03/10/2024
ADD KNOWLEDGE 2 Peter 1:1-5
“…and to virtue knowledge" (2 Peter 1:5); “…and in all knowledge” (1 Corinth 1:5)
Faith lays the groundwork for our relationship with God, while virtue shields us from the ensnarement of sin. The next essential element we must incorporate into our spiritual development is “knowledge”. The Holy Spirit admonish: "And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge." Among the attributes we are encouraged to cultivate, knowledge stands apart as more than an ethical behavior or moral trait.
The New Testament portrays knowledge in two primary contexts. First, there is initial knowledge – the saving understanding of the Gospel that we acquire when we first come to Christ. Second, there is experiential knowledge – the learning and growth we attain through time and a deepening understanding of God. It is this latter knowledge that the Apostle Peter urges believers to actively add to their faith.
However, this is not simply educational knowledge; while education can facilitate spiritual knowledge, it alone is inadequate (Daniel 12:4; Ecclesiastes 12:12). Education, without a deeper spiritual connection, becomes a mere accumulation of facts devoid of meaning and personal transformation. Knowledge in isolation breeds pride (1 Corinthians 8:1) and may lead to a life void of godly fear, a reprobate mind, and a lack of judgment (Romans 1:28). Martin Luther emphasized the need for knowledge is rooted in salvation, stating, "Education without salvation equals damnation" (Isaiah 45:20; Jeremiah 4:22). The knowledge Peter encourages us to add is marked by an understanding of God, the pursuit of His glory, and the attainment of His Kingdom. The absence of such knowledge can result in disaster, bo***ge, and spiritual death (Isaiah 5:13; Hosea 4:6).
It is crucial to recognize that knowledge should not be our ultimate destination; rather, it serves as a roadmap guiding us toward completeness in Christ (2 Timothy 3:16-17). We arm ourselves with knowledge for the spiritual battles we encounter, and it sustains us as we journey toward spiritual maturity. In our Christian race, knowledge is an indispensable tool without which we cannot effectively combat the forces of darkness.
THE PURSUIT OF KNOWLEDGE
What is Knowledge? In general terms, knowledge refers to familiarity, awareness, or understanding of someone or something, such as facts, information, descriptions, or skills. It is acquired through perception, education, learning, experience, association, or discovery. Knowledge often involves the possession of information gained through personal experience and can be seen as both a rational achievement and an epistemic connection to reality. In summary, knowledge can be itemized as follows:
(1) Awareness or Understanding: Gained about someone, something, or a situation through association, experience, or learning.
(2) Personal Experience: The direct experience of something being true, rather than merely accepting it as truth.
(3) Human Ability: The result of interpreting information; knowledge that develops from a combination of data, experience, and individual interpretation.
(4) Truth Held: Beliefs or truths that drive action, assuming no impediments.
Knowledge is the sum of what is known and resides in the minds and abilities of individuals. It is information that leads to change—either by serving as a foundation for action or by enabling a person to act in more effective ways.
We can paraphrase 1 Peter 1:5 in this context: “Prepare your mind, discipline yourself, and take deliberate steps to cultivate awareness, understanding, or personal knowledge of something, someone, or a situation. This understanding—whether gained through association, experience, or study—should not simply be accepted as true, but be personally verified. Allow this awareness to positively transform you, grounding you and making you more effective in fulfilling your purpose.”
Biblical Applied Knowledge:
In line with Apostle Peter exhortation, applied knowledge refers to:
“And this is life eternal, that they might know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent." (John 17:3.)
(1) THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD: “let him who glories glory in this, That he understands and knows Me, That I am the LORD” (Jeremiah 9:24)
The knowledge of God entails understanding the truth about His nature (Romans 1:19–21), which originates from God Himself (Proverbs 2:6). In His grace, He chooses diverse avenues to reveal Himself to humanity (Isaiah 33:6), including creation (Psalm 19:1–2), ensuring that all individuals have at least a basic awareness of His eternal power and divine nature (Romans 1:20). This foundational understanding of God's righteousness and our moral obligations is sufficient to hold us accountable under His rule (Romans 1:18).
Those who revere God or cultivate a relationship with Him can deepen their understanding of Him as He unveils Himself (Proverbs 1:7; Isaiah 33:6). God's revelation comes through various means, including the Scriptures (2 Timothy 3:16), His people (Romans 15:14), His Holy Spirit (John 14:26), and His Son, who embodies His perfect image (Colossians 1:15).
The knowledge of God is intricately tied to one's relationship with Him. God imparts knowledge to those who love Him, while rejecting such knowledge leads to a fractured relationship (Proverbs 2:4–6; Hosea 4:6; Romans 1:21–25). Similar to human relationships, intimacy fosters familiarity, and increased familiarity strengthens intimacy. As we advance in our understanding of God, we gain insight into His will, His deeds, and His character.
a) His majesty the wonders of His attributes. The majesty, greatness of this infinite, eternal, self-existing God transcends any splendor you ever imagined or known, and before whom you had ever trembled. There is no other human greatness by which God’s greatness can be compared. Nebuchanezzar got it right, “All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as noting”, “I … praise and extol and honour the king of heaven” (Daniel 4: 35,37).
b) The wonders of His power in creation (Psa 19:1). God’s greatness revealed in the complexity of human anatomy; the Mystery of Embryonic Development; Come to think of the human brain with its major components, the cerebrum that is responsible for intelligence, reasoning, and helped to maintain balance posture. (Psalm 134: 14).
c) His Wonders and Miracles - Whenever God intervenes in nature by ways of signs and wonders, His greatness and power is always demonstrate to man. The Egyptians saw the signs and wonders of God in their coast when visited with the sundries plague” the waters turned blood, the plague of the frogs, lice, swarms of flies, the death of the Egyptian cattle; the plague of boils and blains, of fire and hail, the plague of locusts, of and of darkness, and the plague of the death of the first of Israel, they could not but testified and declared, “This is the finger of God” (Exodus 8:19).
d) Love of God - The love of God is far transcends any love you had ever heard, known or imagined. One may lack sufficient words and phrase to explain adequately the overwhelming, discrete, wonderful and matchless love of God.
e) The Wrath of God - The fear, reverential awe, trembling, startling and amazement at the majesty, greatness and dreadfulness, of God is the fundamental basis of victorious Christian living and life style. We are also made to understand that you cannot fear the one you do not know. The Scriptures speaks of God’s wrath awaiting all ungodliness. Such wrath far transcends any wrath that you have ever known or imagine. In the passages quoted, there are terms that should awaken your conscience to the awful times awaiting all ungodliness: words like “Righteous Judgement of God”, “Indignation and Wrath”, and “Severity of God”. ((Nahum 1:2-3; Deuteronomy 32:39 Rom 2:1-5; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9; Zephaniah 1:14-18)
Increasing in our knowledge of God, or learning more about Him, should motivate a change in our lives, as we contemplate His goodness, mercy, and glory (2 Peter 2:20). As Christians, we grow in the knowledge of God through our relationship with Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 4:6). Our goal is to grow in the knowledge of God, so that we become more like His Son. How then can we translate such knowledge about God into something real that will have such a positive effect upon our lives? The answer is simple. We must turn each truth we have learned about Him into real issues for meditation before Him.
(2) THE KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST:
“Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth” (Hosea 6:3). “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death” (That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death” (Phil 3:10)
Knowing Christ and following on to know Him. Paul who of mortal men knew Christ best confesses that he knew Him but imperfectly and want know more of Him. How much, then, must there be in Him to know.
Do we lose a sense of the Redeemer's majesty by familiarity with His name? See, then, His chief disciple, after years of contemplation, imitation, and adoration, confessing that the great object of his life: to know Christ. Paul, in this and the previous chapters, expresses seven wishes which centre in Christ — that he might know Christ, win Christ, magnify Christ, be conformed to Christ, be found in Christ, rejoice in the day of Christ, and be forever with Christ. Now these correspond perfectly with the desires of every child of God.
Paul appreciated the value of other departments of knowledge. He was a scholar and a theologian; but after he had learned Christ they seemed to fade in interest. This knowledge was the subject of his preaching everywhere, as he told the Corinthians and the Galatians. He wished to know Christ.
What should we seek to know concerning Christ? His excellences are innumerable, and, so far as possible, we should seek to become acquainted with them all. We should seek to know the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
This knowledge include:
a) The Knowledge of the Person of Christ: Pre-existence of Christ, Deity of Christ, Humanity of Christ, Uni-personality of Christ.
b) The Knowledge of the States of Christ: Humiliation (e.g., incarnation, death, burial), Exaltation (e.g., resurrection, ascension, session).
c) The Knowledge of the Works of Christ (Offices of Christ): Office of Prophet (Teachings), Office of Priest (Atonement, intercession), Office of King (Second Advent, Millennium).
d) The Knowledge of the Cross: The mystery of salvation: that a soul dead in sin and trespass should possess a new life. “A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh” (Ezekiel 36:26)
(3). THE KNOWLEDGE OF HIS WILL (Col 1:9)
“... be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding” (Col. 1:9).
“Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is” (Eph 5:17).
"The will of God" and "knowledge of His will" are related concepts within the framework of Christian belief systems. While they are interconnected, they represent different aspects of understanding and relating to the divine.
The Bible often refers to “the will of God” as His overarching plan and purpose for humanity and creation. One of the clearest statements regarding the will of God is found in Ephesians 1:9-10):
“Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: That in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him”
This passage suggests that God has a predetermined plan that will ultimately bring unity to all things under Christ. However, the specifics of this plan may not always be immediately apparent to human beings.
Thus:
a) "The will of God" refers to the overarching plan, purpose, or intentions of the divine being, as understood within a particular religious tradition.
b) It is often believed to be mysterious and ultimately unknowable to human beings in its entirety.
c) The will of God is often seen as the ultimate authority and guiding force behind the events and circumstances of the world.
d) It may encompass moral laws, commandments, and principles that adherents are encouraged to follow in order to live in alignment with divine purposes.
We should not pursue knowledge as the end goal. We should realize that knowledge is just a means towards the ultimate end of being complete in Christ (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Knowledge is not the destination; it is a road map. The word of God simply arms us for conflicts with Satan and provides nourishment to help us as we journey to become complete in Christ. In our warfare in the Christian race, knowledge is an indispensable tool we cannot do without. The Scriptures have constantly told us about this “Knowledge”:
(1) Spirit of Knowledge (Isa 11:2);
(2) Filled with the Spirit of wisdom, knowledge and understanding (Ex 31:3; Col 1:9).
(3) God of Knowledge (1Sa 2:3; John 2:24,25).
(4) General Knowledge (Dan.1:17).
(5) Revelation of Knowledge (Jer 11:18; Daniel 5:12; 1Corinth 12:8).
(6) Key of Knowledge (The word, written and personified, Luke 11:52).
(7) Word of Knowledge (1Corinth 12:8);
(8) Insights into the Mind of God (2 Ch 1:10-12). We need Knowledge.
We must seek to know Him: (1) INCREASINGLY. The more we know Him the more He want us to know, and no wonder, for in Him is everything worthy to be known. This knowledge never satiates.(2) EXPERIMENTALLY. To know in Scripture is to see and to taste. It is not the speculative knowledge that devils have, nor mere historical knowledge, but such as a hungry man has when he eats, and a thirsty man when he drinks. It is appropriative of Christ — "My Lord," "My Saviour." (3) SUPERLATIVELY. The widest and most delightful knowledge: the Excellency of knowledge.
THE PROFIT FROM KNOWLEDGE
“For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:8).
The benefit of the knowledge we add to our faith cannot be measured. The profit from Knowledge manifest itself in our daily life when exercised that through the grace of God (Hebrews 5:14). Some very knowledgeable Christians have gotten themselves into trouble because they did not exercise the knowledge in wisdom.
Therefore, there are numerous benefits of Knowledge:
1) Understand Satan's Strategies: Godly knowledge enable us to understand Satan's craftiness and move and thereby helps us avoid falling into his traps. “Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices” (2 Corinth 2:11). “See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil” (Eph 5:15-16).
2) Discern God's Will: A deeper knowledge enables us to discern and approve God's good, acceptable, and perfect will (Romans 12:2).
3) Navigate Life's Affairs: Knowledge guides us in using the appropriate means and timing to address life's challenges.
4) Exercise Discernment: Knowledge empowers us to exercise sound judgment in relationships, settings, and decisions.
5) Anticipate Consequences: We gain the ability to consider the outcomes of our actions, it enabls us to act prudently.
6) Fulfil Duties: Knowledge guides us in the proper methods and best practices for fulfilling our responsibilities.
7) Channel Zeal: Proper knowledge ensures that our zeal aligns with wisdom, avoiding misguided zeal (Romans 10:2).
8) Preserve and Enhance Faith: Knowledge enhances our faith and helps us courageously preserve and exercise it.
PROCURE THE KNOWLEDGE
How then can we get this knowledge?
(1) Given by God: First, we must see the need for it, desire it and ask God for it. Paul prayed, “That I may know you”. King Solomon saw the need for wisdom and knowledge, in the discharge of his public duties aright, he therefore sought the face of God and it was granted to him. ““Give me now wisdom and knowledge, Wisdom and knowledge is granted unto thee” (2 Chro.1:10-12). (1King 3:9; Pro. 2:2-6; 3:13-18; 4:7; James 1:5).
(2) Through Association and Experiences: When we get into a deeper relationship with God we will get to know His going out and His coming in. You must become a companion of God. Turn with conversant confidence to God in the face of trials and affliction. King David and Job, to mention but a few, were men who knew God by association and experience in trials. (Job 22:21) Eliphaz admonished “Acquaint now thyself with him” It is the duty and interest of every one of us to acquaint himself with God. We must acquire knowledge through experience. Like godliness – you will not ever know the blessings of godliness no matter how much you read about it, until you just start living it! Like patience, you may have to go through trials to appreciate grace and patience and rewards for endurance. We must get the knowledge of Him, fix our affections on him, and join ourselves to him in a covenant relationship.
(3) Acquired through Study and Prayer: We are to be adding the knowledge of the Bible constantly to our minds and hearts. This is the very life of our lives: the very soul of our faith - the Word of God. If we intend to be diligent Christians, able to stand against the wiles of the devil, there is no other formula on earth but the Word of God, which is a sharp two-edged sword against all attacks.
CONCLUSION
To mature in Christ, the acquisition of knowledge is paramount. Knowledge of God: Understand and know the Lord's character – His majesty, love, and wrath. Recognize His supreme authority and respond with reverence (Jeremiah 9:24; Daniel 4:35, 37; 2 Peter 1:6). Knowledge of Christ: Cultivate an intimate understanding of Christ – His essence, teachings, and sacrifice (Ephesians 1:17; 2 Peter 1:3). Continually explore deeper depths of His nature. Knowledge of His Will: Seek wisdom and spiritual understanding to know and align with God's will (Colossians 1:9; Ephesians 5:17). Acquaint yourself with His desires and purpose for your life.
To grow in Christ, one must have knowledge of the word of God. The word of God is to shape our lives in holiness so that as He is holy, we can be holy. The word of God also teaches us by the example of godly men and women who served God in difficult situations and stood against all the odds of their lives. We can also learn how Jesus Christ walked: how He acted, how He answered His critics, His love, His anger, His doctrine, and His sacrifice. This is Knowledge. As we add it to our faith we are able to use it in handling situations in life. This knowledge must be sought, acquired, utilized and grown in it.
The Word of God molds us in holiness and instructs us through the experiences of godly individuals. Through knowledge, we emulate Christ's example, navigate challenges, and make informed decisions. Seek, acquire, utilize, and grow in knowledge as a transformative force on your journey of faith.
God bless you as you appropriate these word in your life
Still yours in the Lord’s Vine Yard
Prof. S.E MUAGBA
(Free to ask any question concerning the Christian Faith) – [email protected]; WhatsApp: +2348052744002
