保羅在羅馬書十章二節，提出一個非常正確的觀點。他論到同胞以色列民時，如此說：「我可以證明他們向上帝有熱心，但不是按著真知識」。他們很熱心，但知識太少，這一點很像今日的基督徒。我們在此並不是指初信的基督徒，而是一些信主多年，卻仍留在娃娃圈裡的基督徒。他的敬拜重點在煽動熱心，而不是得到信心──情感飽了，心智卻不足。

        保羅在此，暗指同樣的現象。因此，他為腓立比人禱告，盼望他們對上帝的愛，要配合著更多的知識而增長。他要求他們學習更多關乎耶穌的事，更多關乎稱義的事，以及更多關乎純潔的事（9~11節），目的是為了強化他們的能力，不但能分辨是非，還能選擇那最好的（10節，美好的事）。

        使徒彼得也強調說：「你們卻要在我們主救主耶穌基督的恩典和知識上有長進」（彼後3：18）。在恩典上長進，就是說要去了解並感激耶穌的恩典，並加以應用；不只個人的信心要增長，也要與人分享。同時，在恩典上長進，也需要在知識上長進。人的心緒可以發動引擎，但是要決定汽車的方向並加以保養，也要靠心智。

        我們愈認識上帝，愈變得聰明。這就是保羅把知識和見識（判斷力）視為一體的理由。人的心會產生愛上帝的情緒，心智則是告訴心為什麼要去愛。

        天父上帝，我們今日與保羅同禱腓立比書一章九至十一節的話。（請與我們一起讀這些話，並用「我們」及「我們的」字眼，取代「我」和「你們」。）

English

        There is a remarkable observation made by Paul in Romans 10:2. He is talking about his fellow Israelites when he says, "For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge." They were zealous but poorly informed; this sounds like a lot of present-day Christians. We're not talking about baby Christians here, but about Christians who've been believers for years but insist on staying in the playpen. Worship for them is feeding enthusiasm instead of feeding faith — swelling the heart and starving the mind.

        Paul is alluding to the same phenomenon here. In this case, he's praying for the Philippians, that their love for God will grow in terms of more knowledge. He wants them to learn more about Jesus, more about righteousness, and more about purity (vv. 9-11), in order to strengthen their ability to discern not just what is good but what is best ("excellent" v. 10).

        The apostle Paul emphasized the same point when he said, "But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 3:18). To grow in grace means to grow in understanding and appreciation of what the grace of Christ is and its implications, not only in terms of personal faith, but evangelism. And, as is obvious, to grow in grace requires growth in knowledge. The heart may start the engine, but it is the mind that determines the car's direction and supervises its maintenance.

        The more we know about God, the smarter we become. That's why Paul links knowledge with discernment. The heart may do the loving, but the mind tells the heart why God should be loved.

        Father in Heaven, we pray with Paul today in Philippians 1:9-11. (Please read this together with us and use the words "we" and "our" rather than "I" and "your").