"If so be that ye have heard Him, and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man. . .and that ye put on the new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness." - Ephesians 4:21-24
How do we glorify God? Truly, willingly, sincerely - how can we worship His Majesty? How can we be clothed in holiness and righteousness? "If so be that ye have heard Him, and have been taught by Him." Some of the Ephesians could very well have heard Christ speak while He was yet on this earth. Most, however, probably did not, as the book was written 30 years after Christ's death and since Ephesus is over 500 miles away from anywhere Jesus preached. Thus, I am inclined to believe Paul is not speaking of audible teaching of Christ, but rather His illumination, that leads an unbeliever to salvation and a believer to "true holiness." Illumination, after salvation, is unfortunately foreign to many believers. It is, however, the avenue of grace that we become like Christ. I like to see it as the Spirit giving a man a greater, more complete picture of the Spirit Person of God, a vision from which a man can not come out of the same. Jim Berg states in Changed Into His Image, "No man can be proud of his level of spiritual maturity or theological understanding when he has been exposed to God's nature. . .Such are the impressions on the intellect of man when he sees God. He is at the same time taught, humbled, and made bold. How can it be otherwise--he has seen God!" Intellect is vain if it is not humble and dedicated. Dedication is not reserved to situations and objects, but to knowlege as well. When we dedicate our learning to Him, then greater is the Spirit's illumination in us, lest we be like the Gentiles in this passage: "Walk not as the Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, becauseof the blindness of their heart" through apathy toward the spiritual (VV. 17-19). These Gentiles of which Paul writes were most likely those involved in gnosticism and other mind-exalting beliefs. They were intelligent people. But they listened not to the Spirit; therefore they are "darkened," "ignorant," and "blind." The Spirit's illumination gives true understanding. It gives you a taste of the Lord's goodness, of His person. Knowlege is not ours. It is God's. Seek the Spirit's illumination instead of head knowlege and be truly holy, as one cannot be the same when he has seen God.