Christian Virtues - Studiousness

Intro:

Good evening.

We are picking back up with our series on Christian virtues tonight.

In case you’re wondering, I’m thinking about wrapping this series up pretty soon and moving on to something else (We may eventually come back to it though because I’ve enjoyed going through these various virtues).

Again, by way of review a virtue is defined according to Cambridge dictionary.com as “a good moral quality in a person.”

Dictonary.com adds “moral excellence, goodness, or righteousness.”

The very essence of virtues are distinctly Christian, and while other religions may borrow certain virtues, only Christianity is 100% good in doctrine.

Faithfulness to God is exclusively Christian in the Christian aged.

Jesus is the only way, truth, and the life and no man comes to the Father except through Him (John 14:6).

Acts 4:12 says that there is salvation in NO OTHER, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.

Christianity is EXCLUSIVE.

And not pseudo-Christianity; that is, denominational divisions that are not only unauthorized by expressly condemned by Jesus’ prayer in the garden, where He repeatedly prayed that His diciples would be ONE (John 17).

Ephesians chapter 4 talks about the unity of the Spirit, gives us seven ones whereby we can start to achieve that unity (although there are other essentials we read about in the N.T. as well), and Eph. 4:4 says there is ONE BODY. (Which means one church - Eph. 1:22-23 - “the church, which is His body.”)

1 Corinthians 1:10–15 also covers these important truths: “Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. For it has been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Chloe’s household, that there are contentions among you. Now I say this, that each of you says, “I am of Paul,” or “I am of Apollos,” or “I am of Cephas,” or “I am of Christ.” Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, lest anyone should say that I had baptized in my own name.”

The question becomes, in light of all these Christian virtues, the exclusive nature of the church that belongs to Christ, etc., how do we know all of this?

The answer lies in STUDY of God’s Word.

Our virtue for tonight, then, is studiousness.

2 Timothy 2:15 said to a preacher (but important for all of us) is this — “Be diligent (“Study,” KJV) to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

What if we do NOT study?

Then we will not have the knowledge we need necessary to be the church we find in the Word of God.

Let’s begin by discussing …

THE IMPORTANCE OF KNOWLEDGE:

Another word we might use for the virtue of studiousness might be “knowledgeability.”

Knowledge of God’s Word is extremely important.

Without knowledge of God’s Word, we can’t be saved.

It is the implanted or engrafted Word that we must receive with meekness to be saved (James 1:21).

And then we turn around and become DOERS of that word and not hearers ONLY (James 1:22).

It is the Words of Christ that will judge us on the last day (John 12:48), and it is the Word that determines whether or not we have a good and honest heart (Heb. 4:12).

Listen to a beautiful Psalm:

Psalm 19:7–14 - “The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, Yea, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them Your servant is warned, And in keeping them there is great reward. Who can understand his errors? Cleanse me from secret faults. Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins; Let them not have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless, And I shall be innocent of great transgression. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.”

By the way, the earlier part of that Psalm is where we read “The heavens declare the glory of God!”

So look UP and then look IN (into the Word of God, which helps us look IN to our hearts and examine them and obey the Word).

Let’s look at a few ocurrences of the word “knowledge.”

Proverbs 1:7 - “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction.”

Do you want to have true knowledge?

It MUST start with the fear of the Lord!

Proverbs 2:6 - “For the Lord gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding;”

Here are a couple of verses that deal with GOD’S level of knowledge compared to our own:

Romans 11:33 - “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!”

Psalm 139:1–6 - “O Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. You comprehend my path and my lying down, And are acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word on my tongue, But behold, O Lord, You know it altogether. You have hedged me behind and before, And laid Your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is high, I cannot attain it.”

We can’t know everything there is to know, but we can know what God INTENDS for us to know!

We can know enough to be saved!

A couple more:

2 Peter 1:5–9 - “But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.”

(We keep coming back to that in this series on virtues!)

Finally:

Hosea 4:6 - “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; Because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.”

In the book of Hosea, the people were so stuck in the rut of SPIRITUAL ADULTERY (cheating on God with their idolatry and their sin), that God’s heart was broken just as was the case with the prophet Hosea!

We must have KNOWLEDGE!

I want to turn our attention now to the longest chapter in the Bible.

Do you know what it is?

Psalm 119!

(It also happens to be conveniently located almost smack dab in the middle of your Bible!)

Psalm 119:

We won’t read the whole chapter — It’s 176 verses long!

But we will notice some of the highlights.

And we’ll make this main point — The longest chapter in the Bible is all about …

THE BIBLE! (THE WORD OF GOD)!

Must be pretty important, then!

(By the way, I’m told the Jews use this Psalm to teach the Hebrew alphabet — Each section is labeled a subsequent letter of the Hebrew alphabet).

(Verses to emphasize and comment):

V. 1 -

V. 5-6 -

V. 9-11 -

V. 15-16 -

V. 18 -

V. 21 -

V. 25 -

V. 27 -

V. 32 - (or race)

V. 34 -

V. 37 -

V. 44 -

V. 46 -

V. 50 -

V. 54-55 -

V. 59 - We need to do more thinking about our ways, don’t we?!

V. 60 -

V. 71 -

V. 81-82 -

V. 86 -

V. 89 -

V. 97 -

V. 105 -

V. 126 - (Talking about the Psalmist’s oppressers).

V. 128 -

V. 136 -

V. 140 -

V. 152 -

V. 155 -

V. 160 -

V. 162 -

V. 172 - (Similiar to 162).

V. 176 - A great end to the Psalm; reminds me of Jesus’ teaching about leaving the 99 to find the 1!

Let’s finish tonight …

EMPHASIZING STUDIOUSNESS:

We’re going to be having a Bible class on Wednesday nights pretty soon I think on how to Study the Bible, but for now …

Let me just say a couple things …

Or ask a couple questions, really (You don’t have to answer out loud).

How often do you study your Bible?

(Every day/night, every few days, once a week, rarely, never?)

Do you study the Bible with your family?

(Spouse, children?)

Do you study the Bible in an ORGANIZED way? Or in a very random way, no method to the madness so it becomes madness (as far as organization goes)?

Now, if you answered these questions not very well …

That is, you study the Bible never, or rarely, or maybe once a week …

You DON’T study with your family outside of worship and Bible class …

And you DON’T have an organized manner of study …

If you answered the questions these ways, then my final question is … How’s your spiritual life lately?!

Not very good?

Is it any wonder why not?

Conclusion:

Remember, Hosea 4:6 says my people are DESTROYED … for lack of knowledge!

Lives in SPIRITUAL SHAMBLES for lack of diligent study of God’s Word!

What about you?