“Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, according as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue” (2 Peter 1:2-3).
Our first week of this study we will focus on our title “Grow” in terms of “knowledge and truth.” Just as in Peter’s day, there are false teachers lurking about trying to distort the truth of God’s Word. If we don’t grow in knowledge and truth, we can easily get caught up in their web of lies.
To combat this, we must do what our study writer suggests: “Our best defense is saturating ourselves in the Word. As we read it in context and meditate on its teachings, the Holy Spirit promises to guide us into all truth.”
Growth happens as we obtain knowledge of God’s grace through His Word. It also occurs when we, in turn, show that grace to others. Throughout this study I will be using various quotes from William Barclay’s book, The Letters of James and Peter. “In verse two of our scriptures, Peter uses the Greek word epignosis for knowledge. Epignosis can mean increasing knowledge. Gnosis meaning knowledge is preceded by the preposition epi which means toward in the direction of. Epignosis then could be interpreted as knowledge which is moving further in the direction of that which it seeks to know. Grace and peace are multiplied to the Christian as he comes to know Jesus Christ better and better.”
The Living Bible states this about verse three: “For as you know him better, he will give you, through his great power, everything you need for living a truly good life: he even shares his own glory and his own goodness with us.”
Unless you are daily growing in knowledge of God and His Word, you may not be able to discern between truth and lies. You don’t want to be a person who is swept away by “every wind of doctrine.
Sue Winchester
Missouri
PRAY TOGETHER: Praise God for the safe arrival of Leah Audrey Speer, born this morning to Daniel and Katie Speer, new FWBIM appointees to Japan. Donnie and Ruth McDonald, longtime missionaries to Japan, are the proud grandparents.
