Toxic Knowledge (An article by Christian Henry)

APRIL 18, 2023 

 “When I applied mine heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done upon the earth: (for also there is that neither day nor night seeth sleep with his eyes:) Then I beheld all the work of God, that a man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun: because though a man labour to seek it out, yet he shall not find it; yea farther; though a wise man think to know it, yet shall he not be able to find it.” (Ecclesiastes 8:16-17)

A man can contemplate or even consider the wisdom that goes into creation or providence, but it’s all so various and uncertain that a man cannot find the work done under the sun.

We can acknowledge it, but we can’t know it fully. We can find out that it is done, but not why it is done. The ways of God are inscrutable by the wisest of men, and though a man labour to seek it out, yet he shall not find it. Even diligent or laborious people cannot find what has been concealed by the Lord unless God expressly reveals it.

The simple truth is God does not reveal His secret plans to His creatures for our good. The problem of evil has vexed Christians for centuries. Non-Christians often handle it by saying, “If God is so good and sovereign, then why did He allow evil? Therefore, He’s either not completely good or not fully in control.” They restrict God’s options to one’s that are easy to imagine. It never occurs to them that God is protecting us from the information we are not able to handle.

We might ask whether we could at least get a peek at the board that illustrates the outline of God’s plan for our lives, but we can’t. That is because much of this information would be highly damaging to us or too toxic to handle. For example, we might think it is reassuring to see the list of those chosen by God for eternal life. We could ensure we were among them or know that we missed the boat and stop trying. However, learning with the certainty of God’s knowledge that we’d be saved no matter what we did or believed would corrupt us beyond recognition as Christians. This knowledge would be too toxic to our Christian walk. Some people lust for God’s understanding of the future. They are willing to trade their souls for a fragment of that knowledge.

One day we will learn the answers to all our questions, the things that finite creatures couldn’t understand or would be paralyzing if they were exposed now. For now, we are in a position where we must depend on the judgment of the Father who loves us. The answers to many of our questions about the will of God are best left to God.

God promises to take care of the obstacles in the paths of those who trust Him. In the book of Matthew, Jesus encourages us to seek His kingdom and righteousness first, and we will receive all future needs.