1 Corinthians 8:2 English Standard Version (ESV) If anyone imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know.

One of the greatest hindrances in growth in Christ is a mind with excellent reasoning skills. It seems to be easier for children to grow in Christ because they know they haven’t got it all figured out yet.

In the spirit, “I got this” is received as “He isn’t listening.” Once the reasoning mind has settled on an issue it takes extraordinary measures to correct errors. Most of it is related to primary education or thinking is believing what we have been told by people we respect or admire. It could be parents or grandparents. If they do not know truth in the right way, they will mislead us.

2 Timothy 1:5 English Standard Version (ESV) I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well.

To know by faith as a matter of example by lives lived by faith is critical. If our instructors do not know how to live by faith, how can they example living by faith?

Living a life by faith is the only proper way to grow in Christ. It is instruction from our Comforter, the Holy Spirit, who knows what we need to grow in accordance with the plans that God has for each and every life in Christ.

Ephesians 4:8 English Standard Version (ESV) Therefore it says, “When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men.”^{[and women]}

Faith allows us to open the gift given and discover how to use those gifts in accordance with God’s plan.

Declaring we have a gift that we do not have leads to abuses.

Hebrews 11:1 English Standard Version (ESV) Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

We left off yesterday declaring that promises not yet fulfilled might be seen by us as God’s opinion. Faith changes those opinions into truth by the virtue of hope. Since God has done first things of a certainty, then it follows that those other promises will become real to us. The larger and more difficult issues are seen in being convicted by faith.

Conviction comes at the direction of the Holy Spirit in performing God’s will in us. It is not a convincing, the rational decision of a mind that calculates truth by its own judgments.

We will continue to have opinions about God’s word, including attitudes that God has opinions just because we have not yet seen it become real to us.

2 Timothy 3:16 English Standard Version

¹⁶ All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, ¹⁷ that the man of God^[b] may be complete, equipped for every good work.

Footnote ^[b] is translated as a messenger of God. If we do not see ourselves as messengers of God this passage will be registered as opinion. It is necessary that we believe by faith that this passage is true in order to gain the benefits of the training in righteousness. We will need that even if we are never used of God to be another Samuel, or Paul, or Peter.

Romans 12:2 English Standard Version (ESV) Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

If the mind is not converting opinion to truth then the testing will not produce the results that allows the will of God to grow us in Christ.