Why those well-versed with the requirements of God's laws are judged more strictly than "babies" in the faith
Whether we like it or not, as our understanding of God’s ways and scriptures grows over the years, we will be judged more strictly.
“Dear brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers in the church, for we who teach will be judged by God with greater strictness” (James 3:1).
“But someone who does not know, and then does something wrong, will be punished only lightly. When someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required” (Luke 12:48).
Even so, we shouldn’t stagnate in our quest to understand the Word better just because we come under stricter judgment. Otherwise this sad commentary may be true of us, despite being believers for many years:
“In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil” (Hebrews 5:12-14).
Even so, we shouldn’t stagnate in our quest to understand the Word better just because we come under stricter judgment. Otherwise this sad commentary may be true of us, despite being believers for many years:
Compared to Christians, pre-believers do not have God’s law to guide them. However, their conscience, to a certain extent, helps them make moral decisions. Because of the lack of clear guidance, God takes into account their conflicting thoughts that may accuse or even excuse them (Romans 2:14-16).
In contrast, false teachers who sowed destructive heresies and continued living in sin received the harshest of God’s judgment (2 Peter 2: 1, 20-22). That's because they had the privilege of knowing God and His commandments. They were like Judas who walked with Jesus and was acquainted with His ways but chose to betray the Master.
For such apostates, it would have been better if they had not encountered and embraced the truth. For Judas, it would have been better if he had not been born.
Why did Jesus condemn the Pharisees in such harsh tones? Because they were hypocrites—well-versed with the requirements of the law but not upright.
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people's bones and all uncleanness. So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness” (Matthew 23: 27-28).
Growth in our understanding of God and His ways should be matched by corresponding progress in areas such as obedience, reverential fear and sacrifice in our lives.
We need to ask ourselves, “Has our obedience grown in tandem with our knowledge and understanding of the Word?”
The greater our revelation, the greater our accountability.
We need to ask ourselves, “Has our obedience grown in tandem with our knowledge and understanding of the Word?”
The greater our revelation, the greater our accountability.
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