I pray that he may grant you, according to the riches of
his glory, to be strengthened with power in your inner being through his
Spirit, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. I pray that
you, being rooted and firmly established in love, may be able to comprehend
with all the saints what is the length and width, height and depth of God’s
love, and to know Christ’s love that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be
filled with all the fullness of God.
We “know Christ’s love surpasses knowledge.” What is interesting
here is Paul seems to be indicating that being filled with the love of God and
in turn to know Christ’s love is more important than knowledge. In fact, to
comprehend God’s love is to be filled with the fullness of God.
This is no way is a statement to diminish the importance of
knowledge. But let me suggest there are two forms of knowledge, head knowledge
and heart knowledge. In head knowledge you know about something. In heart
knowledge you intimately relate to something. In this case the Love of God.
True love is relational. True knowledge is relational. Without
relationship knowledge is simply academic. Here is where love surpasses
knowledge. If you know some truths about God you cannot have any assurance that
you have a relationship with God. On the other hand, if Christ is in your heart
through faith and you are rooted and established in love then you can come
confidently before God in a saving relationship with Him.
Time and again we see that knowledge is in service to love. “To
know Christ’s love” is to have the experience of intimate relationship with the
love (agape) of Christ. This love is superior to learning and reasoning.
Knowing Christ is active and responsive. Knowledge and reasoning are receptive
and passive (at least in this context). Understanding love leads to being
filled with the fullness of God. On the other hand knowledge and reasoning that
is not subordinate to love leads to pride (1 Corinthians 8:1-3).
Some might suggest that “fear of God is the beginning of
wisdom.” I would respond that in this case love and fear are not mutually
exclusive. In fact, fear (reverence) for God is an act of love. We love God
with the obedience, honor, and glory due His Name.
In conclusion seek knowledge and wisdom of God! Yes! However,
this pursuit must always subordinate itself to the greater virtue of Love.
Doing this will lead you to the fullness of God.
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