PARTIAL UNDERSTANDING

PARTIAL UNDERSTANDING

 I Cor. 13:12 Now we see things imperfectly as in a poor mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God knows me now.  NLT

      I believe it is important for us to remember this truth.  No matter what we may think we know and understand, we only know partially what is true.  There is far more to truth than what we think there is.  Because we don’t see things as God does, we often draw conclusions that simply are not completely accurate.  We don’t think the way God does about things.  His mind is way too complex for us to always be on the same page as Him. 

     We must strive always to understand truth, and there are certain things we can be confident of that we get it.  However, there is always the reality that our ability to understand things is limited by our capability to understand.  What we must always understand is that there is room for other interpretations and understanding on some things.  Where we may disagree with other believers on, we let the Lord take care of it.  It is His business and if He wants to change the thinking of someone, He will do it. 

     What this means to me is that I must always strive to be gracious about what I know to be true and gracious towards those who I may disagree with.  When we get to heaven we will all understand things more clearly.  We will know everything we need to know; faith will no longer be necessary because we will live in the presence of Truth forever and ever. 

      Let us always strive to love each other, not just those who agree with us on the truths of Scripture.  On those things which God has clearly spoken, let us stand as one on them.  On those things which are not clearly spelled out, let us not get hung up on them and let them divide us.