Real knowledge of
the Bible is to live it out everyday. God lives and exists in each
and every one of us especially to those who are least, last and lost.
31 “When the
Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will
sit on his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered
before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a
shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep
on his right and the goats on his left.
34 “Then the
King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by
my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since
the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me
something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I
was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you
clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and
you came to visit me.’
37 “Then the
righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and
feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we
see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe
you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
40 “The King
will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the
least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
41 “Then he
will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed,
into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I
was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave
me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me
in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in
prison and you did not look after me.’
44 “They also
will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a
stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help
you?’
45 “He will
reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the
least of these, you did not do for me.’
46 “Then they
will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal
life.”-Matthew25:31-46
I have a cousin
who belongs to an institution. Its members claim that their
institution is a religion. But it cannot be so because the
institution's category is a corporation that practices fellowship.
Anyway, my cousin - who happens to be a deacon in that institution -
claims that they have won every Bible debate over a Catholic. My
father and siblings opt not to comment about it. Perhaps because they
do not want to antagonize him and because they do not want to engage
in a Bible debate should they protest. But if I was there, I would
protest calmly and teach fervently. I wouldn't engage myself in a
debate but I would teach. For me, every Christian - for as long as
s/he follows Christ - cannot boast of winning a Bible debate because
to do so is contrary to the example, life and teaching of Jesus on
Humility. If Jesus humbled Himself, we should too. Knowledge of the
Bible is ideal. Gaining knowledge of God by feeding the intellect
with it, is good and ideal. But, the Bible and Jesus' life are
summarized into two - Love of God and love of neighbor. The 2
greatest commandments - Love of God and love of neighbor - are enough
defense already. Therefore, real knowledge of the Bible and of God,
is the actual living out of the 2 greatest commandments of Love
everyday. As St. Paul said in his first letter to the Corinthians
chapter 13, "If I speak in the tongues[a] of men or of angels,
but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging
cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries
and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but
do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor
and give over my body to hardship that I may boast,[b] but do not
have love, I gain nothing." To feed the hungry, to give drink to
the thirsty, to clothe the naked, to welcome strangers, to visit the
sick and in prison are some acts of love. What have we done to show
our love for God and neighbor?
Image courtesy:
artists
