Just how many times have we heard the above text quoted in attempts to stop the progress of knowledge of our Great God Almighty? Maybe in sincerity some preachers have made unbiblical statements that ran counter to what this verse is actually saying and thought they were doing God a service. This verse does say some things that many people have taken and unwittingly attempted to make it say what it does NOT say. In other words, we need some qualifiers here.

First let us see what the verse is NOT saying.

#1) It is NOT saying that we cannot understand or explain things that are revealed.

#2) It is NOT saying we can God's people can understand secret things that God have not revealed.

These two things combined are exactly what my qualifiers are.

Many have, both in their writing and in the pulpit, said they "...are not called to explain but only to proclaim."

One very popular article on the Inernet written by a man who attended our church about 15 years ago accuses people like me of being "Neo-Gnostic." Others have said folks like me are merely promoting Intellectualism. All this, simply because we strive to know, understand, learn, grow, defend and love the clearly revealed message of grace as we expose false gospels of all other false ways that dishonor God. The latter part seems to be the offensive part because most Sovereign Grace, Calvinists, Reformed people like to lay claim to their false conversion in the false gospel of the famous works-religion of Arminianism.

Is there anything wrong with saying we can explain what God has revealed? It is not obvious that pastors and teachers are clearly responsible to explain or teach things that God has revealed in His word? It is also not obvious that it is very clear that NOBODY can understand a secret thing that is not revealed to anybody? Why the confusion on these things?

It is the very purpose of God to reveal many facets of blessed truth to His church body using the means of pastors, teachers and also the self-study of the Scripture. What would be a motive for accusing people of this Neo-Gnosticism or Intellectualism? The LORD, in His sovereign purpose, has wisely decreed the use of the knowledge of Christ and all that surrounds the gospel for the conversion of His people. Not only that, He has ordained those same truths in the continued growth in the grace and knowledge of our LORD Jesus Christ.

Why would any discourage such knowledge? Why would they degrade the purpose of God under the guise of humility and end up promoting ignorance instead to only weaken God's church? Nowhere in the Scripture does God speak highly of ignorance. Ignorance has a cousin called unbelief. Also, nowhere in the Scripture does God speak highly or favorably of unbelief and doubt.