Christ-followers are instructed to examine and meditate on the Word of God, because the knowledge God wants us to know is from Him. The knowledge of God's Word will build you up, and deliver your God-given inheritance into your hands (Acts 20:32). Have we dealt drastically with all sin and every doubtful thing in these tents? 2:21b). She could only worship God. But to say that those in verse 9 are not truly saved, you must say that they were never really purified from their former sins; they only claimed to be purified, perhaps through baptism. Whats in it for us? When you embrace, promote, and exalt wisdom, you will get the amazing benefits of having wisdom and knowledge, which are: Therefore, eternal life is the knowledge of God, the Holy One. But if you can shrug off the cross, then you arent headed for heaven. Wisdom has the advantage of giving success. Alternatively, you could say the prayer at the end of this article then find guidance on what to do after saying the prayer from HERE. Verse 28 tells us this: and light will shine on your ways. For I have never eaten anything common or unclean. And a voice spoke to him again the second time, What God has cleansed you must not call common. This was done three times. Also, we begin to find a new desire for the things which give Him pleasure look up Psalm 37:4. Godly discernment and wisdom must be added to knowledge. We have hope in God and His son and one of the benefits of reading the Bible is to gain hope from Him and His Word. You realize that it is all due to Gods sovereign grace in calling and choosing you while you were still in your sins. The highest good is not helping people, it is not attaining great wealth, it not attaining tremendous knowledge. Should we give assurance of salvation immediately after a person professes faith in Christ, or should that come later? As we get to know God, our delight increases in His gifts, His service, His house, but most of all, in Himself! If the Holy Spirit has imparted a word of knowledge to you, know that God has and will continue to equip you with all the spiritual tools necessary to carry out your spiritual assignment. Dawn assists author and radio host Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth with research and works with various departments at Revive Our Hearts. The Word of Knowledge | Discover What It Is, Its Purpose, and How to Know that wisdom is thus for your soul;If you find it, then there will be a future,And your hope will not be cut off. Only then can you enjoy the amazing benefits of having wisdom and knowledge. John Calvin observes (Calvins Commentaries [Baker], on 2 Peter 1:8, p. 374), For the knowledge of Christ is an efficacious thing and a living root, which brings forth fruit. In other words, if God has opened your eyes to the glory of the gospel of Christ (2 Cor. In Isaiah 1:18, people are urged to reason or consider with Him concerning sin and how to be forgiven. God placeda tree of the knowledge of good and evil in Eden, and commanded Adam and Eve not to eat of the tree. Please note, our website requires JavaScript to be supported. If not, how can you gain this motivation. I hope this doesnt describe you, because diligence in the things of God is of critical importance. Just as spending time with any friend or family member. (3:57). This kind of wisdom describes perception with discernment. For them, clear thinking held the key to success To act as a witness within and outside the Body. . Even if you are already a believer, rereading the words reminds us that He gave His only son for us to live in Him. However, God has blessed Believers with a word of knowledge for a couple of specific reasons within that purpose. Sofaith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.. Knowledge and understanding will help Christians train others. And all desirable things cannot compare with her. To gain this kind of 1. in all areas of life. You cant find that anywhere but by reading scripture. Maybe, like those in verse 9, you have forgotten what Christ did for you at the cross. And by knowledge the rooms are filledWith all precious and pleasant riches. This page/post may contain affiliate links. Nobody in their right mind would set out at age 20 and say, Id like to waste my life! Nobody writes out a plan for a wasted life: I think Ill devote three hours per day, 21 hours per week, to watching television! (That is the national average!) So, the benefits of being diligent to grow in godliness are fruitfulnessyou wont waste your life; and, assurance that God called and chose you to eternal life, as confirmed by your desire to be diligent to grow in godliness. Millions of people know about Him who do not really know Him. Bringing to mind the gift of knowledge - NewSpring Church This means that we shall be weaned away from earthly and temporal things, for which we may be very grateful but which will always disappoint, and we shall find our true satisfaction in the Lord Himself, who never changes and who will never disappoint (Hebrews 13:8). Unwillingness was the case in a sober passage about knowledge, Hosea 4:6: My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge. Gods people rejected knowledge of His laws. The One New Man Network acts as a voice to the Nations, walking out the instructions of Mark 16:15, Go into all the world and preach and publish openly the good news (the Gospel) to every creature. With the vision to preach and to publish openly the good news, The One New Man Network brings a message of salvation that can be heard throughout the Nations of the World! in a secular home. The words of a mans mouth are deep waters; The fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook. A person can be knowledgeable without being wise. Copyright, Steven J. Cole, 2010, All Rights Reserved. Seek wisdom, understanding, and knowledge by searching the Bible. He insisted that people cannot enter it without living in a godly way.. and takethe helmet of salvation, andthe sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. WE SHALL BE BUILT UP Verse 23 tells us this. If the axe is dull and he does not sharpen its edge, then he must exert more strength. The Bible is filled with Gods promises. Rather, in the context of the false teachers who had turned away from the faith, Peter means that if you are diligent to grow in godliness and thus confirm your calling and election, you will not turn away from God and commit apostasy as the false teachers had done (Thomas Schreiner, The New American Commentary, 1, 2 Peter, Jude [Broadman & Holman Publishers], p. 305). And fear of the Lord (reverence for Him) is the beginning of all wisdom. Growing in godliness requires diligence and results in assurance of salvation (1:10a). What, then, is the good that comes by knowing God? Whelchel says that at first glance the terms seem almost interchangeable, but there are differences. What motivates you to keep at it? The topaz of Ethiopia cannot equal it,Nor can it be valued in pure gold. (16:22). What biblical criteria are there? Wisdom, understanding, and knowledge are Spirits. In wisdom, understanding, and knowledge, God founded the earth, established the heavens, broke up the depths, and clouds drop down the dew. One cannot understand the fight against slavery, the women's suffrage movement, or the Civil Rights movement without knowledge of the Bible. In light of these great benefits, be diligent to grow in godliness. Will God forgive me for losing hope and the will to live? God says to love Him with our whole being, including the mind. Prayer is the great privilege of every Christian, even the youngest; but the testimony of the whole Bible and of experience proves that it is the people who really know God intimately who receive answers to their prayers look up 1 John 3:22 and 5:14-15. Wisdom is gained from God's Word. And I saw that wisdom excels folly as light excels darkness. Its all in there. We will not fall away from the faith. We have the very life of God in us. Forwhatever was written in former days was written for ourinstruction, that through endurance and throughthe encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.. People of faith could learn from Old Testament saints mistakes. She is more precious than jewels;And nothing you desire compares with her. It cannot be valued in the gold of Ophir. Knowledge is neither ethically nor morally neutral. And the object was taken up into heaven again.Acts 10:9-16, His vision was an impartation of knowledge. But, your tent may refer not only to the body but to the home and the business. The Christian attitude should be life-long learningThe more I learn, the more I realize how much I needto learn. The heart attitudes of humility and love should guide all intellectual pursuits and engagement. Seeking the Gospel in Malachi, the Last Book of the Old Testament. for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he isa child. Knowledge forever pursues the truth. The Biblical Benefits of Adding Knowledge In Your Life But there are thousands of faithful, fruitful men and women whose names are known only to God. 3. If this sounds familiar, it could mean that you have the gift of a word of knowledge waiting to be released, stretching out the tent of Gods Kingdom. When we put on the armor of God, through reading scripture, we become enabled to battle and are strengthened through God and His Word. What are the benefits of knowing God? Curt Landry was born and raised in Los Angeles, C.A. Solomon and the wise men of Israel prized wisdom, understanding, and knowledge as crucial to living prosperously, safely, and effectively. My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: Hosea 4:6a KJV. Please refer to the image below these scriptures for a summary. As with all spiritual gifts, the word of knowledge is meant to build up and edify the Body of Believers. To learn more about my story and my walk with God, check out my story, ESVScripture quotations are from The ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Before we see how having wisdom, knowledge, and understanding will benefit you, let us look at how some people in the Bible already enjoyed these benefits. Knowledge and understanding help believers identify, avoid, and rebuke false teaching (2 Thessalonians 3:14; 2 John 1:10; 1 Timothy 5:19-20; 6:3-5). But, does Peter mean that if you are diligent to practice these qualities you will never sin? Jesus says, I am the way, the truth, and the life. Instead, it started with everything the Serpent saidthat Eve decided to believe., The battle of people choosing between good and bad knowledge continues throughout Scripture and to our present day. It's also the ability to speak wisely and knowingly about a situation with truth from the Bible. They have two married sons and three granddaughters. Then in verses 5-7, he shows our responsibility to grow in godliness, as summarized by seven qualities that we are to add to our faith. The benefits of growing in godliness are fruitfulness, For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror.. As a result, there are thousands of professing Christians who are not growing in godliness, but they think that they are eternally secure in Christ. The way you do that is to be diligent to grow in godliness. D.L. May the Holy Spirit guide you as you read. Amazing benefits of having wisdom and knowledge When you embrace, promote, and exalt wisdom, you will get the amazing benefits of having wisdom and knowledge, which are: Honor but before honor is humility (Proverbs 15:33) Grace Glory Promotion Your steps will not be hindered You will not stumble (Proverbs 4:8-13) Verse Concepts. Good comes to those who are adding the knowledge of God to their life continually. Seeking and gaining biblically based knowledge. 1:4-5). It is through the Holy Spirit that we can repent of sin. (10:21), Understanding is a fountain of life to one who has it,But the discipline of fools is folly. Solomon said, Of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body; but that doesnt mean education is useless. Effective written communication skills to . 15 Benefits Of Reading The Bible To Nourish Your Spirit The devil loves to blind the minds of people so they will be easy prey. As a pastor, its easy to fall into the trap of thinking that fruitfulness is measured in terms of numbers: If I can pastor a large, growing church, write best-selling books, and travel all over the world to influence thousands of other Christian leaders, I will be fruitful. Ministering to large numbers may indicate success in human terms, but we need to measure fruitfulness by Gods criteria. In Job 22:21-29, which section of scripture is introduced by our key verse, we are told of the good, the blessing, the benefits which will come to us if we really know God. But through knowledge the righteous will be delivered. He began to comprehend a revelation that was released through Christs blood. To enjoy the amazing benefit from having wisdom and knowledge, once you have acquired them, you need to do the following: Wisdom is God, and He desires for you to know and understand Him. This is one of the most impactful and important benefits of reading the Bible. That emphasis continued through the Sunday school movement and the establishment of universities as religious institutions. When we add knowledge in our lives, we will increase in strength. Why expend the energy and discipline to set your alarm early enough to get out of bed and spend time with the Lord each morning? Reflected in OT wisdom is the There are at least five reasons why knowledge and understanding are important for Christ-followers. As they practice these things, it will safeguard them from stumbling in the sense of falling away from the faith. In many contexts, it denotes the ability to discern, based on past experience, the difference between two things (Genesis We adhere to biblically based moral and ethical principles, and maintain these principles both in public and in private. All rights reserved. When Satan questioned Gods commandment in Eves presence, she chose to disobey God, as did Adam (Genesis 3:1-6). There are at least five reasons why knowledge and understanding are important for Christ-followers. I am Patience Lancelot. So she came to Jerusalem to test Solomon with hard questions. God gives wisdom, and we see in Daniel 1:17-20 that the king found Daniel and his friends to have wisdom and understanding that were ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers in his entire realm. I hope with these few examples that you are eager to know the amazing benefits of having wisdom and knowledge in your life. Believers need to know the tactics of the enemySatan's wicked schemes ( 2 Corinthians 2:11 ). The original Hebrew word emphasizes accuracy and the ability to sense what And the level of peace you experience in your life is all determined by how much you know of God and His Word. The more intimate your relationship with Jesus, the better youre your life will become. The Net Pastors Journal, Eng. Can a true Christian fall away from the faith permanently? Believers hold to the Lords teachings so they can live in the truth (John 8:31-32). document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Billy Graham describes the gift of knowledge in his book "The Holy Spirit" as, "That knowledge which is the gift of the Spirit is based on . Human intellect needs to be redeemed so believers will have the mind of Christ and have their thoughts transformed (1 Corinthians 2:16; Romans 12:2). Lesson 4: The Benefits of Growing in Godliness (2 Peter 1:8-11) - Bible Have them constantly in your mind and heart. Lets review the definitions of wisdom, understanding, and knowledge. Find guidance on how to proceed with your life in Jesus HERE. You will also learn the importance of tithing and how that directly impacts your prosperity. Ed, Issue 46, Winter 2023. Believers who are cultivating the godly qualities listed in verses 5-7 are walking closely with the Lord. The Bible uses this of Gods all-knowing Learning more about Him and his commands will help us mature as believers. But, to put it positively, how can I be useful and fruitful in my Christian life? Therefore knowledge is emphasized in the Bible as the highest priority. You read in Romans 15:5-6 of Gods design that we are to work together as one for His glory. As 1 John 2:3 says, By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. And, you take none of the credit for your salvation. The Bible actually says to let them be an ornament to grace your neck. Job shared that, as well as David in the Psalms. Christ-followers desperately need solid biblical teaching in the church and through personal Bible study. He created human intellect, giving mankind the ability to think, comprehend, reason, and remember. What distinguished these faithful saints to God and made them fruitful was that they devoted themselves to growing in godliness. How much better it is to get wisdom than gold!And to get understanding is to be chosen above silver. It increases our knowledge of God.