If Anyone Supposes That He Knows Anything

I have a friend (who has a few decades on me in this whole walking with Jesus thing) who often says that the Christian life is nothing more than a continual reducing down until what is left is Christ. I'm not sure I fully understood what he meant when I first heard him say this years ago. But as the years go by, more and more I feel like I know less and less. This is a tad disconcerting as when I was younger I thought I knew quite a bit and that I would just keep adding to this great knowledge throughout my life. Then comes 1 Corinthians 8:2 to knock me off my high horse:

“If anyone supposes that he knows anything, he has not yet known as he ought to know.”

As I write this, I realize I have no place to speak on this subject. I still struggle often with feeling like I know more than others. But I will simply share the little bit of light I have been given on this subject and pray the Lord does with it what He wants.

I have been thinking about my future lately, and I was praying recently, “Father, just show me what to be taking steps toward, and I will do it.” And though that prayer was not wrong, what the Lord showed me was that I am His sheep. And His sheep don't have to know what they are moving toward. They just have to stay close to Him, and He will lead them. Think about it. Can you picture a shepherd calling out to his sheep, “Head in that direction, I'll catch up!” No, he leads them. He says, “Follow me. I'm taking you the safest way to the best pastures.” Again I think I need to know something when all I need to know is God.

“but if anyone loves God, he is known by Him.” -1 Corinthians 8:3

Somehow this simple statement is the answer. If you think you know anything, you know nothing, but if you love God, He knows you and suddenly you don't need to know anything else. And so continues the process of reducing us to Christ. Praise God! Let us seek to love Him and know Him in all that we do.

The following is my attempt at a Spanish translation.

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Tengo un amigo (quien ha estado caminando con Jesús mucho más tiempo que yo) quien muchas veces dice que la vida Cristiana es nada más que un reducción hasta que nada está quedado excepto Cristo. No entendí bien hace muchos años, pero ahora siento como yo sé menos y menos. Cuando era menor, pensaba que sabía mucho y iba saber más y más cada año. 1 Corintios 8:2 dice:

“Si alguno cree que sabe algo, no ha aprendido todavía como lo debe saber.”

Todavía este no es facil para mí. Muchas veces todavía creo que yo sé más que otras personas. Pero voy a compartir lo que Dios me ha revelado, sino que es poco.

He estado pensando en mi futuro recién, y oré, “Padre me muestra donde debo caminar y lo haré.” Este oración no es equivocado, pero el Señor me mostró que yo soy su oveja. Sus ovejas no tienen que saber a donde van. Ellas solo tienen que quedar cerca del Pastor y Él va a conducirles. Pastores no dicen a sus ovejas, “Vayan allá! Nos vemos pronto!” El pastor les conduce sus ovejas. Él dice, “Me sigan. Voy a mostrarte el camino más seguro a los pastos mejores.” De nuevo creo que necesito saber algo cuando solo necesito saber Dios.

“pero si alguno ama a Dios, ése es conocido por El.” - 1 Corintios 8:3

Este declaración sencillo es el solución. Si crees que sabes algo, sabes nada, pero si amas a Dios, El te conoces y de repente no tienes que saber nada más. Gracias a Dios! Buscamos a amar y conocer a Dios en todo que hacemos.