No 30

(Knowledge)

“The people that do know their God shall be strong.” (Daniel 11:32b)

Every believer understands that to know God is the highest and best form of knowledge and this spiritual knowledge is a source of strength to the Christian. It strengthens his or her faith. Believers are constantly spoken of in the Scriptures as being persons who are enlightened and taught of the Lord. The Bible says “But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things” (1 John 2:20). It is the Spirit’s job to lead us into all truth and all this to increase our faith. Knowledge strengthens love as well as faith. Knowledge opens the door and then through that door we see our Saviour or, to use another example, knowledge paints the portrait of Jesus and when we see that portrait then we love him. We cannot love a Christ whom we do not know.

If we know only little of Jesus, what He has done for us, and what He is doing for us now, we cannot love Him much; but the more we know Him, the more we will love Him. Knowledge also strengthens hope. How can we hope for a thing if we do not know of its existence? Knowledge supplies us reasons for patience. How shall we have patience unless we know something of the sympathy of Christ and understand the good which is to come out of the correction which our heavenly Father sends us? Nor is there one single grace of the Christian which, under God, will not be brought to perfection by holy knowledge. How important then are the words of Peter in his epistle: “But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen” 2 Peter 3:18)?