True Christian Living

/ Discipleship Bible Study / By

Text: Jeremiah 9:23-24

Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD KJV

(from THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language © 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved.)

God’s Message:

“Don’t let the wise brag of their wisdom.

Don’t let heroes brag of their exploits.

Don’t let the rich brag of their riches.

If you brag, brag of this and this only:

That you understand and know me.

I’m God, and I act in loyal love.

I do what’s right and set things right and fair,

and delight in those who do the same things.

These are my trademarks.”

God’s Decree.

Objectives:

  1. To emphasize the knowledge of God as the highest priority of all believers
  2. To encourage and challenge a continuous and consistent seeking of the knowledge of God above other earthly or worldly attainments
  3. To remind, encourage and challenge believers to the implications of knowing God.

Introduction:

It does seem that much preaching, teaching, church attendances and the multitude of Christ professing persons have not proportionally translated to more righteousness, faithfulness, honesty and every other good virtues. It appears that the more we ‘learn’ the less we are able to apply. God is not necessarily revealed in or identified with many Christians today. What is the reason for this? What is the missing link? What must we return to?

The society reflects the state of the church. It was the same in the days of Jeremiah. The nation had  to come under God’s judgment. Why? Their sins were not too different from what we see today in our own society, which the church has not impacted positively and effectively, because it is not rightfully positioned to transform it. Here are a few issues God raised against His people vs 2-6,8

  • They are all unfaithful
  • They are a mob of traitors
  • They are always ready to tell lies
  • Dishonesty instead of truth rules the land
  • They do one evil thing after another
  • They do not acknowledge me as their God.
  • Everyone must be on guard against their friends
  • No one can trust their relative; for all relatives are as deceitful as Jacob
  • Everyone slanders their friends
  • They all mislead their friends
  • No one tells the truth
  • They have taught their tongues to lie
  • They will not give up their sinning
  • They do one violent thing after another
  • One deceitful act follows another
  • The LORD says that his people reject him
  • Their tongues are like deadly arrows; they always tell lies
  • Everyone speaks friendly words to their neighbors, but they are really setting a trap for them

For these things God said “…I will now refine them with fire and test them…” vs 7. When the LORD is purifying His people, it can be very unpleasant even unbearable.

How has the LORD done this in the past either with Israel or with the church?

  1. Wrong boastings

    Often, when God wants to correct His people, He will first show them what (or how) they should not do. In Mt 6:1,2,5,7 the LORD Jesus first stated how one should not give alms, fast and pray before He laid out before the multitudes and His disciples how they should give alms, fast and pray. Here God rebukes His people about wrong boastings- what they should not glory in.

    Three things not to boast about: vs 23. These are necessities that have been esteemed among men above what God considers the most important.

    • Wisdom
    • Might
    • Riches

    What analogies can we associate these with in today’s world?

    [Wisdom- Wanting to be listened to, scholastic, self-development, professionalism, knowledge]

    [Might- leadership, rulership, heroes, titles]

    [Riches- wealth, independence, influence, control]

    What can we learn from this rebuke?

    1. Man’s priorities/values are not same as God’s Lk 16:15
    2. Men who pursue these as ends are in danger and can derail 1 Tim 6:9,10,17

    How can we avoid setting these above God’s values without neglecting possessing them?

    2. Big Contrast

      “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD” Is 55:8 Whereas men would glory in attainments of wisdom, might and riches, God celebrates those who attain something else. What God praises, men despise. If someone were to abandon all educational pursuit and decides to enter a life dedicated solely to seeking God in His Word and prayer, men would wander and declare, ‘what a wasted life?’ To seek to know God can never be considered or celebrated as a vocation among men. I am not saying one must abandon all other vocations before he can seek God, I just want to state the point.

      The only attainment that worths God’s admiration and attention is to know Him. Do you know God?

      “… that he understandeth and knoweth me…”

      Let us draw some issues from this phrase.

      1. The statement assumes the existence of God. It proves the existence of God if you believe the one who spoke. While many of us may have passed the doubt valley of whether God exists or not, it is worth stating, perhaps there might be some who are still challenged in their minds. How do we know God exists?
      • General revelation- Ps 19:1; Acts 14:15-17; Rom 1:19-20- nature and creation
      • Special revelation- Rom 1:2; Heb 1:1-2- His laws, His Word, Christ
      1. God can be known– Although God is incomprehensible, that is, we cannot exhaustively know or discover the depths of God’s Being, yet He can be known to the extent that He has revealed Himself.

      Can God be known (discovered) by searching? Job 11:7; Jer 29:13

      Let us state that God cannot be known apart from his self-revelation which He has given to us in His Word and in Christ. Through His attributes revealed in Scriptures His Being and person are clearly understood.

      1. God must be known objectively– Solomon was charged by his father David “And you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father…” 1 Chr 28:9. How will Solomon know God? “And keep the charge of the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments, and his testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses,” 1Kgs 2:3. For Solomon to experience God the way His father did, He must first believe in God and then he must keep the same laws His father kept. To experience God’s mercy (kindness), justice and righteousness, Solomon must pay attention to the same principles that made God swear to keep the throne for David.

      Can unity of faith and the knowledge of God be attained by subjective experiences of God only?

      What is the purpose of Scriptures in shaping our common faith?

      The knowledge of God therefore can be described at three levels:

      1. Reconciliation or rebirth
      2. Intimacy and fellowship with God through the means of grace
      3. Reflection of God’s image (communicable attributes) in society

      The first is foundational to the next and the next to the third.

      3. Christian Living

        A Christian, from our study, is one who knows God through new birth, intimacy and reflection of God’s kind of life as revealed by Christ. But we will like to emphasize three characteristics of God that the Christian also must demonstrate. Note that God says these are His trademarks- the primary function of a trademark is to identify the source of goods and services and prevent consumers from confusing them with those from other sources (Wikipedia).

        • Mercy
        • Justice
        • Righteousness

        These are God’s trademarks- they are composite in their expression. The mercy of God is fair and right. The justice of God is merciful and right. The righteousness of God is just and merciful. These combinations cannot be confused with others.

        Scriptural Examples

        1. The Pharisees who were rebuked for prioritizing tithing more than these values Mt 23:23
        2. The Parable of the Good Samaritan Lk 10:25-37

        What can we learn?

        • These are God’s core values- not just that He holds them very highly but they are the very things we should expect from Him.
        • God expects these same values to be the practice of those who have identified with Him through new birth and intimacy.

        Conclusion

        We who claim to know God today, followers of Jesus Christ, are called to remember and return to making God known as we live out the life of God/Christ in our world- families, workplace, neighborhood/communities, societies. Unless we demonstrate through practical living these things, our worship cannot be said to be more than religious profession, which lacks the power to bring conviction and transformation.

        May we receive power by the Holy Spirit to know Him and make Him known in Jesus name. Amen.