*** SHOW NOTES (not a transcript) ***

Lead:

What would our relationship be like if I had false knowledge of you? Probably not good.

Intro:

Unless you have never had a relationship, I trust that you’ll understand this next idea:

Let’s say you and I hang out, BUT… I have false knowledge of you. In other words, suppose I think something about you that isn’t accurate. Whether or not we realize it to begin with, if we’re trying to relate to each other (have a relationship), sooner or later something’s probably going to not go so well. If I have the wrong idea of who you are, I’m going to be disappointed about something, react wrongly to something, try to help in an unhelpful way, or perhaps even dislike you for the wrong reason.

This, I’ll argue, is a bit like what does — or doesn’t — happen in our relationship with God. And that’s what we’ll talk about in today’s All Our Minds segment.

As we roll today in the book of Acts, the story takes a turn to a focus on Paul’s journeys which, by the way, were all supported by the church in Antioch. There’s a new video to check out for this section of Acts, too…go to forthehope.org and find program #910 for that and the notes.

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Bible:

Passage: Acts 13-14
Translation: HCSB (Holman Christian Standard Bible)
Verses: 80
Words: ~1864

All Our Minds:

The study of theology is considered by many to be dry, boring, irrelevant, and complicated. But for those who want to know God, the study of theology is indispensable. The word “theology” comes from two Greek words, theos (“God”) and logos (“word”). The study of theology is an effort to make definitive statements about God and his implications in an accurate, coherent, relevant way, based on God’s self-revelations. Doctrine equips people to fulfill their primary purpose, which is to glorify and delight in God through a deep personal knowledge of him. Meaningful relationship with God is dependent on correct knowledge of him.
Any theological system that distinguishes between “rational propositions about God” and “a personal relationship with God” fails to see this necessary connection between love and knowledge. The capacity to love, enjoy, and tell others about a person is increased by greater knowledge of that person. Love and knowledge go hand in hand. Good lovers are students of the beloved. Knowledge of God is the goal of theology.
Knowledge without devotion is cold, dead orthodoxy. Devotion without knowledge is irrational instability. But true knowledge of God includes understanding everything from his perspective. Theology is learning to think God’s thoughts after him. It is to learn what God loves and hates, and to see, hear, think, and act the way he does. Knowing how God thinks is the first step in becoming godly.
Many would like to think that just being a “good” person and “loving” God, without an emphasis on doctrine, is preferable. But being a good person can mean radically different things depending on what someone thinks “good” is, or what constitutes a “person.” Loving God will look very different depending on one’s conception of “God” or “love.” The fundamental connections between belief and behavior, and between love and knowledge, demand a rigorous pursuit of truth for those wanting to love God and to be godly.(1) (emphases mine)

The bottom line

To reiterate, knowledge without devotion is cold, dead orthodoxy. All head and no heart. Devotion without knowledge is irrational instability. All heart and nothing to anchor it.

Wisdom:

Passage: Psalm 101
Translation: HCSB (Holman Christian Standard Bible)
Verses: 8
Words: ~131

Love you!

-R

ForTheHope is a daily audio Bible + apologetics podcast and blog. We’ve got a passion for just keepin’ it real, having conversations like normal people, and living out the love of Jesus better every single day.

Roger Courville, CSP is a globally-recognized expert in digitally-extended communication and connection, an award-winning speaker, award-winning author, and a passionately bad guitarist. Follow him on Twitter -- @RogerCourville and @JoinForTheHope – or his blog: www.forthehope.org.

Sources and resources:

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(1) Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 2505.

#910: Acts 13-14 | Knowledge & relationship connection | Psalm 101