How Is It Possible That Men Should Delight in What They Do Not Believe...
Delighting in knowledge without believing it can lead to disastrous consequences, including the blinding of our conscience and the growth of self-deception.
Andrew Murray explores the paradox of individuals finding joy in knowledge they do not genuinely believe or live out. He emphasizes that while the pursuit of knowledge can be pleasurable and enlightening, it becomes dangerous in moral contexts where knowledge of duty exists without corresponding action. This disconnect leads to a blinding of the conscience and self-deception, where individuals feel satisfied with knowledge that ultimately condemns them. Murray stresses the importance of not just teaching but also training, ensuring that knowledge translates into action and character development.
Text
It may well be asked: how it is possible that men should delight in knowing about what they do not with their heart believe, and about what they neither are nor live out? There is a double answer.
The one points to the expression so often used -- the pleasure of the pursuit of knowledge. One of the most wonderful powers with which God has endowed man is the mind, with its power of observing and comparing facts, of discovering and understanding laws, and causes and effects.
The exercise of every function has been made by the Creator to be a pleasure. One of the highest pleasures that man is capable of is when all the wonders of nature disclose themselves at the bidding of reason.
While some men study science for the practical use they mean to make it, there are multitudes who do so simply for the pleasure it gives, and its elevating and refining influence.
There are spheres of knowledge in which this does no harm. But in the region of morals, where knowledge reveals duty, the result is most disastrous.
In knowing what they ought to do, in delighting to have that knowledge put before them, while they do not obey and perform, the effect is the blinding of the conscience, and the growth of that terrible folly of self-deception by which a man is satisfied, is happy in the knowledge of that which condemns him.
It is for this reason that the true educationalist is so careful to distinguish between teaching and training. He is not content to tell the child continually what he is to do or be; he watches over him until he has helped him to do and to be it.
(Excerpted from The Coming Revival, by Andrew Murray , pg. 21)
Sermon Outline
- I. The Pleasure of Pursuit of Knowledge
- A. The power of the human mind
- B. The exercise of functions as a pleasure
- C. The elevating influence of knowledge
- II. The Dangers of Knowledge in the Region of Morals
- A. The blinding of conscience
- B. The growth of self-deception
- III. The Importance of Training
- A. Distinguishing between teaching and training
- B. Helping individuals to do and be
- IV. The Consequences of Not Acting on Knowledge
- A. Disastrous results
- B. The need for true education
Key Quotes
“The exercise of every function has been made by the Creator to be a pleasure.” — Andrew Murray
“The true educationalist is so careful to distinguish between teaching and training.” — Andrew Murray
Application Points
- We must apply what we know to our lives, lest we fall into self-deception.
- True education involves not only teaching but also training individuals to apply what they have learned.
- Our actions and obedience are essential to our faith, and we must not separate knowledge from practice.