THE INTERRELATIONSHIPS OF TRUTH

" . . . If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free . . . If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed." (John 8:31-36)

Devotion 19 of 20

WHEN THE WHOLE IS SEEN,
THE ASPECTS ARE PERCEPTIBLE

The Word of God places a high priority on spiritual understanding; i.e., comprehending from God's point of view. Personal opinions may be protected by the United States Constitution, but they have little value in God's kingdom. In fact, human opinion never yields benefit in the eternal realm. It is only "the truth" that makes us "free" (John 8:32).

The Apostle to the Gentiles prayed for their understanding. He knew if they did not perceive the will of the Lord, they were not likely to become involved in it--an absolute requisite to being advantaged by it. He also knew that "ignorance" actually alienated the individual from the life of God (Eph 4:18).

For this reason, the Apostle fervently prayed for believers, that they might experience the opening of their understanding. He prayed "That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know . . . " (Eph 1:17-18). The human intellect may be ever so gifted, and the individual a prodigious student. However, if God does not bless the understanding, we remain fundamentally ignorant of the truth.

Again, Paul prayed that believer's understanding might be productive in discerning the magnitude of their salvation. "For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of Whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man; that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God" (Eph 3:14-21).

He also prayed for the Colossians, asking the Lord to bless them with spiritual understanding. "For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God" (Col 1:9-11).

Peter addressed this same subject in his counsel to dispersed believers. "We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts" (2 Pet 1:19). Mark it well, the day could never dawn if the truth was not interrelated! The perception of the whole could never occur if the parts were not related.

The dawning of light upon the soul occurs when things "fit together" in our understanding'; when a more complete picture is seen! This is seeing light in the light! As it is written, "For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light" (Psa 36:9).

PRAYER POINT: Father, I know You are not capable of revealing things unrelated to Your eternal purpose. In Jesus' name, help me understanding Your Word in view of Your Person and Purpose.

-- TOMORROW: CONCLUSION --
-- TUESDAY, New Series: GOD'S DESIRE FOR SELF-EXTENSION --