Source: https://www.bertha-dudde.org/en/proclamation/7428

7428 Knowledge through study or through the spirit....

October 14, 1959: Book 78

You humans often believe yourselves to be very knowledgeable and yet, you are spiritually blind. For all spiritual knowledge only comes alive when your spirit has awakened.... Prior to this it remains lifeless knowledge, acquired mental concepts which are neither better nor more valuable than earthly knowledge. And even if you try to gain by philosophical means what you cannot fathom by virtue of your intellect alone it can never be called spiritual knowledge, for it first requires the awakening of the spirit to also understand and adopt this knowledge. It is not merely a matter that the contents of the mental concept can be considered spiritual knowledge.... it is entirely a matter as to whether the person thinks this knowledge through with an 'awakened' spirit and makes it his own thoughts, only then will he be able to speak of 'spiritual knowledge' which satisfies him, only then will he also understand what previously was not completely plausible to him despite extensive mental activity. And thus two people cannot take the same paths but nevertheless have the same knowledge, but to one of them it can be fully comprehensible whereas the other only grasps the meaning of the letter and draws no spiritual benefit from his knowledge. For the value of the knowledge depends on the very path he has taken to attain this knowledge.... One person accepts it from external sources through study and diligent intellectual activity, the other receives it from the spirit which dwells in every person's soul. And this spirit is a living part of God, consequently, whatever he gives must also be alive....

The human being must be guided into knowledge which shines brightly and signifies a true light for someone who previously walked in darkness. This knowledge is not at the disposal of the former for he only grasped the meaning of the letter, he has only deliberated the meaning of the letter without becoming enlightened, since true light can only ever be imparted by the spirit, which need merely be awakened in order to express itself through the inner voice.... And an awakened spirit can subsequently also enlighten a fellow human being, which is impossible for someone who is still unenlightened, for he will only pass on the empty meaning of the letter which he has accepted. The human being ought to awaken the spirit within to life, only then will he be able to speak of correct knowledge, of truth and of light. And the spirit can only come alive through love, the human being has to live a life of love according to the divine commandments, then his spirit will irrevocably come alive and instruct him from within. However, as long as the process of awakening the spirit has not occurred people will agonise over questions if they are serious about the truth; or they have a measure of mental knowledge at their disposal which they keenly endorse as truth yet inwardly they cannot find the conviction to advocate the pure truth, because this inner conviction is also imparted to them by the spirit, and as long as this cannot take place a person will always be troubled by slight doubts, even if he outwardly defends his mental knowledge as truth. But once the spirit is awakened, the person will know that it is the truth, and this inner conviction will make him a diligent labourer in the vineyard of the Lord. And these alone are true servants whom the caretaker can use in His vineyard.... these are the disciples to whom He said 'Go ye therefore, and teach all nations....' For only these will proclaim the Gospel of love according to God's will, and these will be listened to by all those of good will....

Amen

Translated by Heidi Hanna