theology proper, the latter is called theological anthropology. Now, certainly, the most blessed of these is the study of the attributes of God. The more we know Him, the more the brightness of His glory "rubs off" on us. Second, as we have discussed in the forum before, we are in the process of progressive sanctification. We are growing in holiness, obedience, and Christ-likeness. In order to do these things, we must thoroughly understand ourselves. Remember, the study of the Word is looking into a mirror. It helps us see our imperfections which we'd ignore in ignorance if they weren't visible. Also, each time I fail, I must study what took place. By understanding what happened, I can seek to eliminate that wickedness from my life, by the power of the Holy Spirit. Remember, when God created man He said it was good! God is now in the business of restoring what was lost in the fall. As believers, He has graciously made us part of that process. If it was important enough for Him to give a clear explanation of man in Scripture, then it is important for us to learn! :-) In Him, Doc |