To Know or Not To Know
Fully literate people are ones who can not only read and write they also assimilate, analyze, and make applications to life's pressing problems the material read.
While semi-literate people are able to read and write also, but they are limited to only the opinions of others. Originality is missing in these people.
Functionally literate people, however, are those who can read but have little understanding of what they have read or how to express concepts to others.
Illiterate people, we know, are unable to read or write. They can only do as they are told, and have no way of evaluating the ideas of others beyond the spoken word.
Scripture gives the solution for the dearth of knowledge so many people have. It is found in Proverbs 1:7, "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction."
The concept of "The Fear of the LORD" is mentioned 27 times in the KJV Bible, the Word of God. It entails a reverential awe for and trust in Almighty God; in short, it means to worship the LORD in the beauty of HIS holiness.
It is any wonder, therefore, that vast numbers of the populace struggle through life barely functioning, unable to read a newspaper - written on a fifth grade reading level - fluently with comprehension. Government schools have an atheistic platform: No God, No Bible, No Prayer. No knowledge. Children are indoctrinated, rather than taught, to hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil. Just say: "No."
How ineffectual such training is. To just repeat a word without an undergirding of morality makes parrots of men and their children. God says in Proverbs 15:33: "The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom; and before honour is humility."
What's more, Proverbs 16:6: "By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil."
Is it not very plain that our once glorious country needs heed the principles set forth in the above Scriptures? Even during the early day of the CHURCH, during its days of persecution, stability came to the people of God Acts 9:31 shows us when they "...were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost..."
Psalm 19:9: "The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether."
Notice some of the fruit of fearing the LORD as Proverbs 9:10 points out: "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding."
Thus, a fully literate person is one who knows, trusts, and obeys the LORD JESUS CHRIST. Such an one has as his experience an abundance of knowledge coupled with understanding which causes a clean, stable, humble life before God and HIS crowing creation - man.
"Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man." Ecclesiastes 12:13
Sincerely,
Pastor John S. Brown
Eternal Grace Baptist Church of New Maysville, Indiana
64th Judicial District
8965 N. Country Road 675 E.
Bainbridge, Indiana
(765) 522-1308
preacher@link2000.net
WE ARE AN UN-REGISTERED CHURCH
NOT A RELIGIOUS CORPORATION.
