Sermons with Sound Doctrine Part 6

HOW THE OLD IRISHMAN LEARNED DIVINE TRUTH

Years ago, a godly old Irishman came to southern California to recover from a serious illness.  Though quite weak, he opened his worn Bible and began expounding the deep truths of God in a way that a well-known American minister had never heard before.  The latter was so moved by the old Irishman's words that he asked him, "WHERE DID YOU GET THESE THINGS?  Could you tell me where I could find a book that would open them up to me?  Did you learn them in some seminary or college?"  The sickly man gave an answer that the inquirer said he would never forget.

"My dear young man, I LEARNED THESE THINGS ON MY KNEES ON THE MUD FLOOR OF A LITTLE SOD COTTAGE IN THE NORTH OF IRELAND.  THERE WITH MY OPEN BIBLE BEFORE ME I USED TO KNEEL FOR HOURS AT A TIME AND ASK THE SPIRIT OF GOD TO REVEAL CHRIST TO MY SOUL AND TO OPEN THE WORD TO MY HEART.  HE TAUGHT ME MORE ON MY KNEES ON THAT MUD FLOOR THAN I EVER COULD HAVE LEARNED IN ALL THE SEMINARIES OR COLLEGES IN THE WORLD."

The old Irishman's prayers were quite identical to that of the Psalmist who, in Psalm 119:18 besought the Lord thus:-- "Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law."

The apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 8:1, "Knowledge PUFFETH UP, but charity EDIFIETH" -- a clause which in modern English could be rendered, "Knowledge PUFFS UP, but Love BUILDS UP."

I verily believe that the deep darkness into which some modern theologians are being led by Satan, "The Fallen Angel of False Light," is the result their leaning toward their INTELLECTUAL KNOWLEDGE, and their failure to have that DIVINE LOVE which BUILDS UP without PUFFING UP!

Proverbs 3:5 exhorts us thus: -- "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and LEAN NOT UNTO THINE OWN UNDERSTANDING."

When highminded theologians begin to PROUDLY LEAN TO THEIR OWN INTELLECTUAL UNDERSTANDING, they become "PUFFED UP" and instead of "BUILDING THEMSELVES AND OTHERS UP on their most holy faith (Jude 1:20), they begin TEARING DOWN AND DEMOLISHING our most holy faith by DISCREDITING GOD'S INSPIRED WORD!

I believe that one of the things most desperately needed in today's Christian Universities and Seminaries is LEARNERS who will humbly get down on their knees and plead for God to "open their eyes to behold wondrous things out of His Word," as did that old Irishman!

Alas! However! -- instead of such HUMBLE LEARNERS, Christian Universities and Seminaries are now filled with HIGHMINDED LEANERS TOWARD THEIR OWN UNDERSTANDING! -- and they are TEARING DOWN, both themselves and those who have begun to believe their Satanically darkened unbelief of God's Sacred Word!

"Oh God!  Give us today what we so desperately need! -- Humble Learners, whose eyes Thou hast opened to "behold wondrous things out of Thy Law" -- and Spirit-Filled, preachers who will both "build themselves up, and build others up, in our most Holy Faith!  In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen!"