Head Knowledge Without the Change of Heart

In a world filled with facts and information, there lies a deeper journey—one that transcends mere understanding. Join me as I explore the balance between head knowledge and heart change. Are you ready to embark on a transformational quest? Let’s dive in!

The Scripture foretells the apostasy of the last days (2 Timothy 3:1-7; 4:3-4). We are witnessing the fulfillment of that now. The hearts of the people have gone farther away from God today than during the Earthly ministry of Jesus Christ.

The World Rejects the Truth

The world has abandoned the absolute truth. The truth has now become relative to the peoples’ preferences and circumstances.

Among those who believe and still read the Bible, many have disconnected their hearts from the teaching of Scripture. The words and commandments of God have little or no effect on their choices despite their knowledge of the Bible. This is a bad place to be. But it is not difficult to get there.

The story that I share in this study is about those who knew the truth but refused to receive it. I pray that one way or another, this study will help you realize how important it is to submit to the authority of the Word of God.

Today’s Text:

Luke 20:20-22 And they watched him, and sent forth spies, which should feign themselves just men, that they might take hold of his words, that so they might deliver him unto the power and authority of the governor. 21 And they asked him, saying, Master, we know that thou sayest and teachest rightly, neither acceptest thou the person of any, but teachest the way of God truly: 22 Is it lawful for us to give tribute unto Caesar, or no?

A Personal Testimony

I remember how I was desperate to learn and know the Scripture when I first trusted Christ in the year 2016. I’m thankful that the hunger for the Word is still growing in me today. But what I found out then was that it is one thing to know the Word, but it is another thing entirely to allow it to change me.

Having reckoned that, I began to pray (and still pray) for myself (and other believers that I know) for the Word of God to have a place in my heart, and that I will submit to its authority over my life and let it change me. Every sincere follower of Jesus Christ must continue to desire this.

So you know the Bible, you know theology, you even read through the Bible every year, thank God for that! But this is only the beginning. There are many people who know the truth but are yet to receive it. The people discussed here in our text are a good example of this.

The religious leaders in the text have been looking for a way to trap Jesus and get Him in trouble. He made the matter worse by telling a parable which speaks to the heart of their rebellion. It was about a man who planted a garden and put some people in charge of it. You can read the full story in Luke 20:9-18.

The Convicted but Unrepentant Religious Leaders

Here is the reaction of these rebellious religious leaders:

Luke 20:19 And the chief priests and the scribes the same hour sought to lay hands on him; and they feared the people: for they perceived that he had spoken this parable against them.

They were quick to devise a plan to trap Jesus by “his words.”  This time, they went political in an attempt to pitch Jesus against the government of the time in the matters regarding taxation.

The Spies and their Confessions

So, they “sent forth spies, which should feign themselves just men” the passage tells us. These were people who feigned themselves as the true followers of Jesus Christ when in fact, they are not. There will always be people like these in existence. They look, act, and talk like genuine Christian, but they are not.

Similarly, Jesus Christ warns and tells us to “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.” Matthew 7:15.

But the part I really want to highlight in this study is the testimony of the spies. Pay a close attention to what they say to Jesus Christ, as highlighted below:

Luke 20:21 And they asked him, saying, Master, we know that thou sayest and teachest rightly, neither acceptest thou the person of any, but teachest the way of God truly:

Notice the two things that stand out immediately: they called Jesus Christ “Master,” and they said “we know.”

Jesus Christ says in Matthew 7:21-23 that “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven…” There will also be people with much familiarity with Jesus and His teaching who will be far from the kingdom.

The Spies and their Resistant Hearts

The spies in the story of Luke 20 called Jesus “Master.” Not only that, they also claimed to “know” something, and the next thing they said was an absolute truth:

“We know that thou sayest and teachest rightly, neither acceptest thou the person of any, but teachest the way of God truly…” Luke 20:21.

Are all the above true of Jesus Christ? Absolutely, yes!

Yet they allowed themselves to be used as a tool to catch Jesus in His word. They know the truth, and they even talk the truth. But that knowledge has absolutely no impact on their choices and actions. Despite their knowledge and confessions, they are still in the camp of the enemies of Jesus Christ.

The Necessity of Knowledge

Knowledge is essential. Our relationship with God begins with the knowledge of who He is, the awareness of who we are, and what God has done to save us from the penalty of our sins against Him. In Ephesians 1:13, the Bible refers to the importance of hearing and believing the gospel to be saved.

Following salvation, the Bible makes continuous calls for the growth of the believers. We are enjoined not to remain children in knowledge (Ephesians 4:14-15), desire the sincere milk of the word (1 Peter 2:2), and also to grow past the milk and be able to handle the meat of the word (Heb 5:12-14).

In other words, the knowledge of the truth is essential for the salvation of the unsaved, and maturity of the believers.

Ephesians 4:13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

Choices Detached from Knowledge

But as we have seen in the case of the spies above, it is possible for you to know the Bible and theology, enjoy studying and memorizing the Scripture, discussing and teaching it to others, or even be able to win all biblical arguments, and yet without the Word actually affecting your heart, desires, and walk.

This is when your mind (brain, knowledge) is disconnected from your heart (desires, choices). You may know the truth, and even claim to believe it, but only in vain. It is a dangerous place to be because believing in vain can adversely affect your salvation, your Christian walk, and ultimately your eternal destiny.

The Risks of Believing in Vain

You are believing in vain when your knowledge or your so-called beliefs do not change the condition of your heart. Therefore, your Bible Study must be accompanied with the desire to submit to the knowledge you are receiving. Otherwise, it will be an exercise in futility.

Believing in Vain – Effects of on Salvation

You can believe the gospel in vain (1 Corinthians 15:2), which is why many people will claim to believe in Jesus and still remain unsaved. Because though they claim to know and even sometimes share the gospel, they are yet to reckon with the truth that they know and actually trust in Christ for their salvation.

They know all the facts of the gospel, and yet, the whole time they are depending on their own performance and righteousness rather than the complete righteousness of God.

Matthew 7:22-23 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Notice how their zeal for God was not based on the knowledge that they have. Another good example of this is the Jews in Romans 10:

Romans 10:2-3 For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. 3 For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.

Here is the part that they missed:

Romans 10:4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.

Dear Reader, have you reckoned with this truth in your own life? In whom or what are you trusting to get you to heaven? Click here to learn more about how to be saved.

Believing in Vain – Effects of on the Christian Walk

Believing in vain is also why many believers don’t have fruit or experience victory in their lives. Because they fail to yield to God and allow His Words to change them. They go through the religious motion of Church attendance, Bible reading, and so on, while their choices continue to be driven by fleshly desires.

Such people must evaluate their claims of faith in Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 13:5). James challenges them this way in his Epistle:

James 2:18-20 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. 19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. 20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

So, do you hold to many truth, but you don’t live by them?

The prove, at least that we can see, that you have received the truth is the fruit of it in your life. Is your life being affected by the truth you know? Are you submitting to the authority of the Word of God? Do you notice any growth or progress in Christ-likeness in your life?

I am not speaking of a prideful evaluation of yourself, but a humble examination of progress in your Christian walk (see 2 Corinthians 13:5).

Here are some challenge questions: what truth do you know and you are still resisting? Do you realize that you do not have the truth or believe in something until you actually do something about it?  Take a moment for a deep evaluation of your heart concerning this.

As you do that, remember that the purpose of the Bible is for us to read it and be changed by it. The Scripture is not given to us for mere accumulation of knowledge, but for the transformation of our life. It is therefore needful for us to yield ourselves to that transformation.

I will close with this quote from the Words of Jesus Christ:

Matthew 7:24-27 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: 25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: 27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

Which would you like to be, the “wise man,” or the “foolish man”? The choice is yours.

Thank you for reading!