[Jesus] learned obedience by the things which He suffered. And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him. HEBREWS 5:8–9 What did Jesus—who is fully God as well as completely man—need to learn? What aspect of His character did this Holy Son of God need to have perfected? Being “perfected” doesn’t mean that Jesus improved or became more complete than He was before. Being perfected does mean that Jesus completed His earthly assignment and became fully qualified to be our eternal High Priest. The matter of learning is related to this issue of completing His assignment. Jesus had never been called on to obey to the extent demanded by the cross. In that sense, Jesus in His humanness needed to face the ultimate temptation to choose a different path than the path to Calvary God had chosen for Him. Jesus walked to the cross. The will of God inevitably leads each one of us to our own cross, because there are some things we can learn only through suffering. The Lord will grow our character and strengthen our walk with Him if we will obediently trust Him—as Jesus did—with the process and the suffering it involves. How much are you willing to learn? Blackaby - Being Still With God
Learning.
What comes to mind are several things. Not the least of which is 2 Timothy 3:7-9 "always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men of depraved mind, worthless in regard to the faith. But they will not make further progress; for their foolishness will be obvious to all, just as was that also of Jannes and Jambres."
Also...Daniel 12:4 "But as for you, Daniel, keep these words secret and seal up the book until the end of time; many will roam about, and knowledge will increase.”
I also consider the words of my parents about me as a little child. Always curious as to how things worked. Throughout my school years books and later early computers provided more learning. I. Graduated with 17 more credits than I needed. I was the first person in the history of my High School to have a laminated library pass. What few study halls that I had left I would spend in the library. Teaching myself how to program a Radio Shack TRS-80 computer.
I graduated and in a year or so found my way online. Dial-up modems were the way. Still seeking to learn more. Video taping lectures at Church to take in more Bible learning.
I have a very basic understanding of a whole lot of things in this world that I probably will never use. It was just something to learn at the time.
Scripture says that the fool says in his heart that there is no God. Those who follow this thinking go on through life aimlessly going from one situation to another. Never wanting to believe that there's going to be consequences for their actions.
We live in those days that Daniel was told would be coming. Knowledge is increasing at an exponential rate. You don't even need to hold onto that knowledge. It's now at your fingertips.
In ever increasing ways people have the ability to learn the truth about Jesus yet choose the darkness over the light. People are enticed in practically every facet of life towards feeding the lusts of the flesh and the pride of life. Both small and great in this world. Lives are encouraged to embrace self. To put self up on a stand and be worshiped.
Noone needs to learn to sin. There's a zero learning curve. Many things in this world must be learned but that's not one of them. We learn, or borrowing from Ecclesiastes in that there's nothing new under the sun, we relearn how evil man can be.
Read in Genesis. Outside of Noah, the thoughts of mankind were evil continually. It doesn't imply that they were stupid. The pieces of technology that God has permitted to survive the Flood prove otherwise. Mankind as a whole utilized their whole brain. Not as it is today where it is a fraction of that.
I was going to write a fiction novel about a pre-flood group of people. Taking place right up to the point of Noah and his family entering the Ark. God has stopped me for one very powerful reason. There's no way for me to put in print how evil and selfish mankind was back then. Knowledge was so vast and staggering that had they been left alone nothing would have been impossible for them.
Learning is always before you and I.
We either choose to or we choose not to. What many people fail to see is more often than not they are involuntarily learning. They get trained, schooled, by television and movies, by music and literature. Television commercials exist for but one purpose. To entice your way of thinking towards a particular product or service. All forms of media are designed to influence your thoughts and judgment. Key words are used to trigger an emotional reaction. We return to those various avenues of media like chickens to feed time, never considering what is happening.
Not even the news is safe. In many recorded instances in the last several years the media exploded at people saying it's their job to tell you what to think.
Learning about Christ, about growing in respect to your salvation. Learning how to live Godly lives. These things will open up your eyes, open your mind to the truth of this world.
Realize that the number one modus operandi of Satan has been and will continue to be manipulation of the minds and hearts of mankind. Stirring up ever more imaginative means of sinful pleasures and pursuits. The Bible tells us to set out minds on things above, not on the things down here. To guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus as a foremost prayer. Whatever is good, pure, lovely, etc., set our minds on such things.
What do you set your mind on? Of what have you been making the most important thing in your life? Are you consumed with the things of this world?
I have all but eliminated television from my daily life. It cannot be trusted nor should it be taken lightly. Satan rules it. God's Word says that for the moment Satan is the god of this world. As a Christian you are behind enemy lines. You would do well in remembering that.
What learning are you setting your mind upon? You don't go through a single day not being taught something or relearning something. We are the sum of our experiences.
Are you living for Jesus in all that you do?
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