Recently, I had to train an employee in our company, or rather, I had tried to train him. And whenever I explained something to him, he said: “I KNOW.” Regardless of what I told him, he responded with two words: “I KNOW.” It was quite annoying to me, because he never did it right, even though he knew perfectly well how to do it, or how he should do it.
And what about us?
· I know I am harsh, brusque and unkind!
· I know that’s wrong, but…
· I know I am rebellious, not submitting to my husband.
· I know I do not pay enough attention to my wife!
· I know my home is dirty, but…
· I know I should pray.
· I know I need to study … but too many other things interfere.
· I know… I KNOW… I KNOW!!
Does that sound familiar to us? Is that something we know?
We have been blessed with the most precious knowledge, the greatest laws, ways of life and purpose ever given to a people. God has begotten us with His Holy Spirit! The ultimate goal is to become a God being. Think about it! We are to become God.
How hard are we trying, considering what we know? Are we eager, growing and overcoming? Or are we slow, lazy, sluggish, stagnant, passive and compromising with sin?
Do we know good things we should do, but do not do them?
How does God look at this? What does God say? James 4:17 reads, “Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.”
So, if we say, “I know”, and do not act on that knowledge, we are sinners! Do we realize that we could just say as easily, “I sin,” as saying, “I know I should do good, but I don’t”?
In Matthew 25:24-30, we find the parable about the servant who KNEW what to do!!! It states:
“Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’ But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. Therefore take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents. For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’”
He might as well have said: “I knew you were asking me to overcome, Lord, but I just didn’t get around to doing it.”
Let’s think about that attitude for a moment! He was lazy, wicked, fearful, stubborn, rebellious, proud, accusing God of being unjust, justifying himself, deceiving himself and going his own carnal way.
Let us consider. Because he knew and did not make even the smallest effort necessary, he lost his eternal life and his reward. He was cast into the outer darkness… the wages of sin is death!
Why do we have this attitude? Why do we say we know we are sinning and make no effort to change even though we know we MUST change? What are we waiting for? For God to perform a miracle on us, to strengthen us without us having to do anything?
God will not change anyone in this way!
Christ had to pray with vehement cries and tears to overcome the flesh and never sin.
In Philippians 4:13, the Apostle Paul said: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
Let us note here that things are done through Christ; not that Christ did everything!
Instead of us perhaps saying, “I know I’m sinning, but I can’t change”, let’s pause for a moment and say: “I know this is sin and I WILL change!”
Let us repent and stop sinning. Let us try harder and God will help us to change and overcome.
In 1 John 2:3, we read: “Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.”
This requires a supreme effort on our part. This includes daily prayer and Bible study, rooting out sin, maintaining good relationships in our family, with the brethren and between husband and wife.
Let us put our whole heart into overcoming and doing God’s Work.
That is the way for us to be assured that we know Christ: When we do the things that He commands us to do. So let us really work to eradicate the things we know are sins and do the good we know we should do.
Let’s not procrastinate any longer… let us do it NOW! Then we will know for sure that we will be in the Kingdom of God: “He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son” (Revelation 21:7).
Initial Translation: Daniel Blasinger
