Knowledge is Power
Don’t Be Ignorant! Knowledge is Power!
Francis Bacon once said, “Knowledge is power,” which is a true statement. In the Bible, God had already declared such as true (Hos. 4:6; Luke 1:76-77; 1 Cor. 15:34; 1 Tim. 2:3-4). Thus, knowledge is important. For this reason, Paul instructed his readers with his writings to know certain things, cued in by the phrase “I would not have you to be ignorant” or something associated to it. Let us notice some of his statements more closely, as I believe that these things are also things that we need to know today.
Paul wanted his readers in Rome to know that he was interested in their spiritual growth:
Now I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you, (but was let hitherto,) that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles (Rom. 1:13).
In his mission of converting Gentiles (cf. Acts 26:16- 18), he was not only interested in the Gentiles of Asia Minor using Antioch as his base of operations, but he was also interested in the Gentiles of Rome (cf. Rom. 15:23-24). Nevertheless, he was interested in the spiritual growth of all of his converts (1 Cor. 1:4-8; Eph. 1:15-16; Phil. 4:17; Col. 1:3-10).
Paul wanted his readers in Rome to know of the revelation of the gospel:
For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in (Rom. 11:25).
Paul often called this the “mystery,” in that God fully revealed His plan of redemption for Jews and Gentiles alike to the apostles through the Holy Spirit (cf. Eph. 3:1-7). This was something very difficult for the Jews to handle, and Paul had to deal with Judaizing teachers everywhere he went. Thus, to his readers in Rome, he uses an analogy of grafting branches into an olive tree in an effort to educate them concerning this wonderful news of salvation for all.
Paul wanted his readers in Corinth to know of the need of temperance in the Christian life:
Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud and all passed through the sea…(1 Cor. 10:1).
The first word in this verse shows the connection that he had with his previous thoughts of personal temperance (1 Cor. 9:26-27), and in the beginning of First Corinthians 10, Paul uses the examples of the Israelites to show their need to add self-control to their spiritual lives in an effort to resist temptation (1 Cor. 10:1-14).
Paul wanted his readers in Corinth to know the proper teaching concerning spiritual gifts: “Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant” (1 Cor. 12:1). In fact, he spends the next three chapters discussing the proper use and approach Page 2 The Southwesterner February 22, 2015 to the spiritual gifts that they had by the Holy Spirit. In a divided church as Corinth, they were using these gifts to create animosity rather than using them as God intended.
Paul wanted his readers in Thessalonica to know the proper understanding of the resurrection:
But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope (1 Thess. 4:13).
In the verses that follow in that chapter, he discusses what will happen at the resurrection in an effort to provide hope and qualm their fears and concerns for their loved ones who have preceded them in death (1 Thess. 4:13-18). Nevertheless, because God, the Holy Spirit, is the author of these all, then He would like for us today who read these priceless preserved treasures to know something about spiritual growth, the universal gospel of redemption, the need for temperance in Christianity, the proper understanding of spiritual gifts and the hope and comfort in the resurrection yet to come. In such, we appreciate the candor of the apostle Paul in providing for us this necessary knowledge! Indeed, a knowledge of the will and word of God is power!