KNOWLEDGE OF GOD (6)

“But GROW in GRACE and KNOWLEDGE of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ” – 2 Peter 3:18a

No human or other creature can ever outgrow the KNOWLEDGE of GOD: “But GROW in GRACE and KNOWLEDGE of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen” (2 Pet.3:18). In this realm of Time, our limited senses can only touch the fringes of the Knowledge of “the King eternal, Immortal, Invisible, the only wise God” (1 Tim.1:17a, KJV). “His understanding is unsearchable” (Isa.40:28b). Romans 11:33 exclaims: “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and KNOWLEDGE of GOD! How unsearchable are His judgements and His ways past finding out!” Despite the inability to outgrow the Knowledge of God, we do well to pursue and progress in it; to GROW in GRACE and KNOWLEDGE of the Lord!

To claim to know God in totality is to assert independence of Him. No creature can ever become absolutely independent of his Maker. On this side of eternity, “whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part” (1 Cor.13: 8b-9). Temporal knowledge is transient and will ultimately be subsumed in the Ocean of the Eternal Knowledge of God. For now, we know in part, including our knowledge of God. On the other side of eternity, “we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is” (1 Jh.3:2b). That “we shall BE LIKE HIM” does not interpret as “we shall BE HIM”! GOD will forever remain GOD; and from eternity to eternity, we shall continue to experience and enjoy the unveiling of His infinite, immeasurable, unlimited, and endless Knowledge.

We’re cautioned to not be “led away with the error of the wicked” (v.17b). Part of the error of Lucifer was to assume that he knew the Almighty God fully, as to become independent of Him. He Who knows the thoughts of all hearts, heard Lucifer say in his heart: “I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne ABOVE the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend ABOVE the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High” (Isa.14:13-14). The rebel thought he had outgrown God’s Knowledge to the extent of exalting his throne ABOVE the stars of God and ascending ABOVE the heights, but he was promptly cut down (Isa.14:15).

We’re called to GROW in GRACE and KNOWLEDGE, both of which demand humility: “Be clothed with humility, for “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (1 Pet.5:5b; Jam.4:6). Those who, like Lucifer, rebel in pride against the Knowledge of God, are left with their futile thoughts, foolish, darkened, hearts, and vile passions (Rom.1: 21-26). Those who reject His Knowledge are rejected by Him (Hos.4:6). We shall grow in God’s Knowledge for His Glory, now and forever. Amen!