Pattern of Continuation, Change and Challenge

UV 2841/10000 Pattern of Continuation, Change and Challenge
But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;
2 Timothy 3 v 14

The Bible, it is said, is the only book one reads for the sake of knowing the Author- the Creator and Fulfiller of the Universe, the Alpha and the Omega. St Paul in this uni-verse is exhorting his mentee Timothy, one of the early leaders of the church, to remain steadfast in keeping the things that he had learnt and be fully assured of the hope that came from the knowledge of Jesus. Likewise, we in this age and time are to stick or adhere faithfully to what we have learnt of the mystery of the Triune God of the Bible. The word ‘continue’ or abide in the uni-verse implies that we need to commit to habit certain applictions of the truths and precepts we have learnt to develop some disciplines of the spirit, mind and body or spiritual habits, mental habits and physical habits that flow from our knowledge of Jesus. There are different types of knowledge but the knowledge of the Lord is what makes the greatest difference to the quality of our lives and our eternal destiny is found therein. We just cannot remain passive, inert, dormant or unchanging once we personally know of Him. We got to change and we got to create change. We are change makers or change agents of the Lord in this world. His teachings give us the strength to face the many challenges of change.

The teachings of Jesus passed on to us through the apostles are meant to establish our faith and enable us to reflect His qualities in our daily lives. It is bread and manna that does not spoil overnight and lasts forever, that our spirits and minds can munch on all the days of our lives. We learn things line by line, verse by verse, precept by precept, principle by principle, experience by experience, moment by moment. Our personal knowledge of Him and our time intersects all the time, producing refining and defining moments all our waking hours.

This uni-verse implies that we are committed to believers to lifelong learning, lifelong improvement towards the perfection of Christ and lifelong leaning on the Lord, that with each new truth we learn and apply, we grow in terms of spiritual excellence. Abiding in Jesus is allowing His word to abide I us. Whatever we have learn from Jesus and of Jesus is not meant for our “head knowledge” or theoretical understanding but to be applied, obeyed, practiced. It creates change for the better at a very deep level- the spiritual and emotional heart or core of our being. We need to be at the feet of Jesus to learn from Him and of Him like Mary in order to beat the lusts of this world. For in so being is both the love, power and grace of Jesus increasingly revealed in our lives and through us to others who are in need of such knowledge of Him.

Prateep V Philip