What We Need To Know

-February 3, 2024-

Good morning beloved, happy Saturday,

“For this reason I also suffer the loss of all these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.”

(2 Timothy 1:12).

In life there are things we know; things we’d like to know; and things we need to know. In the Christian life, there are things we to know and cling to with steadfastness. Paul knew what he believed without any doubt. This is why he fervently preached the gospel, planted churches, and taught the Word of God.

It reminds me of a story of a preacher and a farmer. The preacher asked the farmer, “What do you believe?” The farmer answered, I believe what my church believes.” The preacher then asked, “What does your church believe?” The farmer scratched his head and answered, “The same as I believe.” By this time the preacher was a little miffed. He implored the farmer, “Then what do you and your church believe?” The farmer responded, “We both believe the same thing.”

As believers, we must know what we believe not only for our personal faith, but also so we can share it with those who ask us. Peter was ready at all times to share the gospel. He wrote in 1 Peter 3:15, “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear.” Meekness is deep humility and fear is reverence.

There are seven important things we should all know: that our sins are forgiven; that we are saved by grace through faith; that we have eternal life and security; that we are going to heaven; that Jesus Christ is Lord; that our Savior is coming back; and our names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. All these are essentials, nonnegotiable, infallible truths. There are quite few other things in the Scriptures we need to know as well.

There many things we don’t know, many things we don’t understand, and many things we won’t know or understand until we get to heaven. The hymn writer Daniel W. Whittle wrote the wonderful words based on this verse, “I know not why God’s wondrous grace to me He hath made known, nor why, unworthy, Christ in love redeemed me for His own. But I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I’ve committed unto Him against that day.”

We need know, we need to believe, and we need to hold onto the Lord Jesus without wavering. Have a blessed, beautiful, and bountiful day knowing the Lord in and through His Word. Stay safe and healthy.

It’s not just what we know but who we know: the living Word and the written Word,

Dean