In our Tuesday night men’s bible study we started AWTozer’s book, The Knowledge of the Holy. We had just completed an in depth study of a book by Spurgeon, Faithful to Christ. We started Spurgeon’s book in November of 2023 digging deep into what he was saying and what the Lord was saying to us through him. Tozer is another imperfect man anointed and used by God to speak to us.
Tozer was born in 1897. At age twenty-two, five years after his receiving the gift of salvation he found himself the pastor of a church. At age sixteen Spurgeon preached his fist sermon. At age nineteen he too was called to the pastorate. Peter, James and John started their training and ministries at about the same age.I ask that we understand that God, by the Holy Spirit, has not stopped inspiring men of God. Many, most churches today require a Master of Divinity to preach and lead in their church, emphasis is purposed.
In 2 Peter 1:20 we read, “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.” The most common interpretation of this scripture is that anyone can understand scripture, that scripture is accessible to all who read and study it, that God will honor your reading and seeking of Him through it. These are all truisms about scripture however the more literal interpretation of this verse is that that no words found in scripture, whether they are predictive, a promise or rebuke, originated from the heart of man but by God alone. I contend that just as Peter and John spoke so do men of God speak today. A friend refers to them as “old dead guys”; yet there are many alive today so anointed. This requires a humbled heart.
AWTozer opens his preface; True religion confronts earth with heaven and brings eternity to bear upon time, combining John’s gospel opening and the plain diction of James’ epistle. He further writes that…the messenger of Christ…must speak to his own generation, concluding that the message of this book does not grow out of these things but is appropriate to them. This is Paul’s exhortation to be all things to all men; humble access for the sake of the message. Paul had the equivalent of the modern MDiv as a Pharisee of Pharisees; but knew that he must speak God’s knowledge in a way to be heard and understood. He told us that all his knowledge was worthless, a pile of dung compared to the knowledge, the truth found in the Christ Phl 3:8
Tozer, Spurgeon, Peter, James and John were common men, inspired by the Holy Spirit, to meet their generation with the knowledge of the Christ. Tozer bemoaned the loss of religious awe and consciousness of the divine Presence, warning today’s Christian who no longer appreciates or experiences the life in the Spirit; we have lost the concept of majesty. Certainty we must see this! Tozer (and many men of God today) continues that our churches are prosperous and growing more than ever; but our gains are mostly external and our losses wholly internal. He concludes, the only way to recoup our spiritual losses…is to go back to the…truth. I write not for professional theologians but for plain persons. Humility.
In 2 Peter 3:15, 16 he speaks of a present God Who continues to speak through His saints today; plain persons. Christian, who are you listening to, who are you following, who are you bowed before? We must continue to listen; by listen I mean discern; by discern I mean choose. God has given everyone a measure of faith, the ability to discern and choose. Ro 12:3 God still speaks, He still warns, He still calls using plain persons…he who has ears… …just a thought
I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say. I Cor 10:15