Preaching Festival Announcement, Antwerp, Ohio, October 2-4, 2015

 The Role of Understanding in the Kingdom of God

October 2-4, 2015
Antwerp Community Church, Antwerp, Ohio

Many church people today feel that understanding is unnecessary and even, in some circles, undesirable .  Yet, the essential change that takes place in salvation is going from darkness to light, from blindness to seeing.  Our faith is intimately connected to understanding and growing up into Christ requires that we grow in understanding.  Our prayer is that by considering the role of understanding in salvation we will encourage and challenge one another to go on to perfection and increase in the knowledge of God.  Contact Tim McCulfor for further information (tmcculfor@msn.com).

1. Understanding to Know the Father and the Son, “And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life” (I Jn. 5:20).
2. The Understanding of Faith, “Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear” (Heb. 11:3).
3. Understanding Given By God, “Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things” (II Tim. 2:7).  “Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures” (Lk. 24:45).
4. Revelation of the Mystery, “Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith” (Rom. 16:25-26).
5. The Full Assurance of Understanding, “That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ” (Col. 2:2).
6. Wisdom and Spiritual Understanding, “For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding” (Col 1:9).
7. The Wisdom of God in a Mystery, “But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory” (I Cor. 2:7).
8. The Peace of God Which Passeth All Understanding, “And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Phil 4:7).
9. Understanding God’s Will, “Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is” (Col. 1:9; Eph. 5:17).
10. Increasing in the Knowledge of God, “That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God” (Col. 1:10).
11. Alienated through Ignorance and Restored through Knowing the Truth, “Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart” (Eph. 4:18). “Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth” (I Tim. 2:4).
12. The Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation, “That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened” (Eph. 1:17-18).
13. Understanding must be Pursued, “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. For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding” (Prov. 2:3-6).
14. Faith’s Connection to Understanding, “By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the Word of God” (Heb. 11:3).
15. In Thy Light Shall We See Light, “For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light” (Ps. 36:9). “Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end” (Ps. 73:17).
16. In Understanding Be Men, “Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men” (I Cor. 14:20).
17. The Necessity of Fruitful Understanding in the Church, “For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful” (I Cor. 14:14-19).
18. They That Have Not Heard Shall Understand, “But as it is written, To whom he was not spoken of, they shall see: and they that have not heard shall understand” (Rom. 15:21).