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Perhaps you have come across some Christians who seem to be always keen to learn more and more. They read many books, watch debates on many controversial subjects, and are up-to-date on the latest theories and ideas. They are never at a loss when they come across questions that others might have, and they present convincing answers. It might appear that these are more spiritually minded compared to many others who imagine that they have already come to know all there is to know!

From the point of view of scholarship, they may be very versatile and advanced in keeping themselves aware of all that is going on around them. But what could be a danger here that goes unnoticed? Isn't it possible that for some of these people, all this knowledge remains merely as knowledge, without affecting their practical life or character much? It may affect them in their attitudes, becoming smug in knowing that they know so much, and they may look down on ordinary people who are ignorant of all the lofty things they are concerned with. But they have not become more diligent in ordering their lives meticulously according to all the truth they have come to know.

Jesus made a huge distinction between two groups of people, both of whom took trouble to listen to what He had to say, but only one group took the trouble to 'do' what He taught them, or to put into practice what they understood. Haven't the others made themselves more accountable to God because of all the knowledge they have acquired, and then more damnable because they have not acted according to what they knew? (Mt.7:26)

When Paul was passing through Athens, one thing he noticed was that many of them had a curiosity to hear about new ideas (Ac.17:21). But when they heard the Gospel from Paul, some of them only sneered because it did not fit with their way of thought. Isn't this truly tragic that when God gives people the chance to hear the truth that can save them, they sit in evaluation of it as expert scholars and reject what could have changed the wrong direction of their lives?

For some people, it looks as if knowledge is just something that they add to the idea compartment of their mind, without allowing any connection to take place to practical life. When they keep hearing the truth but harden their mind against its practical implications, they become deluded in their understanding and become more insensitive to the truth (2Th.2:10).

One requirement God has for us is to have a heart that is willing to respond to the truth that He gives us. It will be only then that we will be able to get true knowledge, in the proper meaning of the word (Jn.7:17). Otherwise, knowledge will lead to puffing us up, making us imagine that we have become great, while we are far from being in the place where we can know the truth and the truth can set us free (Jn.8:32). Jesus has come to set us free, but do we want to be free? Let's not accumulate knowledge merely for its own sake.

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