2Peter 1:5 Adding knowledge to our faith: There is a general knowledge of God, that which “has been made” - creation itself - as we will see in Psalm 19 and Romans 1, then there is the very expression of the truth of God in the word of God, the very specific revelation of God, God-breathed by His Spirit through men - the scriptures. Then there is the Word of God - that is Jesus John 1 and Hebrews 1, along with Colossians 1.
Adding knowledge - wisdom, and discernment - to my experience with God, that up-close and personal experiential encounter with God, is my knowing God by God’s own touching, calling, forgiving and saving, wrestling with and changing, transforming my heart - meeting me where I am - revealing Himself to me. That is one kind of knowledge - and it is, for most of us, our first encounter with God. But, it cannot be the only encounter we have with God.
There is another encounter to be had, a consistent, persistent ongoing encounter - bits of knowledge we must seek coming to know God by experience, we now add another knowledge, that of knowing more about Him through His Self-revelation - as to gain more from Him that we might know Him better, love and trust Him more, and be more and more transformed in mind, and conformed in our likeness of His Son - to Jesus and His life in us - that we might love as Jesus loves, as we have been loved.
But not just love, but learn and practice a wise love - that is to love wisely, goodly, that the ongoing adding of this more precise knowledge would inform our good love and service that we are (already) adding to our faith.
How, you might ask? By adding knowledge to my faith’s the expression of Jesus’ goodness - service, adding to that virtuous service, knowledge - continually growing in wisdom and discernment of God and God’s will and applying that to life’s encounters.
Where do we get this knowledge?
1. Creation - first and most general Psalm 19:1-6 (Job 38-40; Ps 138; Isa 40; Romans 1:19-20,22)
Romans 1:19-20,22
2. God’s word. (...and Spirit - the Spirit of Truth 1John ) Ps 19:7-13;
2Timothy 3:16 “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness” NIV
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, NIV
All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. NLT
All Scripture is God-breathed [given by divine inspiration] and is profitable for instruction, for conviction [of sin], for correction [of error and restoration to obedience], for training in righteousness [learning to live in conformity to God’s will, both publicly and privately—behaving honorably with personal integrity and moral courage] AMP
Deuteronomy 29:29 The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, so that we may follow all the words of this law.
2Peter 1:21 For no such prophecy was ever brought forth by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit
2Timothy 4:2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
Proverbs 6:23 For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:
3. Jesus - the one of whom creation speaks, the one to whom the Word points (Isaiah 53)
John 1:1-4, 9-14
John 5:39 “You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me...”
Colossians 1:15-20
Hebrews 1:1-4
Luke 24:25-27,44
4. God’s testimony of His work, that leads to our testimony concerning Him, God, and His transforming power in our lives by His grace
Ephesians 2:6-10
1Peter 3:14-17
