Looking Ahead

When you begin a new year you often look ahead but it is also helpful to look back and remember what God has done. Samuel did this when he set up a memorial stone and called it Ebenezer saying, "Thus far has the LORD helped us."

Knowledge 2

Knowledge is one of the key words of 2 Peter. So what is it we are to know?
First, we must have a Biblical world view. This comes by knowing the truths of the Old Testament, especially the first eleven chapters of Genesis. This tells us where we came from (creation), what went wrong (the fall) and what God is doing to set it right (redemption).
Second, we need to know the Gospel. This is explained for us in 1 Corinthians 15:3,4. Christ died for our sins, He was buried, He rose again and He appeared in the flesh.
Third, we need to know essential doctrines: The infallibility of Scripture, the deity of Christ, the Virgin Birth and the miracles of Christ, Christ’s substitutionary death and Christ’s physical resurrection and eventual return.

Knowledge

I am not a Greek scholar but I do know that there are three different Greek words for knowledge. The first is "oida" which is cognitive head knowledge which we might translate as "to see". The second is "gnosko" which is experienced knowledge or the act of believing. The third is "epignosko" which means full knowledge both experienced and believed.
Peter begins by using the word "epignosko" when he says, "Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord." 2 Peter 1:2 It is the same word that Paul uses in Romans 1:28 when he says "since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God".
Peter uses the word "gnosko" at the end of his letter, "But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever!" 2 Peter 3:18. This is the same word that Paul uses in Romans 10:2, "For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge."
Peter reminds his readers that they have this full knowledge that is both revealed and experienced and at the end of his letter he tells them that they must continue to grow in that knowledge.
Tomorrow I want to write about those things that we are to know, the epignosko of the Christian faith.

Bookends

Next Sunday morning I am going to start a new series on the book of 2 Peter. One of the key words in the book is knowledge. The book begins, "Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord." 2 Peter 1:2 and ends, "But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen." 2 Peter 3:18
The knowledge that Peter is referring to here is not just knowing about something but to have a firm conviction based upon truth. Peter is concerned that his readers know the truth of God's Word in their lives.

Appollo 8

It was 40 years ago tonight that this was broadcast from Appollo 8. I cannot imagine that happening today.

His Name

"For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor,Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." Isaiah 9:6
When I read what the child, the son would be called I cannot help but think of the Trinity. The Wonderful Counselor reminds me of the Holy Spirit; the Mighty God and Everlasting Father speaks of the Father while the Prince of Peace is the son. At Christmas time we often divorce the son as a child from the God head but we need to remember that He is God, God incarnate.

Worship

This morning I read the following from J. I. Packer's book, Knowing Christianity.

"Christian worship takes place only where there is knowledge of the biblical truths of creation and redemption and of the Jesus of the New Testmade made real to us by the Holy Spirit."