Be Filled with the Knowledge of His Will, Part II

Paul continues his assault upon the false teachers by bypassing a direct point by point repudiation of their doctrines and focusing on the spiritual weapons that the saints needed for this conflict.  The saints needed the Word beyond mere words.  Paul knew that if he used conciliatory rhetoric the faith of the saints would disintegrate.

Lesser intellects think that the greatest achievement in the world is to have both sides agree to the sensible logic of their seemingly well-reasoned position.  Paul knew this self-congratulatory position to be a fallacy.  The saints of God deserve more from its leadership.  But the Church has been overrun by what C. S. Lewis called 'Men Without Chests."  Persons who believe that they are of greater intellectual capacity because they believe themselves so.

Paul knew that the knowledge of his will must be conjoined with the necessary 'all wisdom and spiritual understanding.'  Paul realized that there are times when the 'Cure of Soul' is not confined to the everyday problems of living.  He knew that there were times when subversive forces think to undo us by cunning trickery and deceit.

And, if we are enfeebled by the mediocrity of weak teaching about the person of the Iesous we take the field of spiritual battle under- prepared and ill-equipped.  We need the knowledge of his will in order to super-know how to conduct our lives.  It is this type of knowledge that creates boldness and spiritual confidence in the saints.  Without this type of deep and rich awareness we are prone to go adrift because we have no anchor of the soul.

Spiritual understanding is the incomparable mind of Iesous directing the saints through the Spirit.  Spiritual understanding is critical insight in how to evaluate people, things, and circumstances.  Notice that it is the critical faculty that gives intense perception into all areas of life.

The saints did not need a handbook on apologetics they needed powerful teaching to help them to unlock the treasures of super-rich Grace in the person of the Iesous.  Please carefully note that Paul said to these saints that prayer on their behalf with the specific request that they might be filled with epignosis was his appeal to Theos.

Our next installment will deal with a further reason for Paul's prayer imperative on their behalf.

For more information about Dr. Josiah Rich and his teaching ministry, please visit his website.