Mike Focht 7/17/2026
One overlooked aspect of Biblical truth is this: There are moral requirements for knowing spiritual truth. Spiritual life and character are inextricably tied to knowing God’s person and purposes. The child of God must recognize that the truths their Father wants them to understand are more than intellectual. The mind is necessary but not sufficient. Allow me to point out just a few of these moral requirements.
The first and most important requirement is the Holy Spirit because we know the natural man cannot know the things of God. I must be born of God to know God. Howbeit when he, the spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth, for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear that shall he speak, and he will show you things to come.
Second, when the Pharisees challenged Christ on His lack of formal training, His response to knowing the truth was focused on obedience. The truth of His doctrine will is known by the one who does it. If any man will do his will he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.
Purity of heart is required. One cannot cherish God and what God hates simultaneously. Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God.
Peaceful intentions and personal holiness are essential. Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.
Whole-heartedness is a factor. We cannot comprehend God half-heartedly. And you shall seek me and find me when you shall search for me with all your heart.
Singleness of purpose is essential to knowing God. One cannot attempt to know God for selfish or sinful ulterior reasons. The light of the body is the eye; if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.
Many other examples include humility, patience, love, repentance, or godly desire. In this, we see that the child of God’s growth in spiritual truth involves much more than merely their intellectual capacity. It is also just as true that the Scriptures reveal ungodliness as a positive hindrance to knowing God. Sheer intellect will never compensate for the man or woman who is prideful, divided in heart, a mocker, selfish, unforgiving, prayerless, or willfully disobedient.
These truths should be sobering and encouraging for the common man and woman who seeks to know God. Those whom God has gifted with great mental capacity do not possess more ability to know Him than those of us who only possess a standard mental capacity. Intellect is much too small of an offering to bring to God. God requires the whole of a person’s life.
I want to pause here and say that I am not trying to be anti-intellectual. I recognize that God has gifted His church with very bright men and women to help the rest of us say what we could never say, learn what we all do not have the time to learn, and also to talk with other unsaved bright men and women about the wonder and truth of God. Nevertheless, they are not given to the church to lead us all into intellectualism. God does not require large human intellects to teach His children about Himself.
So, in the end, we must recognize a separation between knowing God and the intellectual capacity to explain or comprehend Bible doctrine logically. Like the Pharisees before them, there are unregenerate and ungodly professors all over the world who can sit down and lecture for hours on theology, ancient languages, Biblical history, and prophecy, who also know less about God and His truth than the so-called unlearned individuals who will never enter their sphere of learning or human intellect. These ordinary folk learn to walk with God in love, humility, purity, and obedience—spiritual and moral capacities.
People like to make much of the intellect of Paul the Apostle, but his intellect served as a positive hindrance to the work of God in his life until Jesus Christ broke into Paul’s existence in a way his intellect never dreamed! Even after that miraculous experience with Jesus, Paul still needed to be filled with the Holy Spirit and given a few years in the stillness of the desert to figure things out. Even after that, we would do better to emphasize the knowledge He gained of God through his godly character, humility, singleness of purpose, purity, suffering, and obedience.
So, my brothers and sisters, if you feel you will never be able to comprehend or discuss the fine points of theology intellectually, do not be discouraged. The Holy Spirit is not afraid of your lack of intellect! Love God with all the mind He has given you, but remember, your mind is only one of the avenues you must walk to know God. Do not forget to love Him with all your body, heart, and soul!