Robert Houk Hitchcock

   "Learning is an exciting adventure."  The design of life is to grow, is to learn.  The more you know, the more you want to know more.  The wise man, the one who has attained some knowledge, will continue to be meek, to hear, and thus will continue to increase learning.  Staying fresh.  Staying involved.  Staying enthused.

John 8:31-32
   Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
   And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

   If we continue in the Word, we will learn.  It is the Word of God that reveals to us Truth.  Only the truth will make us free.  There is tremendous learning in the senses world about all kinds of wonderful subjects: but it is the truth of God's Word that sets men and women free.  Certainly a learned man's knowledge is incomplete without a knowledge of God from His Word.

1 Timothy 2:3-4
   For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;
   Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

   God's Will, quite plainly, is for all men to be saved.  I think many people know that because they have learned John 3:16.  They know "God so loved the world."  They know that everlasting life is available to all men.  However, very few also know the second part of I Timothy 2:4 - that it is God's Will also for them to come unto a knowledge of the truth.  In order to come unto this knowledge of the truth, we must learn. We must grow.  We must hear and increase our learning.

2 Timothy 2:15
   Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

   To gain a knowledge of God, we must study His Word!  Not only must we study it, but we must endeavor  to rightly-divide the Word.  These words, "rightly-divide" come from one Greek word, orthotomounta, which means literally "to cut rightly, or a perfectly straight cutting." Many people divide the Bible - but there is a "right" dividing that we are searching for.  That requires a substantial effort on the part of the learner.  We are to be workmen.

   There are tools for the workman in this endeavor, just like there are tools for other professions.  These "tools"  are the keys to the Word's interpretation.  All scripture will interpret itself in one of three major ways: IN THE VERSE.  IN THE CONTEXT.  USED BEFORE. 
   We must also get TO WHOM IT IS WRITTEN and what ADMINISTRATION correct.  Then comes the detail of the Word, too.  There are keys to the Word's interpretation that must be applied in order to rightly-divide the Word so that we may learn.

   One of the greatest tools in rightly-dividing the Word is our heart's desire and hunger to do so.  An eager learner with some limited skills will learn a lot more than an apathetic workman with lots of  highly developed skills.

James 1:21
   Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.

   Meekness is one of the most valuable assets of the workman of God's Word.  Being meek to the Word.  Reading what is written.  Looking to God's Word in the sense that it is greater than we are.  Looking to God's Word to learn and to increase learning.  We want to be wise men and women when it comes to the things of God.

Jeremiah 15:16
   Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts.

   God's Word is our best meal of the day.  You wouldn't really go without eating unless you were ill or it was unavailable.  We need to eat the Word.  Then, we need to digest it and assimilate it, just like the human body does its food.  Look at the heart here, too: it was the joy and rejoicing of his heart.  I'll tell you that man could really learn!  That man grew in the knowledge of God because of his meekness and attitude towards God and His Word.

Proverbs 2:1-5
   My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee;
   So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to
understanding;
   Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for
understanding;
   If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;
   Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.

   Look at all of those verbs, and verbs are action words.  Receive.  Hide.  Incline.  Apply.  Criest.  Liftest.  Seekest.  Searchest.  All of those are involved in FINDING the knowledge of God.

   If there is a great desire on the part of the workman, then there's a greater opportunity of learning.  Keep it simple.  Work it with heart and with detail.  We don't know it all.  No one does.  We keep learning.  We keep growing.

Matthew 5:6
   Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

   A man's hunger for truth is going to be filled.  That's why the desire to learn is so important.  You will be filled to the proportion of your hunger.  Learning is an exciting adventure.  We maintain our physical hunger, and we can also maintain our hunger for learning God's Word.

Hebrews 5:13-14
   For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.
   But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age [mature], even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

   Milk is very, very nourishing.  It's great stuff for the babes.  But you can't drink milk your whole life as the staple of your diet, despite what the milk moustache campaign has done for milk drinking.   The "strong meat" which this refers to is the "meat" of the knowledge of God concerning the Mystery.  These truths are revealed in the 7 church epistles, Romans through Thessalonians.

   It is this knowledge of God, both in doctrine and in practice, that we are inclining, applying, crying, lifting, seeking and searching for.  It is the greatest revelation ever given, concerning the One Body of Christ, its function and its glory.

1 Corinthians 2:1-7
   And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony [mystery] of God.
   For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
   And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.
   And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
   That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
   Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:
   But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:

   The Mystery is the pinnacle, the top of what all people need to gain a knowledge about concerning God's Word.  It is made known to the "perfect," the mature.  Some places Paul could teach the Mystery, and some places he couldn't.  It depended on the people's hunger.  It depended on their maturity.  But it definitely was the MEAT that was taught to those who were of full age.  It is the greatest truth in this day and hour, and it still is not very well known in our age despite the electronic revolution and the incredible opportunities of learning.

Ephesians 3:1-9
   For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles,
   If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:
   How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,
   Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)
   Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;
   That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:
   Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.
   Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;
   And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:

   The great news of the revelation of the Mystery of God was revealed to the apostle Paul.  This news was so great that it says that it was not made known unto the sons of men until it was revealed to Paul. This Mystery was that both Jew and Gentile, Israel and the nations, would now be one body in Christ.  Salvation would be available to all men.  This church would be the called out of both Jew and Gentile.  It would be One Body.  They would be FellowHeirs.  They would all be partakers of the promises of Christ.  It was so significant that had the Adversary known about it, he would not have crucified the Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 2:7-8
   But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:
   Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

   What a knowledge of God to learn!  Didn't we say that learning is an exciting adventure???  This mystery was so great that had the princes of this world known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory.  WOW.  That means the living Lord Jesus Christ would have been preferred to the sons of God in the One Body of Christ.

Colossians 1:25-29
   Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God;
   Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:
   To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
   Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect [mature]  in Christ Jesus:
   Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.

   The riches of the glory of this knowledge of God concerning the mystery is that each believer has Christ in them, the hope of glory. The knowledge of the new birth and what God has done for every believer in Christ is so vital to learn.  Christ in you!  Christ in you!  Christ in you!

   To this end, we continue to preach, to warn, and to teach all men so that they may become "perfect", mature, in Christ.  A wise man will hear, and will increase learning.  Our desire to learn, and our desire to grow is so important if we want to come unto the knowledge of the truth. Continuing in the Word, and continuing to learn with meekness will enable us to continue to grow and to grow and to grow.

"Learning is an exciting adventure."