God’s people and the Knowledge of God’s ways and word
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline. [Pro 1:7]
“...my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge. “Because you have rejected knowledge, I also
reject you as my priests; because you have ignored the law of your God, I also will ignore your children.”
[Hos 4:6]
So, as the Holy Spirit says: “Today, if you hear his voice, 8do not harden your hearts as
you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the desert, 9where your fathers tested and tried
me and for forty
years saw what I did. 10That is why I was angry with that generation, and I said, ‘Their hearts are
always going astray, and they have not known my ways.’ 11So I declared on oath in my anger,
‘They
shall never enter my rest.’” [Heb 3:7-11]
We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain because you are slow to learn. 12In
fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of
God’s word all over again.
You need milk, not solid food! 13Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with
the teaching about righteousness. 14But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained
themselves
to distinguish good from evil. [Heb 5:11-14]
“For the lips of a priest ought to preserve knowledge, and from his mouth men should seek instruction
because he is the messenger of Yahweh of Hosts. 8But you have turned from the way and by your teaching
have caused many
to stumble; you have violated the covenant with Levi,” says Yahweh of Hosts. [Mal 2:7-8]
The Father about listening to and obeying Jesus—the Father about our relationship to
Jesus
And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” [Mat
3:17]
While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is
my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” [Mat 17:5]
For Moses said, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people;
you must listen to everything he tells you. 23Anyone who does not listen to him will be completely cut
off from among his
people.’ [Act 3:22-23; Deu 18:18-19]
To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my
disciples. 32Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” [Joh 8:31-32]
Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s
wrath remains on him.” [Joh 3:36]
Jesus about listening to and obeying his apostles—Jesus about our relationship to his apostles and
prophets
You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will
last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. [Joh 15:16]
“He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives the one who sent me.” [Mat
10:40; Luk 10:16]
“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their
message…” [Joh 17:20]
Remember the words I spoke to you: ‘No servant is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted
me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours
also. 21They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the One who sent
me. [Joh 15:20-21]
“But the house of Israel is not willing to listen to you because they are not willing to
listen to me, for the whole house of Israel is hardened and obstinate.” [Eze 3:7]
The Apostles on holding to and deviating from their message
Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation [1Pe2:2]
But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to
you, let him be eternally condemned! 9As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is
preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned! [Gal 1:8-9]
Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you
with the wisdom that God gave him. 16He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these
matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant
and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction. [2Pe 3:15-16]
They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them.
6We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen
to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of
falsehood. [1Jo 4:5-6]
He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others
by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it. [Tit 1:9]
Many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world.
Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist. 8Watch out that you do not lose what you have worked
for, but that you
may be rewarded fully. 9Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not
have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. 10If anyone comes to you and
does
not bring this teaching, do not take him into your house or welcome him. 11Anyone who welcomes him shares
in his wicked work. [2Jo 1:7-11]
I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our
Lord and Savior through your apostles. [2Pe 3:2]