Why should we be motivated to study and learn? We need first to have the right motivation as to why should you study and read? Many a good man has fallen prey to false compulsions and thus has lost the real or full benefit of ongoing study. For one thing, your continuing study should not be motivated by the desire to gain a certain prestige. . . . Don't fall prey to that. The goal of learning is knowledge, not a status. . . .But at the same time, sharing what you know is immense helpful to others.
One motivation that ought to persuade your study is simply the desire to comprehend. To learn the truth. To capture true and useful knowledge. There are very few times when it is okay to be greedy in life; but in learning we ought to be "greedy" to learn, because truth is God's and we ought to want to know it. Don’t let others say, "I am dumb, I am humble for Christ." Don’t let others make you feel bad for your knowledge of truth and study. Charles "Tremendous" Jones said "The most tremendous experience of life is the leaning process. The saddest time is when a person thinks that he had learned enought."
Additionally, we ought to be encouraged to learn in order to be a help to the body of believers. Not occasion have I seen Christian ministers who, by much study, considered themselves very sophisticatedand "above" the average churchgoer. But not very often.. But the faithful shepherd studies precisely to be a help to the people of God, however humble they may be. We want to learn in order to be serviceable to the body of Christ’s believers.
Toward the same thoughts , you ought to be motivated to learn in order to be helpful to other ministers and churches. Study and read and learn so that you can be a blessing to other Gospel ministers and Bible teachers. Your knowledge is potentially a help and encouragement to fellow ministers wrestling with a precise area of knowledge that they don't know so well as you. I ask Rick Warner to fill me in with his latest project he has been working on. He has a precise area of knowledge in his field that is stimulating. Thanks for sharing Rick. I spend some time with my brother-in-law Herschel and my sister Ellen Simpson on our vacation, and they shared the technique knowledge about health that was very beneficial.
Not only so that you can teach your people if you pastor a church and teach a class and bear witness yourself, but also to help other ministers who don't know as much about what you now know.
Maybe you'll become an expert in the Puritans, like J.I. Packer, not only so that you can be edified through that excellent material, but also so that you can disillusion others of the considerable and negative mythology which encompasses this whole field of study, and introduce ministers and other Christians to the goldmine to be found in those writings. You get my point. Be motivated to learn in order that your learning may bless the bigger body of Christ.
[All of us] can learn and bless others too. How? Ray Pritchard sends out a weekly e mail, even after he resigned as pastor, he continues to send a weekly sermon, and what he is doing. Love that. What I love most about blogging is learning what other men are learning and studying. There is not a day that I do not log on to monergism.com. John H does a great job directing that web. Their blog Reformation has outstanding men who write daily, what a job but what a blessing. I love teampryro.blogspot Phil Johnson’s site. Thanks for sharing. All these people bless others with their learning. Now it's time for you to do the same. Read up. Learn. Become a blessing and encouragement. Thanks to Randy Webb for sharing with me. Thanks for Marty Stevicks for sharing with me, and others. Thanks to my brother Don Whisnant who shares a daily thought. (Now I might add here that sharing what you have been learning, rather than nonsense stuff. )
So my e mail is if you have learned some new ideas, doctrine, theology, health, church ministry, etc. please share. And thanks
Thus, why should we investigate and learn, and comprehend? For God's glory, for our growth inthe knowledge of His truth, for the blessing of the church, and to be an encouragement to other ministers and teachers . There are definitely more incentives to study than these. But take these as meaningful .idea for you to share what the Lord has laid on your heart to learn.
Charles
