When I finally finish my study on Psalm 119, I may be brave enough to go back over all those notes and see what overlaps. Over the months I am sure I have used cross references on more than one occasion.

One passage I’m pretty sure I’ve cross-referenced before is 2 Tim. 3:15-17. But I’m not going to go searching 200 pages of notes just yet to see what I wrote before!

Dallas Willard has a forthcoming book on spiritual knowledge. He will make the case for our need as Christians to THINK. We don’t have to be Harvard graduates, Rhodes scholars, or the like. We are all capable of thinking at some level. To that level of ability, we should at least utilize that capacity!

A word in 2 Tim. 3:16 calls my attention to that purpose. Paul talks about training in righteousness. The word for training has some nice depth to it. For children, it is referring to the whole training and education of children. We cultivate their minds and help them develop morals. Paul notes this truly happened in Timothy’s life (v. 15).

There is also the implication in the word of training the body.

For adults, it’s about cultivating the soul. It is correcting mistakes and curbing passions. When there is instruction, it is aimed at increasing virtue.

I long for the day when American Christians will finally throw off their lust for the pablum that is out there today. We call it “Christian teaching.” It’s cotton candy. It’s pablum. It’s baby food. We’re junk food junkies when it comes to spiritual thinking and training. I look at the junk coming out of “Christian” publishers and it is clear we as believers are just not interested in thinking and growing anymore! Not in the way PAUL had in mind, any way.

My mantra continues to be, “For God’s sake… GROW UP!” Lord, help us walk in spiritual maturity! Help us to throw off the junk food being passed off as “deep spiritual thought” these days. Let us hunger for your Word again and find ways to grow in grace.