The knowledge of God is infinite; however, He determines what knowledge to reveal. Unlike a picture that appears on a box, we are not given a completed picture to work off of. Instead, the whole Bible contains the prototype, with its pieces spread throughout its books. We must prayerfully seek the pieces and the leading of the Spirit to assemble them together correctly.
As the pieces come together, the picture appears. We have a helperβwithout whom there would be no hope of seeing the pictureβeven the Spirit of Truth. Only the Holy Spirit can reveal the true pieces and teach us how to connect them together. However, the natural man cannot receive the things of the spirit because they are spiritually discerned.
A lone piece of a puzzle by itself means little; however, one can hardly pick up an assembled puzzle all at once; it will not hold together. The puzzle must be assembled by the receiver to see the picture. Those who do not see the connections will only see pieces. Seeing and understanding come through a process of assembly, as it says in Isaiah 28:9β10:
“Whom shall he teach knowledge? And whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk and drawn from the breasts. For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little.”
Those without love for truth are uninterested in seeing the pieces together; the picture brings accountability. They prefer a collection of puzzle pieces or partially assembled sections that they can manipulate and interpret in any way they desire.
We each assemble a puzzle for our worldview; therefore, everyone’s picture has personal variations, whether the differences are great or small. Some will see things that others do not and vice versa. Often pieces that do not belong in the truth are accepted into the picture. It is imperative that every piece be measured and proven by the word of Godβreceive those things that are true, cast away falsehoods, and hold the others in quarantine until the Holy Spirit brings the revelation.
Everyone alone is responsible for the picture they assemble and believe in. However, God alone is perfect in knowledge. Therefore, Christians should not demand that everyone else adhere explicitly to our personal picture. All can err; however, where the word of God is perfectly clear, there is to be no room given to unbiblical disputations. The Lord hates discord among brothers. Sowing discord over doctrinal issues that are not salvational can be a greater evil than waiting and praying for the Lord to make knowledge perfect.
Bear one with another in the faith as much as possible. “Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations” (Romans 14:1). βWork out your own salvation with fear and trembling.β
All things that pertain to salvation should be defended to the utmost. Light can have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness. “A man that is a heretic after the first and second admonition, reject, knowing that he that is such is subverted and sins, being condemned of himself” (Titus 3:10:11).
Maintain respectful communications and be circumspect in discourse, especially before an audience of all people, that you don’t become a stumbling block to unbelievers.
There is only one true picture: the word of God in Spirit and in Truth. Any time any part of a picture is wrong, there is always something to suffer, great or small. All who do not love the truth will refuse it, or they will assemble the pieces incorrectly. They dread the picture.
Once enough knowledge of the truth is assembled, there is no going back without condemnation. One cannot unsee the truth after seeing it; they can only accept or deny itβit will either build or destroy them depending on their reaction to it. Man lives by every word of God.