The Pursuit of Knowlege

"I would sooner bring one sinner to Jesus Christ than unravel all the mysteries of the divine Word, for salvation is the one thing we are to live for." - Charles Haddon Spurgeon

I read this quote not too long ago and was immediately impacted. Charles Spurgeon, in my opinion, is one of the most brilliant Christian minds who has ever lived. He has written scores of books, sermons, and articles that people dive into in an attempt to catch a glimpse of his genius. Spurgeon is also quoted by people everywhere to make the point that they are well learned in Christian theology.

It is true; Charles Haddon Spurgeon was a brilliant man. That is the reason why this statement is so amazing. In a time where unraveling the mysteries of God's Word and theology have seemed to grip so many people, we are being called out by one of theology's elite. We are being called back to something that he (Spurgeon) never left. We are being called back to the one thing we are to live for, the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

I would be the first to tell you that I enjoy a good theological discussion. I enjoy reading theology books and diving into the knowledge and mystery that exists in God's Word. I also agree that it is the duty of the Christian to grow in knowledge of their faith and the duty of the Christian to be solid in their theology. However, we have to ask ourselves, "What am I doing with my acquired knowledge?" Have we turned into a generation that loves knowledge for knowledge's sake? Have we walked away from the Gospel of Jesus Christ and separated ourselves from the lost world to hide in a closet and learn?

Spurgeon has said it right, "salvation is the one thing we are to live for." We as Christ followers never need to cease in our pursuit of knowledge, but we need to understand that that pursuit must lead us into bringing the lost to Jesus Christ. I hope and pray that we are not the generation of people that choose to forsake the Gospel of Jesus Christ for the pursuit of knowledge. After all, "the Gospel is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes: for the Jew first, then for the Gentile."
- Romans 1:16