Intro.
There is a great deal of confusion in the church today regarding the nature of knowledge, and to what degree knowledge is necessary for salvation. Many in the church today who are well respected in Reformed circles in an attempt to denigrate sound doctrine claim that little to no knowledge of Christ is required for a true faith, and therefore spiritual knowledge is of little to no value. They misquote verses like, “Knowledge puffs up, but charity edifith.” [1 Cor. 8:1] And “Though I understand all mysteries, and have all faith to remove mountains, but have not love I am nothing.” [1 Cor. 13:2] They vainly hope to prove that you can have a lot of head knowledge, but not having what they call love, you may not be saved. This is the attempt that all sophists make in hopes to justify themselves by works, and not by faith alone. Faith is never enough they say if it does not have works. James however does not say that works justify a man, but that they justify faith. James does not say that it does not profit a man only to have faith, but he says, “what does it profit a man though he says he has faith, and does not have works?” But we know that those who believe that they are justified by works are no true Christians, even if they profess the contrary and therefore I hope this discourse will help you discern between a true and false teacher of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and help you avoid the worldly wise men of the modern age who call themselves Calvinists and prey upon simple minds. We are not saying here that all knowledge is a sanctified knowledge, or even that all knowledge regarding scripture is sanctified. What we are saying is that we ought to distinguish spiritual knowledge from man’s wisdom, so that we do not fall into the damnable heresy of justification by works. What we are saying is that there is no such thing as dead orthodoxy, and that one who understands the scripture as the Spirit instructs him cannot be cast aside as an infidel. Far too often, the Pharisees of the church try to dictate to people how to discern a true believer, and far too often, they miss the mark entirely showing themselves to be unconverted. We can discern a man’s faith by his understanding of scripture contrary to their assertion. If his doctrine is heretical and he denies chief elements of the gospel or of the Person and Work of the Lord Jesus Christ, we can deduce from this that he is no true Christian. In the same manner, one who has ability and understanding in the gospel, and in sound doctrine should be regarded highly, for he is given that knowledge so that he might instruct you also in the things of God. As an introductory note therefore, I am going to quote Calvin and Luther, and show that when the enemies of the gospel say that all knowledge puffs up, or that you can have faith without love, and therefore have faith and not be saved they are abusing the word of God, and wresting the scriptures to their own destruction. Their lack of knowledge is their undoing. Calvin says on 1 Corinthians 8:1, “Knowledge puffeth up. He shows, from the effects, how frivolous a thing it is to boast of knowledge, when love is wanting. “Of what avail is knowledge, that is of such a kind as puffs us up and elates us, while it is the part of love to edify ?” This passage, which otherwise is somewhat obscure, in consequence of its brevity, may easily be understood in this way — “Whatever is devoid of love is of no account in the sight of God; nay more, it is displeasing to him, and much more so what is openly at variance with love Now that, knowledge of which you boast, O ye Corinthians, is altogether opposed to love, for it puffs up men with pride, and leads to contempt of the brethren, while love is concerned for the welfare of brethren, and exhorts us to edify them. Accursed, then, be that knowledge which makes men proud, and is not regulated by a desire of edifying. ” Paul, however, did not mean, that this is to be reckoned as a fault attributable to learning — that those who are learned are often self-complacent, and have admiration of themselves, accompanied with contempt of others. Nor did he understand this to be the natural tendency of learning — to produce arrogance, but simply meant to show what effect knowledge has in an individual, that has not the fear of God, and love of the brethren; for the wicked abuse all the gifts of God, so as to exalt themselves. Thus riches, honors, dignities, nobility, beauty, and other things of that nature, puff up; because men, elated through a mistaken confidence in these things, very frequently become insolent.”
Calvin is saying here that Paul is not intending to discourage us from learning, or growing in the knowledge of Christ as Peter also exhorts us to, but to avoid that kind of knowledge that does not bring with it edification. Objectively speaking, though a carnal man being a minister over the congregation of God may have much human affection for the people, and preach many sermons to them, because his gospel is not of Christ, his words are not beneficial to them, though he feels very much like he is a true minister of Christ, yet not having this vital principle of holy knowledge, he profits his people nothing, and does no more than heap upon himself damnation for preaching a carnal message for carnal reasons, and teaching the people vain doctrines that stifle spiritual growth and halt all movement toward Christ. Therefore knowledge is a necessity for without it we could not hope to understand what is beneficial to the edification and growth of the church. If you do not know what is good how can you be a minister of good news? If a minister have not spiritual knowledge, woe to that people who have such for a minister! The prophet Hosea says, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.” [Hos. 4:6]
It is chiefly to be noted here also that Calvin mentions the depravity of man and the effect that knowledge has on the unconverted. He does not say that spiritual knowledge puffs up, but that the knowledge which is accumulated by a carnal mind will be used for carnal reasons, even if it is knowledge directly related to scripture. How darkened is that mind which uses God’s word for his own use! Being alienated from God and deceived by Satan the natural man takes God’s word and twists and abuses it, using it for his own gain, and the promotion of his own self-righteousness. How devilish is man who uses God’s words which are meant to condemn him to exalt himself! Therefore, they shall receive the greater damnation. Far from saying that spiritual knowledge should be avoided, Paul is saying here that the knowledge which is of God edifies the people through love. A love that is of God, and is ministered to the people on behalf of God for God’s glory and not self-gain, or self-interest.
Calvin also comments on 1 Corinthians 13:2 saying, “And if I should have the gift of prophecy. He brings down to nothing the dignity of even this endowment, which, nevertheless, he had preferred to all others. To know all mysteries, might seem to be added to the term prophecy, by way of explanation, but as the term knowledge is immediately added, of which he had previously made mention by itself, (1 Corinthians 12:8,) it will deserve your consideration, whether the knowledge of mysteries may not be used here to mean wisdom. As for myself, while I would not venture to affirm that it is so, I am much inclined to that opinion.
That faith, of which he speaks, is special, as is evident from the clause that is immediately added — so that I remove mountains Hence the Sophists accomplish nothing, when they pervert this passage for the purpose of detracting from the excellence of faith. As, therefore, the term faith is ( πολύσημον ) used in a variety of senses, it is the part of the prudent reader to observe in what signification it is taken. Paul, however, as I have already stated, is his own interpreter, by restricting faith, here, to miracles. It is what Chrysostom calls the “faith of miracles,” and what we term a “special faith,” because it does not apprehend a whole Christ, but simply his power in working miracles; and hence it may sometimes exist in a man without the Spirit of sanctification, as it did in Judas.”
Here Calvin shows the apostle’s true meaning. Paul is not denigrating doctrine or faith, or knowledge even, but simply stating that love is the preeminent evidence of sincerity- including the sincerity of knowledge and faith of which love cannot exist or function without. For how can we love Christ if we do not know Him? And how can we love Him in whom we have not trusted? Therefore spiritual knowledge wrought in the mind of a sinner must come first, and the sense of his sin and misery must awaken him to his condition, that he taken by the hand of knowledge to flee to Christ in faith lays hold on Him with assurance, and being fully persuaded that He is able and willing to forgive sins through the blood of His cross, he is endeared to Him in love and pledges his life to His glory and service. Spiritual knowledge therefore is ever accompanied by the gift of faith and the grace of love. Luther says also in his commentary on the epistle to the Galatians, “The Pope and his school-doctors do plainly confess, that the law and grace are diverse and distinct things, and yet when they come to the use and practice thereof, they teach clean contrary. Faith in Christ, say they, whether it be gotten by the strength, operation and qualities of nature, or whether it be faith infused and poured into us of God, yet is it but a dead faith, if charity be not joined therewith. Where is now the distinction and difference of the law and grace? Indeed, they do distinguish them in name, but in effect they call grace charity. Thus do all they which so straitly require the observation of the law, and attribute justification to the law and works. Wherefore whosoever doth not perfectly understand the article of justification must needs confound and mingle the law and grace together. Let every godly man therefore diligently learn above all things, to put a difference between the law and grace in deed and in practice: not in words only, as the Pope and the fantastical spirits do; who as touching the words, do confess that they are two distinct things; but in very deed (as I have said), they confound and mingle them together, for they will not grant that faith justifieth without works. If this be true, then Christ profiteth me nothing. For though my faith be never so perfect, yet after their opinion, if this faith be without charity, I am not justified; and although I have never so much charity, yet I love not enough. And thus Christ apprehended by faith is not a justifier, grace profiteth nothing, neither can faith be true faith without charity.” He says again in another place that this mixture of grace and works is a false gospel, “Now the truth of the Gospel is, that our righteousness cometh by faith alone, without the works of the law. The corruption or falsehood of the Gospel is, that we are justified by faith, but not without the works of the law. With this condition annexed, the false apostles preached the [false] Gospel. Even so do our sophisters and Papists at this day. For they say that we must believe in Christ, and that faith is the foundation of our salvation: but it justifieth not, except it be furnished with charity. This is not the truth of the Gospel, but falsehood and dissimulation. But the true Gospel indeed is, that works of charity are not the ornament or perfection of faith: but that faith of itself is God’s gift and God’s work in our hearts, which therefore justifieth us, because it apprehendeth Christ our redeemer.
Man’s reason hath the law for his object, thus thinking with itself: This I have done, this I have not done. But faith being in her own proper office, hath no other object but Jesus Christ the Son of God, delivered to death for the sins of the world. It looketh not to charity; it saith not What have I done? What have I offended? What have I deserved? But [it saith]: What hath Christ done? What hath he deserved? Here the truth of the Gospel answereth thee: He hath redeemed thee from sin, from the devil, and from eternal death. Faith therefore acknowledgeth that in this one person, Jesus Christ, it hath forgiveness of sins and eternal life. He that turneth his eyes away from this object, hath no true faith, but a fantasy and a vain opinion, and turneth his eyes from the promise to the law, which terrifieth and driveth to desperation.” Do you see what Luther is saying? To add charity to the condition of justification with faith, though charity be called the greatest of all graces, for that it furnisheth and beautifies the soul is a damnable crime. And yet the LORD saith that He delighteth in charity. How comes it then that it is spoken of meanly? I say, when it is pertaining to justification. For charity cannot justify because charity is a work which pertains to both God and man. As Peter says, “above all, have fervant charity among yourselves”. Yea, the apostle Peter saith, “above all?” How comes it then that it justifies not? Because faith beholds Christ only, and hath nothing to do with the law, or man, or the earth but as the eye beholds the immense sky, which the heart can never do, so faith beholds Christ and all His benefits, and through the object which it beholds it justifies, not as a work, but as a means by which Christ’s righteousness is imputed unto us. And so we say that faith is a work, but it does not justify as a work, but only as an instrument through which Christ’s merits, salvation and everlasting life are granted to us. Christ sets them forth before us, and faith receives them as a free gift, being a gift itself of the Holy Spirit. And so do we confess with Luther that faith justifies without the law and without charity. Charity hath its place, and true faith is ever accompanied by charity, but charity doth not justify the soul before God, but true charity leaveth this to faith. We see then how incaluable this is to spiritual knowledge. The Calvinists of today make the same arguments as the Pope, saying, “You have head knowledge without heart knowledge” or, “they have dead orthodoxy” or, “we are saved by Christ, not doctrine about Christ.” Seeing we know Christ no more according to the flesh, we must remember that all that is understood about Christ and the scriptures is doctrinal, or it is useless. So the question remains, where it is true doctrine or false doctrine, for no doctrine at all is not “no doctrine”, but false.
I. Man’s mind darkened by nature.
We should observe then that the chief cause for the abusing of scripture and the perversion of truth is not knowledge but ignorance. God is by nature omniscient and all-wise, and is it therefore sinful to be wise and knowing? Certainly not! On the contrary, it is an evidence of grace to be gifted in the sanctified knowledge of doctrine. In these days, it is common for men to contemn the grace of God, and despise His gift of knowledge being themselves ignorant, stupid, and without sense or reasoning in spiritual matters.
They constantly decry doctrine, and in so doing defy God’s truth.
They are blind leaders of the blind, and all who follow them will fall into the ditch. Light is a metaphor for knowledge, and as God originally created light out of nothing, in the second creation He must create light out of utter darkness. Man’s mind by nature is entirely hostile to all spiritual truth. The natural man cannot savor nor relish those things that speak of God’s holiness, seeing that holiness is opposition to all that is evil and man himself is evil. Man by nature thinks himself to be good, and all his opinions regarding the scriptures center on himself, and his own understanding of them. When promises are spoken of, he attributes them to himself presumptuously, and when the threatenings of wrath and of God’s justice are thundered, he vainly thinks himself to be out of their reach saying to himself, “Peace, peace!” when there is no peace. “There is no peace saith my God to the wicked.” [Isa. 57:21] Ignorance is the target that the true ministers of God shoot their arrows at, hoping to slay it by the word of the Lord and the proper exposition of the same. The true ministers of Christ do not decry knowledge but raise it to its highest honor as it is an attribute of God Himself. However, those who are depraved in their understanding do not know the things of God, and therefore cannot but strive against His wisdom, and fight against His majesty. 1 Corinthians 2:14 says, “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”
II. The Wisdom that comes from above.
Therefore if man is to be saved at all, He must be endowed and graced with wisdom from above, else all his striving for knowledge is the highest degree of vanity, seeing it is used only for self-gratification. Wisdom must come from without us. It is of God’s will to elect for Himself a people, and therefore of God’s will to open the eyes of their understanding. This is the beginning of the new creation, and the first sign of grace in the heart. Paul says again in 1 Cor. 1:30-31, “But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: that, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.” Before Christ is made unto us righteousness, He is made unto us wisdom- that is that wisdom of self-knowledge that Calvin speaks of in his Institutes, even that wisdom whereby we utterly reject our own wisdom, knowing that that which proceeds from us is sin, and we being devoid of all understanding must fetch it from God’s word alone and receive what He says as truth, and that the truth we receive must be communicated to us by the Mediation of the Lord Jesus Christ by virtue of His prophetic office. This wisdom then is nothing but the knowledge of our own misery which comes by the law, as Luther said before “which driveth to desperation”. Then when we have fled from ourselves and made to seek wisdom from God, is Jesus Christ offered to us with all of His benefits and merit, and our hearts being softened and broken by the condemnation that is in the law are we made ready to receive the righteousness of Christ imputed to us for our justification. Therefore, having the wisdom of Christ to guide us, and the righteousness of Christ to justify us, nothing stands in the way for Christ to come into us and sanctify us by His Spirit, and therefore is the sealing of the Spirit called, “the guarantee of our inheritance.” Knowledge therefore is never divorced from righteousness and sanctification. Stephen Charnock said, “Sanctified knowledge carries the torch before faith; it opens the door of eternity to hope; it presents love with a perfectly beautiful object; it furnishes joy with its sweetest melodies; it supplies patience with the strongest motives, and resignation with the noblest patterns.” Therefore is Christ necessary as a prophet to enlighten us, a priest to atone for us, and a King to subdue us to Himself and conquer all our enemies. This is the work of the Trinity in salvation. The Father bringing us to the Son by the Spirit that we might be redeemed from sin. Therefore is salvation by faith alone without the works of the law, and therefore is spiritual knowledge essential to a living faith.

Conclusion.
We conclude that if a man is not taught the knowledge of sound doctrine from above, he has no righteousness from God and is not sanctified. He has missed the first principle, and therefore has fallen short of eternal life. We are not saying that a perfect understanding of doctrine, or theology is what is required, but that a precise understanding of doctrine is, as the scripture is God’s own word, and is understood only by those who fear Him. True faith believes God’s word not as man’s reason dictates it to be understood, but as God intends it to be received. Today’s Calvinist leaders, along with Arminians, antinomians, Roman Catholics, cultists and other deviant forms of Christianity do not believe scripture as God intends, but question it at every turn, and utterly reject its teachings to their own everlasting shame. Because they have rejected knowledge, God has rejected them. Those who say that man is not as bad as he can be do not believe that man’s condition is what God says it is: that is that man is wholly sin, totally and utterly depraved in all of his faculties, made opposite to all good, and wholly inclined to all evil. They do not believe what God says concerning man, and therefore reject God’s wisdom, righteousness, and sanctification. Those who say that God desires all men to be saved, believe in an utterly worthless god, a stinking idol, and a corrupted product of man’s fallen reasoning which can produce nothing but cankerous and odious sin. Those who believe Christ’s atonement to be universal, and His death intended for the salvation of every man do not do so out of love for mankind, but hatred for God! They would make the blood of the covenant common so that their own faith would be seen as uncommon! Despising the work of grace, they would make grace their own work! Rather than Christ sanctify them by His blood, they would be responsible to sanctify Christ’s blood! They profane His salvation that they may promote their own sovereignty. They would take the weight of the law off of Christ and lay it upon themselves to fulfill God’s righteousness, and in so doing, they will perish under the weight of His wrath which is set against all breakers thereof. Those who say that regeneration is monergistic but sanctification is synergistic deny the power of Christ’s blood to cleanse the soul from sin and therefore attribute to the filth of the flesh what only God’s Holy Spirit can accomplish, and therefore can be no more sanctified than a rotting corpse can give itself life. Here we see then that their knowledge is no sanctified knowledge but a corrupt and carnal knowledge based upon nothing but their own vanity and self-righteousness. Far from being leaders of the church, they are the putrid spawn of Satan, the seed of the devil, the fallen masters of worldly wisdom, the corrupters of grace, the purveyors of works, and the subjects upon whom God reserves the greatness of His wrath and vengeance. “But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.” (Matt. 23:13-15)
We should remember that Peter does not say that those who twist the scriptures are Christians struggling to understand doctrine, but he says, “Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, and a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.” (1 Pet. 2:7-8) and in his second epistle also just after the verse (v9) which is widely twisted by Arminians to be referring to God desiring to save all men says, “And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.” (2 Pet. 3:15-16) Peter is saying that those who do not have the knowledge of sound doctrine and who understand scripture in a different way than what God intends are unlearned, and unstable, and twist the scriptures to their own destruction, to which also they were appointed. Being appointed to wrath, they are not given the Spirit to understand and therefore hoping to find their way by their own means, and by the light of their own understanding are lost in darkness, and fall into eternal damnation, leading all who follow them into perdition. “But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!” (Matt. 6:23)