MUST YOU BELIEVE IT?

"The Falsely Called Knowledge' "

The early Christians likely met many who were disciples of the noted Greek philosophers,  such as Socrates, Plato and Aristotle.  Educated people of the day regarded themselves as intellectually superior to most of the Christians.  Not many of Jesus' disciples were considered "wise in a fleshly way."  ( 1 Corinthians  1:26) In fact, those schooled in the philosophies of the day thought that what the Christians believed was simply "foolishness" or "sheer nonsense." -1 Corinthians  1:23; Philips.

If you were among those early Christians, would you have been impressed by the persuasive arguments of the intellectual elite of the day or overawed by their display of wisdom?   (Colossians 2:4)  There would have been no reason for that, according to the apostle Paul.  He reminded Christians that Jehovah views 'the wisdom of the wise men"  and the intelligence of the intellectual men"  of the day as foolish.  (  1 Corinthians 1:19)  "What," he asked, "have the philosopher, the writer and the critic of this world to show for all their wisdom?"   ( 1 Corinthians 1:20, Phillips)  Despite all their intellectual brilliance, the philosophers, the writers and the critics of Paul's day had produced no real answer to mankind's problems.

So Christians learned to avoid what the apostle Paul said were "the contradiction of the falsely called 'knowledge.' "  (1 Timothy 6:20)  The reason that Paul called such knowledge 'false' is that it lacked one crucial factor-a source or reference from God against which their theories could be tested.  (Job 28:12; Proverbs 1:7)  Lacking that, and at the same time being blinded by the archdeceiver, Satan, those clinging to such knowledge could never hope to find the truth, -1Corinthians  2:6-8, 14; 3:18-20; 2 Corinthians 4:4; 11:14; Revelation 12:9.

Next time: The Bible-An Inspired Guide

Watchtower, 2000