In the last few weeks, I have made one of the most important discoveries about Christian life. I have always assumed that the Bible taught us about God so that we can put that knowledge to living a fuller and better life. Put another way, we are given the knowledge of God for the purpose of applying it to our lives. So, what’s really important is the application. Everything else (theology) is a motivation simply to apply the truth (application) to our daily lives so that our lives become fuller and richer. So, in my preparation for preaching and teaching, I’d always ask myself, “How will this truth help my congregation’s lives become better? (for example, enrich their marriages, give them financial peace, raise obedient children) I don’t think that anymore….

What dawned on me is that the application is for the sake of knowing God. In other words, the application of the truths are not the end goal, but simply a means to know God better. Applications are a means. The end goal is knowing God.

Paul said, “I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ… For His sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish… that I may know him and the power of his resurrection.” (Philippians 3:8,9,10)

The bottom line, the end goal for Paul was knowing Christ. As important as the mission of saving souls was, that wasn’t the end goal. As important as churches he planted thriving, families being restored, culture being changed, lives being changed were, they weren’t the end goal! Paul didn’t get to know God so that he will achieve all those things. No! But he attempted all those things (application) so that in the end, he will know God more fully and richly (theology)!

Do you see how this discovery would cause a paradigm shift? Consider these scenarios:

– It means we can no longer say, “It doesn’t matter what you know about God. It’s how you live!” Rather we say, “We live our lives in obedience to Christ so that we will get a fuller and richer knowledge of Him.”

– We no longer try to get to know God so that our marriage will improve. No! We strive to improve our marriage relying on God so that we will know God better as our Husband.

– We do not give offering to church so that God will bless us and reward us. No! We do that so that we will know how generously God has given us.

– We do not study the Bible to learn its principles so that we will raise better children. No. We raise children faithfully so that we will get to know how faithful a Father He is!

– We do not serve God so that God will bless our business. No. We give our best at our business, trusting God, so that God will be known to be faithful.

Do you see? All of life’s important events (family, marriage, studies, conflicts, work, sickness) are a means to achieving the knowledge of God. How gracious of God to build in all these practical things in life to eventually lead us to Him!

Don’t waste your pain. Don’t waste your success. Know Him!

PH