KNOWLEDGE OF GOD (5)

“For I KNOW Whom I have BELIEVED and am PERSUADED that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day” – 2 Timothy 1:12b

The True KNOWLEDGE of GOD transcends mere mental assent, to believing and becoming fully persuaded: “For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I KNOW Whom I have BELIEVED and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day” (2 Tim.1:12). The measure of our knowing will determine the measure of our believing and being persuaded. The more we know God, the stronger we become – spiritually, morally, mentally, and physically (Dan.11:32a). When we know Him enough, we become stronger in our confidence in Him, filled with a holy assurance, and enabled to endure and overcome adversity, trials, and any kind of affliction. We become better empowered to meet and overcome doubt, temptation, evil, and those things that displease Him.

In inspiring Timothy, his son in the faith, Paul explained how he suffered deeply because of the Gospel of Christ. But far from complaining, Paul knew that the Glory of the Gospel and the eternal truths that it contains far outweigh the pain of persecution (vv.8-11). Having grown to love and trust His precious Saviour passionately and intimately, he proved in every circumstance of life that God’s Grace was sufficient to meet all his needs. The sufferings endured only caused his knowledge, faith and conviction to grow stronger as he set his mind on the blessed hope of Christ and of eternity to come! Paul was confident in Christ’s faithfulness to finish His good work in him.

Job also knew God and declared: “For I KNOW that my Redeemer lives, and He shall stand at last on the earth” (Job 19:25). Isaiah 40: 28-29 asks: “Have you not KNOWN? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, The Lord, The Creator of the ends of the earth, neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He INCREASES STRENGTH.” It all begins with a Call to Knowledge! Then, when we are strong, we can do exploits – great and daring feats – for God; like the gallery of the Heroes of Faith (Hebrews 11), or the apostles and early Christians who risked their lives for the name of the Lord (Acts 15:26).

If we really know God and are made strong in Him, we shall do exploits: By prayers – moving the Arm that rules the world; and by witnessing, following the footsteps of triumphant Believers, whose hearts were so full of the love of Christ that their lips and lives were constantly filled with the message of the Gospel as they went everywhere witnessing to God’s Power and Grace. Those are Proofs of Persuasion! Let us unashamedly draw closer to our faithful Father-God in confident assurance that He will carry to completion all we have entrusted to Him.