Before I go to the topic at hand today I wish to apologize to any who may have been waiting for a new post. I truly meant to keep a more consistent stream of thoughts going. But the best laid plans of man fail quite often I have noticed and my plans certainly are no different.
With that said, I come to something that has come to me the past couple of days. I am on Christmas break from school, and as is normal for me to do I go to visit my brothers in Christ, and dear friends at the Haven of Rest in Anderson, SC. For those who do not know it is a mission in the town I grew up and they offer shelter, and more than that opportunity for men with life controlling issues the chance to grow in Christ and find victory from drugs, alcohol, or any other life controlling sin that prevails.
Anyway, the thing is those that are not new that are there will often, seeing as I go to a bible school, ask me questions that are theological in nature and usually quite often controversial. Such as predestination, and does God foreordain all things to the point that every decision we make is already set. Or wether He creates people for hell and the purpose of prayer. Or the role of the Holy Spirit and the like.
Now, I am not about to give answer to these here and perhaps never here. I rarely answer these questions in person and not for fear of misrepresenting the Holy Scriptures, but rather I ask why. Why do any of us desire the answer, or an answer to these questions? So I ask them why? To what purpose or end to do desire an answer to this/these question(s)? It is safe to say that 90% of the time they have asked the question to multiple others and read multiple books on it (and not necessarily the Good Book). The answer is they just want to know. Confusion as to why I want to know why takes place, and they think I am dodging the issue. Maybe I am, but I promise I do so for a reason. My pride is not much different from others. I want to know and all to often I desire to know for the wrong reason, and that is so I might sound as intelligent as possible to my peers and not so that I might glorify my God and Father. Not often enough do I want to know that I might, as the apostle Peter admonished us, "have an answer for the hope within us". No, I dare say we all to often when asked why we want to know, is for no better reason than to achieve a theological level of intelligence that may wow our friends and even perhaps our enemies.
Perhaps I am off base and to those who desire to know for that greater purpose of being able to draw closer in love with Him for the sake of His glory well good for you. God no doubt will honor your search for He knows the intents and thoughts of the heart Heb 4:12b.
I also will say that I found my way to answering as best as I was able my fellow brothers questions as I believe the Scriptures reveal to me the answers asked, but my intention here as it was then was that each of us should examine our motives and intentions for wanting to know. If it is not for the purpose of drawing closer to Him then I would dare say pray that the pride of knowledge which puffs up would take a back seat to the greater knowledge of resting in Him as our Sovereign.
Blessings friends
In Christ,
Phillip James Gilmore
