Get Understanding*

Scriptures tell us to "get understanding": "He taught me also and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live. Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth. Forsake her not and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee. Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting, get understanding." (Prov. 4:4-7). The New Testament also tells us to ask for wisdom if we lack it (James 1:5-6). We will find that the light upon the path towards both wisdom and understanding is the Word of God, including the Torah. Psalm 119:104-105 says: "Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." In fact, the getting of wisdom and understanding is better than the getting of gold and silver (Prov. 16:16). As Paul expressed his great desire that all Israel be saved, he explained that while Israel had zeal for God, they lacked knowledge, seeking their own righteousness rather than God's (Rom. 10:1-3). Paul wrote: "For Christ is the end (telos - that by which a thing is finished, the purpose or aim, the end to which all things relate) of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth." (v. 4). Christ does not oppose the Law of Moses, He completes its purpose. The apostle James wrote of the importance of doing the Word of God. In saying this, he would have been referring to the Torah and the Prophets, or the Old Testament, because the New Testament did not yet exist as we have it today: "Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted (emphytos - inborn, implanted by nature or instruction, to germinate in, to shoot forth) word, which is able to save your souls. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves...But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed." (James 1:19-25).The Word, the perfect law of liberty, is not just heard or read, but becomes engrafted within us, and is expressed in works. Paul also wrote: "For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified...Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness...In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel." (Rom. 2:13-16)). James wrote that we would be doing well to "fulfill the royal law" expressed by the scripture: "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself", having no partiality or favoritism (James 2:8-9). The engrafted law, written within us, applies to the believer in Christ, as James wrote: "For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all...So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty. For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment." (v. 10-13). James also wrote that faith alone is incomplete, but must also include the works mentioned above that are produced by the Word within us, which is built upon "Love thy neighbor...": "Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone." (v. 14-17). We cannot see our neighbor hungry and without clothes to wear, and offer only prayer and a blessing - we must give him food to eat, and clothes to wear, which is the work of the Word. Jesus also spoke of all of these same things. This is not a law of legalism, but of liberty and mercy in its working, and based in love, as we will see next. John wrote that there is no separation between Jesus and His commandments, and love: "And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him." (1 Jn. 2:3-5). As James wrote above, John also tells us that "knowing" is not enough, but must be reflected in our "walking" as well: "He that saith he abideth in him (Jesus) ought himself also to walk, even as he walked." (v. 6). John wrote that he gives the church a new commandment, but the commandment is not new at all, "but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning...He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling (from darkness) in him. But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because the darkness hath blinded his eyes...And this is his (God's) commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment. And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us." (1 Jn. 2:7-11, 3:23-24). Not only does keeping His commandments cause us to abide in Him, and He in us, and His love in us and in our walk, but the Holy Spirit has been given to us to confirm this. This is not all, however: "And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things which are pleasing in his sight." (1 Jn. 3:22). We see further the role of love. This love, spoken of in connection with God and His commandments, causes our love to be made perfect, "...because as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear...And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also." (1 Jn. 4:17-21). When we understand and walk in this love, fear is cast out, and we walk in light. Without this love of God and for our brother, fear takes rule, and darkness pervades. It is distressing to see more and more so-called Christian groups, like Chritian Nationalists, who advocate hatred against the Jewish people and others, while thinking they are doing God a favor. This does not reflect the love of God with which He loves us, nor the commandments of God, by which He keeps us. John wrote in summary: "Whoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous." 1 Jn. 5:1-3). This is the understanding that has been given to us: This is the true God, and eternal life. (see. v. 20). The return of Christ draws near for all men. Those who believe in Him should "get understanding" of the indivisible connection between God, His Son-Christ, His love for us, our keeping and doing His commandments, our love for Him, and our love for our brother. *Based on Dr. Kenneth E. Stevenson's 1/29/23 message to the church. To contact us, submit a prayer request, give a praise report, or to support this ministry: P.O. Box 154221, Waco, TX, 76705 OR Everlastingcovenant@ymail.com. You can also find us on Facebook, Twitter, theshroudofturin.org, and END TIME SCHOOL, also on Facebook. You can also get a free ebook titled "The Shroud of Turin- A Perfect Summary" at www.The ShroudofTurin.org/freebook.