Faith first for true knowledge

Anselm said, "I do not understand so that I might believe, but believe in order to understand."

My grade school teacher taught me that an English preposition was "anywhere a mouse could go."  A mouse can go above, below, around, in, and in-between.  The preposition “between” in Hebrew is also the word for “understanding.”

Thinking with the Bible as your grid gives us understanding.  For instance, difficult is choosing between two good choices.  The bible gives us the capacity to sort out our options.

Proverbs says, “Understanding is a fountain of life to he who has it.”  To know your choices, and make the right one is “understanding.”   Gain “understanding” by remembering the word of God.  Believe it first, to gain understanding.  Usually the choice is obvious; the word is clear.  You can do what a mouse can do.  With divine understanding and the Spirit of God guiding you, you can sort out which way to go.

Proverbs 16:22
Understanding is a fountain of life to those who have it, but folly brings punishment to fools.

Articles that Ring!

• Free Will vs. the Bible: Election & Predestination Are Biblical - Spirituality (houstonchurchsigns.blogspot.com)
• Reasons Why Jesus is God - Spirituality - Religion (houstonchurchsigns.blogspot.com)
• Self-righteous Hubris Exposed (jayquine.wordpress.com)
• The End Of The World - Health (houstonchurchsigns.blogspot.com)

Quine: Proverbs of Jesus-Part 7 "Happy is the Pure"

The Transfiguration: Pure Jesus!Happy is the one who is pure in heart (Matthew 5:8)
There are two ways to understand this proverb. The first is to take it as moral purity—that is, to see God you must be morally pure. The other is to take it as pureness of thought, like a single mindedness. To be pure is to be focused. Which is it—moral purity or single mind purity? The answer is “yes,” for the two are not in conflict.

God Himself is both. First, He is described as pure. He is morally clean; He has never sinned; He is perfectly righteous. John describes God as light; in Him is no darkness whatsoever. He is absolutely pure light. Yet also, all His focus boils down to one thing. Jesus Himself said it—to glorify the Father, and the Son be glorified by the Father. He prayed in John 17:1, “Father, the hour has come, glorify the Son so that the Son may glorify thee.”

You may wonder if it is worth it to be pure. Whether being moral has any real value. But here is the question: Will God reveal Himself, I mean really reveal Himself and the depth of His character to a dirty vessel? Will he come down and visit someone who is unfocused? What is the first commandment? “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and all your soul, and all your mind.” If you do, God will reveal Himself to you so you can love Him all the more. He will not disappoint you. And, if you do, the things that pollute you, the things which drag you down, and the things which destroy your life will lose their attraction. Isn’t it time you became morally pure, and isn‘t it time you focused your life to serve Him? Jesus challenged thee disciples through this proverb—do you really want to see God? Then be pure.

Related articles

• Quine: The Proverbs of Jesus - Part 1 (bethemaybaptistchurch.blogspot.com)
• Quine: The Proverbs of Jesus - Part 2 (bethemaybaptistchurch.blogspot.com)
• Quine: The Proverbs of Jesus -Part 3 "Happy is the poor in spirit" (bethemaybaptistchurch.blogspot.com)
• Quine: Proverbsof Jesus-Part 4 "Happy is one who mourns" (bethemaybaptistchurch.blogspot.com)
• Jay Quine asks, "Is God Even Listening?" (jayquine.wordpress.com)
• The Biblical Meaning of "Death" by Dr. Jay Quine (bethemaybaptistchurch.blogspot.com)
• "But I Transgress," by Jay Quine (jquine.blogspot.com)
• A Lawyer Look at the Case against Jesus, by Jay Quine (churchwritings.wordpress.com)