What Good is Knowledge?

Read 2 Peter 1:3-15.

Peter wrote these words like his last will and testament. He knew he was going to die soon and wanted all believers to know, understand, and remember what is most important about our faith: knowledge.

I think it right, as long as I am in this body to stir you up by way of reminder, since I know that the putting off of my body will be soon, as our Lord Jesus Christ made clear to me. And I will make every effort so that after my departure you may be able at any time to recall these things. (2 Peter 1:13-15, ESV)

So, I chose to go back and read where he emphasizes the word knowledge, and it is immediate:

May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus, our Lord. His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us to His own glory and excellence, by which He has granted to us His precious and very great promises, so that through them, you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control…2 Peter 1:2-5a

Knowledge is personal

Knowledge is a form of familiarity, awareness, or understanding. Knowledge is formed through experience or education. Awareness is gained by experience.

In the “with-God” life, we gain knowledge every day in His Word, our experience with Him in prayer and in our day-to-day life.

Peter knew Christ initially by walking, talking, eating, and even laughing with Him when he was here on earth. Yet, Peter had more years of knowing Christ in the Spirit. This knowledge strengthened him and allowed him to face his inevitable death without fear.

In Hosea, we find God rebuking the priest for not providing wisdom and knowledge to His people. “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge… Hosea 4:6a NIV.

Peter must have remembered this rebuke of the priests, and he desires we gain knowledge. Lack of knowledge destroys us.

Knowledge is important

Peter understood that there is a marked difference between knowing the Word of God and knowing the God of the Word. Knowing God is personal, real, and intimate. We learn about Him through His Word, but know Him through experience.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your path. (Proverbs 3:5-6 NKJV)

We know Him here, now, and today as we live the “with-God” life. We know Him emotionally, physically, relationally, spiritually, and intellectually. I believe it is impossible to walk with God every day and not know Him.

This is the truth: God has been diligently at work with you; now let us diligently work together with Him to know Him — His ways, His will, His purpose, His heart, and His thought.

We can know Him.

Knowledge is Available

It is not our will that accomplishes such knowledge (God provides it), yet nothing is accomplished without our willingness to learn. The knowledge we gain is a gift. We know nothing if we do not call to Him for wisdom.

Thus says the LORD who made the earth, the LORD who formed it to establish it — the LORD is His name: “Call to Me and I will answer you and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.” Jeremiah 33:2-3 NIV.

God wants us to come to Him for understanding, insight, and knowledge. Our knowledge of God is fewer signs and wonders and more in our daily relationship. All true wisdom ultimately begins with Him (see Proverbs 1:7 and Col 2:3).

Knowledge is significant and needful for us as disciples. The mere name defines us as listening and leaning in to learn from Christ Jesus. We are given the Spirit of truth to lead us into all truth.

The more we know God, the Holy Spirit can freely become our Teacher, Helper, Advocate, and Guide. The more we yield to Him, then more and more will we see God’s promises fulfilled in and around us.

Knowledge is Needful.

Knowledge of God needs to be personal, precise, and correct. There is only one way to gain such knowledge. It’s through your sweet, consistent, and habitual time in fellowship with Him.

As you prayerfully read Scripture, the Holy Spirit comes. He dwells in you and remains to reveal the profound things of God -the mind of Christ.

Fellowship with Him may be joyful and sweet, while at other times He may correct and discipline you. He knows our blind spots. Knowledge of God comes in measured wisdom and accurate understanding.

Each encounter with God is deep, personal, intimate, and full of knowledge. He knows what we need and gladly provides.

Knowledge in Fellowship.

In fellowship, we discover more than a love relationship. We find that grace is His divine, unmerited assistance in our journey. He gives us peace — a perfect peace of well-being, goodness, and spiritual prosperity. This grace and peace gives us freedom from fear, wrong passions, and moral conflict.

In time, we come to know Him intimately and discover His power to sustain us. He gives us the ability to live with Him and to willingly follow His lead.

The Trinity is at work to give us knowledge. The Holy Spirit ushers us into the presence of the Father. We are accepted because of Christ Jesus, and here we come to know Him — really know Him.

From Christ is the wisdom of the ages and truth from the Ancient of Days. The full, personal knowledge of God is timeless, timely, and worth every minute of your time.

Knowledge brings Trust

We desire to know Him, so we turn to Him, and His knowledge is breathed out in His Word. We learn His character, His nature and come to trust His promises. He is the One and Only Promise Keeper of 8,810 promises in the Bible.

No, I will not break my covenant; I will not take back one word of what I said. (Psalm 89:34 TLB)

For all the promises of God in Him are yes, and in Him amen, to the glory of God through us. (2 Corinthians 1:20 TLB)

As an example, here are some of the promises of God through which we come to know Him.

• Eternal life (1 John 2:24)
• New heart and forgiveness (Ez 35:36 and 1 John 1:9)
• Holy Spirit (Luke 11:13 and John 16:13)
• Provision (Phil 4:19 and Rom 8:32)
• Wisdom & guidance (James 2:5 and Ps 32:8)
• Peace (Isaiah 26:3 & Phil 4:6)
• Overcoming temptation (1 For 10:13 and James 4:7-10)
• Protection (Ps 91:4-6 and Prov 18:10)
• Resurrection (John 5:28-29, John 14:2-3, and Thes 4:15-18)

Every promise tells us something about God. Knowledge of God, knowledge with God and knowledge about God is important. The power of God can provide everything we need to live — to live the “with-God” life.

Knowledge of God is a gift

As a disciple of Christ, our main effort should be to Know Him and know Him intimately. There is no other way to gain the intent, the purpose, and the mind of Christ correctly, precisely, and personal.

We know Him because He makes Himself known. The Prophet Jeremiah and the Apostle Paul knew God.

Jeremiah knew God in prayer:

“Ah Lord God! It is You who made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and out-stretched arm! Nothing is too hard for You. You show steadfast love to the thousandth generation, but repay the guilt of parents into the laps of their children after them. O great and mighty God whose name is the LORD of hosts, great in counsel and mighty in deed; whose eyes are open to all the ways of mortal, rewarding all according to their ways and according to the fruit of their doing… Jer 32:17-29 NRSV

The Lord shows us great and mighty things hidden, which we do not know — cannot distinguish or recognize or do not understand or knowledge. God answered Jeremiah in chapter 32:26: Behold, I am the LORd, the God of all flesh. Is anything too hard for Me?”

Knowledge is of great value.

Paul knew God is experience.

In Chapter 17 of Acts, we find Paul at Mars Hill, near the Acropolis. Here, the Greeks erected idols to their gods and even held a court supervising morals, education, and religion.

The Epicureans and Stoics erected an idol to the “unknown God”. Paul told them this unknown God was known to Him.

So Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said, “Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are religious. For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription: To the Unknown God.” What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. And He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allowed periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God and perhaps feel their way toward Him and find Him. Yet, He is actually not far from each of us, for in Him, we live and move and have our being… Acts 17:22-27a

God is not remote, uninvolved in human life. He is not the divine principle of reason that permeates the cosmos (the universe). No. God is deeply engaged giving all life, breath, and everything. He assigned to each of us our nationality, gender, and time.

Paul, like Peter, wanted us to gain true knowledge. Knowledge that is personal, important, available, needful. Knowledge gained through fellowship with God that builds trust in our soul.

In the end, we learn from those who have walked the with-God life, that knowledge sustains us. Amen.

Lord, open our eyes that we may see you, clear our ears that we may hear you, and set our minds aright that we may know you. Amen

In Conclusion

I could go on and on about the value of knowledge, but I won’t. From this article alone, you capture the value of it. As a teacher, it is my desire to leave with you a passion to learn more and in the learning draw so close to God that you not only know His voice but speak His language.

What have you learned lately in your with God life?

Leaving a comment below helps us to engage with one another and “learn” from each other. Thank you for your comments.

Yours in Christ,