Epistemology is the study of knowledge. Another way to say that is, “How do we know what we know?” The nature of humanity and knowledge forces upon all of us one of two states: ignorance or omniscience. Ultimately, each of us is either all knowing or not knowing. Now you are probably sitting there with this response, “Oh, come on now, I know I know some things, even if not everything.” Okay, you’ll admit you don’t know everything. Is there a possibility that something that you don’t know could change the meaning of something that you think you know? Of course there is! All of us have changed what we knew about something once we gained more information. So the possibility exists that everything we “know” could be changed by so much that we don’t know. In order to know anything certainly we have to be omniscient. We must know everything or not be sure of anything.
The world today understands this. This is why no one thinks that anyone can know what the truth is. Most question everyone’s authority because “even that person can’t know everything.” This is why the world is hopeless. The world is ignorant and they know it. It is like they are in a rowboat in the middle of the Pacific with no oars and no compass, drifting and hopeless.
Somebody might be saying, “How do you know that? What about what you don’t know?” Well, that’s a fair enough question. How can anybody be so sure that they know anything? No one is omniscient. True and False. I’m not omniscient. If I didn’t have help, I would be totally ignorant. But I have a Friend Who is omniscient. He knows everything, and whatever I learn from Him, I can be sure it is true and right altogether. The Christian who trusts the Word of God has an anchor that keeps the soul steady on the restless sea of life.
Knowing God. Fearing God. Obeying God. These are all foundational to knowing anything. The source of all knowledge is God, and the only way for ignorant man to be sure of any knowledge is for that man to fear, obey, know, and depend on God and His Word.
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction. Proverbs 1:7
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