“For we know in part . . .”
~ 1 Corinthians 13:9
When I was in my early 20s, I was active in serving the Lord. I was a serious student of the Scriptures and people would often ask me questions about various issues.
Like many 20-somethings, I fell into a particular trap that I see many others who preach and teach fall into today. It’s the pressure to have an answer for every question posed to you.
There’s a wapred idea that somehow got into the evangelical Christian mind. That idea is that if you teach the Scriptures, you are obligated to have a conviction on every issue that the Bible addresses, let alone mentions.
I don’t know who invented this idea, but it’s just plain wrong. And it leads to all sorts of problems.
On the one hand, certainty is overrated. On the other hand, the idea that we can’t be certain about anything doesn’t square with the New Testament (nor with reality).
Paul said “we know in part” (certainty cannot be attained in everything).
But he didn’t say “we know nothing” (certainty can be attained for some things). Read my post “On Certainty” where I expand on this paradox.
My point is simple.
If you are a believer, especially someone who preaches and teaches, you don’t have to know the answer to every question brought to you. In fact, I’d be scared if you did.
Taking a position and pontificating on it when you’ve not done the necessary home work to come to a thoughtful conclusion, or before you’ve received insight from the Holy Spirit on a matter, is just plain reckless. And bluffing (which young men are especially prone to do) is never a wise thing.
So don’t buy into the lie. Just because you may be in ministry doesn’t mean that you have to know all things under the sun or form a conclusion on every topic under heaven (or in the pages between the black leather cover.)
Forgive the personal example, but my ministry is laser focused on a few themes. I’ve immersed myself in those themes all my life. And God has so ordered my circumstances and experiences to bring me into a deeper apprehension of them. (I’m still learning, of course. But I can speak with confidence on these themes.)
Yet there are many subjects that fall outside of those themes in which others are much more knowledgeable and gifted than I am. And when I’m asked about those subjects, my standard response is, “I used to know the answer to that question” and then I defer to those people.
Consider Paul’s words:
“We, however, will not boast beyond proper limits, but will confine our boasting to the field God has assigned to us, a field that reaches even to you” (2 Corinthians 10:13).
In short, stay within your calling. Keep within the ministry that God has given you, and don’t extend beyond it.
When people look to you for answers in areas that extend beyond your calling, gifting, knowledge, experience, or study, refer them to others when you can.
You don’t have to have an opinion on every issue that people ask you about it, and it’s profoundly wrong of them to expect you to.
And nevah evah be afraid to say, “I don’t know.”
Simply saying, “I don’t know” is not only honest, but I have a notion that some of the angels in heaven will rejoice (and perhaps fall over while they do) by hearing you utter those words. 🙂
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I remember getting this revelation. It was quite and ‘ah ha’ moment. I started quoting “the start of maturity is admitting you don’t know something and could be wrong.”
This post made me smile… it takes such a burden off that we’re not charged with knowing everything. It reminded me of what Paul said in his letter to the Colossians: “…that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” Further up and further in we go. 🙂
I love how you pointed out Paul saying, “We know in part.” And it’s a really neat thought to consider the angels rejoicing too. After all, they’ve said those same words so many times.
I too wrote a post on this subject about a month before you did, entitled, “3 Powerful Words: I Don’t Know” with quotes from Lee Strobel.
Re Aadel’s comment and your response to her: “…the answers are varied and depend on your walk with God.” That’s quite an interesting angle to the point you’re making. Sometimes we do know, but we know for us, and that means we still don’t know for the other person. I would like to think that to impose a personal & private revelation on others is just as bad (if not worse) as “bluffing” an answer.
I’ve always been an opinionated, goto, biblical answer guy. This did not result in the practical fruit of freedom in others. My personal directional touchstone is slowly becoming humility, ala Phil 2. I can say the “right” thing without positive effect… Yet when God says the right thing to one’s spirit… KABOOM!!! Instant miracle! FREEDOM! His unreasonable peace!
What a great journey we are on!
It helps a leader to relax when they discover that not every answer lies within them.
Hi Frank, I am one of your 20 somethings… And thanks for this post. It’s helpful advice.
Many blessings,
Leonard Beharry
I thought I had a good comment but, I just don’t know.
I have always had a very deep respect for ministry leaders (especially those more in the public eye) that have the courage and humility to say “I don’t know” or so say “We may never know” AND “The answers are varied and depend on your walk with God”.
Too often I see leaders and public figures trying to make answers out of shaky interpretations of Scripture and personal experience.
Thanks for commenting, Aedel. My response to what you wrote is I don’t know … we may never know … and the answers are varied and depend on your walk with God. 🙂
Good answers! And I also respect public figures that don’t point out my numerous spelling/typing mistakes! Argh!
I think it’s got something to do with that other tree…
Okay Frank… Well said about our realization that none of us can have a meaningful position on everything. But how do we address [engage] a brother’s “laser” position when we both hold passionate beliefs that differ? How do we engage a brother in whom we respect God’s life in them, effectively and in His love?
Enquiringly minds want to know… ;^]
That’s another topic for another day. But I’d encourage you to first read “Spiritual Conversation Styles” (chapter) in REVISE US AGAIN. Without understanding the 3 conversational styles, few discussions can resolve. http://www.ptmin.org/books
Great post. I love it… I once heard a guy say that sometimes the best answer you can give is I don’t know.
I find that the public are not stupid !! They know when someone is “busking” an answer. I have in the past had this strange belief that if I answer all the questions right, then God will convert the person(s)!! However I know now that it’s ok to say “i don’t know” but what i do know is that God’s Word and promises have always been true for me!
Interesting that this has been the topic of conversation in our fellowships this week. It has been greeted with much delight, although there are times that it has revealed heart issues – often based in pride.
There is great rest and a sense of freedom in knowing that we are not required to have all the answers. I have found this to be extremely beneficial as the Body of Christ learns to grow and learn together in fellowship. When one or two individuals are always expected to have the answer and explanation, as is often the case with the pastor/congregation model, it creates a platform that does not encourage or promote individual expression of the life of Christ as experienced by those who do not have specific leadership roles. The reality of “every joint supplying” is only possible as we expect the mind of Christ to be manifest throughout the many members of His Body.
Thank you for your voice in our current conversation.
One of the common themes it seems of late in your posts has been that of humility. It takes a great deal of humility for a pastor/teacher or other leader to frankly admit to a congregation or the members of a Bible study class that he/she doesn’t have all the answers. I appreciate the scriptural verses that you include from Paul that indicate that it’s okay not to know everything.
It’s an easy temptation as a pastor to succumb to the demands created by the celebrity christian culture. People now look up to professional pastors with their weekly blogs as “knowing everything about God” or “being sooo close to God.” It’s easy for a podcast pastor to come across like he knows it all. But in reality they are struggling through their pursuit of Jesus just like the rest of us. So not bending to the competition to “know everything” in contrast to those celebrity pastoral images put before out people is a constant discipline.
I wrote a little blog on my own claw for humility.
I have lived by this my whole life. Not only does saying ” I don’t know” give you time to find out what you do believe, but it shows to the person asking, that you want to give them a real answer not just a thought of the top of your head. The best thing about this answer though is that it promises another conversation, it allows you an entry to establish a further conversation with someone.
excellent advice.
I’m in insurance sales as a career. My father has been doing this for alomst 60 years. One of the first things he taught me that would seperate me from the rest was to give the answer “I don’t know” when that was the fact.
When sharing the truth, even when it means humbling yourself accomplishes much. I think it brings freedom, trust, and opens the door for communication and allows others to participate in the process and know the importance of being involved.
I don’t know for sure but I thing you have a good post here. 🙂
Great advice, Frank. Thanks for sharing.
This was refreshing. Thanks Frank.
Another thing I find in our churches and Christian culture today (and I have done it myself more often than I care to think) is the tendency to think that I have to teach or correct people who I perceive as wrong.
What gives me the right to do so? We are so used to correcting others (and there must be a place for correction, of course) but sometimes I fear that we get into the unconscious habit of thinking that we have a monopoly on pearls of wisdom, because we may have a gift of teaching, or be teachers, or are parents, or just have a particular revelation. It takes courage to say, ‘I don’t know’, as you say.
Maybe we should leave people alone, mind our own business and let God talk to people in his own time. We probably talk far too much and don’t listen half as much as we could.
You just made me think of this, because it was something which occurred to me a few years ago after a well-meaning friend tried to correct me on something unncessarily. It didn’t hit the mark, and made me realise how often I’d done it myself. So it wasn’t wasted. 🙂
Absolutely refreshing. Thanks
This is good but I believe that one person does have an opinion and knowledge on every subject, my wife:)
It’s been a long time coming, but I’m finally learning to simply echo the words, “I have determined to know NOTHING except Jesus Christ and Him crucified”
Thanks Frank. You and your books and your Brothers in the ministry, are a gift from God.
Amen to this, Frank! Years ago in my ministry as a teacher, I learned to say “I don’t know”(rather than talk in circles about what I didn’t know), and the students were surprised (but appreciative). It was releasing for me and for them. Thank you for this word!
So where were you with this nugget 30 years ago? For the past 3 decades I felt trapped in this very thing, feeling pressure to ‘always’ have an answer for every spiritual inquiry. Such pressure was never meant to be put on any one man who was not diety in the flesh. Very timely word for me today, however. I have found the words I read in Jesus Manifesto this morning (“the more I learn the more I find I do not know”) to be particularly accurate in this phase of my life and gladly defer to those who are farther down this path I am on to shed light and insight in the void of my ignorance. I like your ‘laser’ reference in that we should find that gifting/calling and fine-tune our focus on allowing Christ to manifest Himself through us in that capacity. To HIM be the glory!
Mark: Thanks for your honest comment. For this very reason, I want every 20-something and 30-something to read this post. So I’d encourage you and all the others who read it to pass it on to those you know in that age group so they don’t have to utter *the same words* you’ve stated here.
While the majority of people who subscribe to this blog are 20s and 30s, there are TONS in that age group who don’t even know about this blog. These folks are all over Facebook and Twitter. Hence the share buttons at the bottom. 🙂 Thanks again for your refreshing comment.
There was a time when I thought I was supposed to have the answers…that I wasn’t even supposed to doubt. Now, I am ok with not knowing everything (well, mostly ok…). What I have learned is that the more I have learned, the more I realize that I don’t know, and then it gives me more opportunities for learning (and more opportunities for realizing what I don’t know) and so on and so forth.
This is really great advice, Frank. I’ve learned the hard way that you can’t just accept what someone else says as “the gospel truth”, especially when it comes to the Scriptures, because of this tendancy of speaking with authority on a topic where needed research/reflection hasn’t been done. Personally, I’m okay to talk about areas where I’ve done some research/reflecting and feel that I have come to a conclusion that honors Christ. If I haven’t done that, I’m good with “I don’t know”.
The things that I find myself digging deeper on are the issues that I find myslef in through every day life, so there’s a link to personal experience as you pointed out in your post.