Knowing God through JESUS CHRIST is not only a mental ability, because He is God and a Spirit one has to know Him by exercising our spirit to remain in the HOLY SPIRIT to also know Him and receive revelations.
It’s not by might or by having a thirty minutes reading of the Holy Bible weekly in CHURCH. It’s not enough or by just doing a mental or a few minutes quizzes in our churches whilst two to three hours of CHURCH service is on social fantasies.
The way of Jesus Christ is practical experience and living without ceasing with PRAYERS and sometimes with fasting. Reading the revelations Bro. Peter has expressed here is profound.
The knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
[2 Peter 1:5-9 HCSB] “For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with goodness, goodness with knowledge, knowledge with self-control, self-control with endurance, endurance with godliness, godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.“
“For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they will keep you from being useless or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. The person who lacks these things is blind and shortsighted and has forgotten the cleansing from his past sins.”
It is not enough for a believer to only declare love for Christ and willingness to be His disciple. The Bible says faith comes by hearing, notice the “ing” which tells us that it is a continuous thing, and just as no one is perfect, the same way no one person can know it all. It is not good to relegate studying of the Bible to only Pastors and preachers.
Every professing Christian should plan an in-depth study of Scripture as a priority. Join Bible study classes and read more books so you do not become stagnant in your spiritual growth, help advance God’s work in any way you can.
Our passage begins with the clause “for this reason” after reading through, one may ask, for what reason? In verse 3, we read, He has given us everything required for life and godliness through the knowledge of Him…the key expression here is the “knowledge of Him” If we neglect to seek this knowledge we avail ourselves to deception, as we clearly see all over the world today.
Then comes verse 4 and Peter says, By these, He has given us very great and precious promises, very great? Yes! Beloved if anyone could assimilate even 10% of Scripture, that person would live in peace for the rest of his life. Remember where Scripture says, for lack of knowledge my people perish?
So Peter says, having heard the gospel and having been made a part of the body of Christ through the Holy Spirit (remember Christ said, no one can come to me except my Father draws him, it is not you but God, boast not) small candlelight of faith is placed in your heart.
Now immediately the light comes on, the evil winds of the rulers of this world will begin to blow at it from all directions, most candles get blown off because their hearts aren’t ready to forgo their lusts. But if anyone wishes to remain in Christ this is what he is to do. Let your newfound faith be put into action. This is also known as the fruits of the Holy Spirit, i.e good works.
Then there will be a yearning in your heart to know more about Christ in Scripture, not only on Sunday but through various Bible study meetings and a self-study pattern, reading books, and perhaps even going to seminary if God so wills, there should be no limit to your search to know more about Christ.
Yet no learning will be possible without self-discipline and control of one’s lifestyle, this is because more knowledge will bring into attention habitual sins which must be dealt with. Only those who will endure can truly manifest godliness, with which we learn to forgive those who sin against us, and even pray for them in brotherly love and affection. Finally, Peter, says we must learn to LOVE, for God is love.
His love is to spiritually assimilate individual members of the flock to eschew racism, nationalism and make us all one organic body brethren. As our singular body shows with its sinews and joints
We deceive ourselves when we say we love God who we do not see, but hate our family members, friends, colleagues, and the rest of humanity around us who we see. Now, that is maturity, and it’s got nothing to do with age but obedience to God’s word. Shalom!
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