Reading, Discussing, Writing

"Reading makes a full man, conference a ready man, and writing an exact man." Sir Francis Bacon (1561 - 1626)

Bacon adds that if a man writes little, he needs to be really smart, and if he reads little, he will need to "have much cunning to seem to know (that) which he does not."

Does "knowledge puffs up" mean that we should not increase in knowledge?

Paul says, "Knowledge puffs up while love builds up" (1 Cor 8:1). In context, this does not mean, suggest, or imply that a Christian should not increase in knowledge. This verse should definitely not be an excuse for not increasing in knowledge, which is surely needed if we are to be good stewards of God's world. On the contrary, increasing in knowledge should deeply humble us to realize at least 3 things:

1. how little we know, and
   
2. how limited we are, and
   
3. how much more dependent on God we need to be.

Might increasing in knowledge help us teach Genesis differently or better?

For example, I thought I knew some parts of the Bible quite well, especially Genesis, since I have taught Genesis 100s of times for over a quarter of a century since 1981. But as I began to read books by godly God fearing Christian scholars and pastors over the last few years, these days I'm "trembling and scared" to teach Genesis, realizing how limited and perhaps rudimentary my limited knowledge is. If you care to be confused and confounded, see part 1 and part 2 of "The Difficulty of Genesis 1," written by Henoch Hong.

Recently, I wrote about the account of Abraham offering Isaac to God (Gen 22:1-19). I had always taught this by emphasizing the importance of a Christian offering his "Isaac" to God, just as Abraham did. But does this point to Jesus, as Jesus himself said it should? (John 5:39; Luke 24:20,27) Doesn't this make it all about Abraham, and all about you? Doesn't this make man the subject, rather than God? Doesn't this make it seem like salvation is up to man's work (I should offer my Isaac), rather than God's saving grace to me? Is there another way to teach Genesis 22 that perhaps points to Jesus, rather than to Abraham? See if you might consider teaching it this way?

Reading, Discussing, Writing

Now let's get back to the quote by Francis Bacon:

1. Reading makes a full man.
2. Conference makes a ready man.
3. Writing makes an exact man.

READING

Sadly, many today, including Christians, spend countless excessive hours reading comics, gossip magazines, sports, entertainment and celebrity news, romance novels, fiction, etc. Also, common daily activities are watching TV and movies, playing video games, cruising the internet, social media, etc. What then happens to our mind? Paul said, "For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace" (Rom 8:6). Here "the flesh" is our fallen sinful human nature, or our natural selves. When our mind is set on ourselves, we easily become angry, upset, worried, fearful, anxious, bitter, resentful, jealous, envious, etc.

When we read and watch things that do not edify our mind, we likely will think and feel and talk no differently than non-Christians. We should know that "we are what we think about all day long" (Ralph Waldo Emerson).

The psalmist knew the crucial importance of what we fill our thoughts with. He spoke of the righteous "whose delight is in the law of the LORD, and who meditates on his law day and night" (Ps 1:2). Surely, we need to read the Bible. We also need to read books. The apostle Paul wrote a quarter of the New Testament. But when he was imprisoned and about to be executed, he asked Timothy to bring "my scrolls, especially the parchments" (2 Tim 4:13), which were his books. My final quote from a former seminary professor at Trinity: "You are not what you think you are, but what you think, you are."

The more we read (not comics), the more God enables us to be a full man, not an empty man.

Conference (Discussion)

To refine what we read and think about, we need to conference, which is to discuss freely with others in order to be challenged, so that our own thoughts and ideas may be clarified and solidified. The more we conference and discuss with one another, the more God enables us to be ready to grab opportunities when they arise. The sheer brilliance of CS Lewis and JRR Tolkien arose not just from their extensive reading, but also from their frequent weekly discussions to push each of them to a degree of excellence that is out of this world. If we want to preach the gospel well we must also always be ready. We should always be "prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect" (1 Pet 3:15).

Writing

No one can write anything meaningful or beautiful if their thoughts are not clear and precise. Thus, writing makes an exact man.

Practical Application: Read, read, read (not comics) and love the Lord your God "with all your mind" (Matt 22:37, Mark 12:30; Luke 10:27).

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