John 7:
"The Jews therefore marveled [at Jesus] saying, 'How is it that this man has learning when He has never studied?'" (v.15) The religious leaders of the day spent a lot of time studying the Scriptures and had much of it memorized but they missed the most important person, the most important event of all time because they were more interested in their own righteousness, their own knowledge. (v.52) Even Jesus' brothers did not believe in Him at this time. (v.5)
The Scriptures are to be studied, for sure, but the goal is not intellectual knowledge. The goal is life transformation; God is always after our hearts. Their hearts were the problem with the Pharisees and even Jesus' brothers. Their hearts were not turned toward God so when they did not find Jesus to be what they expected the Christ to be they rejected Him.
How often do we do that when God is doing a work that we have never seen or that we don't easily understand whether in an individual or a church or even a country? Do we dismiss it or scorn it? Do we speak against it? Because we don't understand what God is doing, it surely must not be God - like we have true knowledge of how God might accomplish His work. (Isaiah 55:9, 43:19, Habakkuk 1:5)
Mark 7:
"You leave the commandment of God and hold to the traditions of men." (v.8) Help me, Lord, never to enforce my personal convictions or my traditions on others. But also give me a sensitivity to the weakness of others so that I don't ever cause them to stumble. (1 Corinthians 8)
The convictions that God gives me may be different from those He gives to others about things that are not specifically spelled out in His word. It is not up to me to decide which translation of the Bible is right or if having a beer with your pizza is wrong or what type of music to listen to. I have my convictions about those things but my brother or sister in Christ may have different convictions...and that's OK.
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