Category: Knowledge
Subject: Knowledge
The Response of Faith
The apostle Peter began his second epistle with a proclamation of God’s mercy and grace. With His divine power, He “has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness.” Further, “by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises.” Because of this, we “may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust” (1:2-4).
What a wonderful expression of God’s love. He determined to save man from Himself, and sent His Son. It is through Jesus that God has “blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 1:3). When we have gained so much from Him, the obvious question we should be asking is—how should we respond to His munificence? Continue reading “The Response of Faith”
Sermon: Knowledge VS Love
Knowledge can bring arrogance, if it is not tempered by the love of a Christian. Though knowledge is good, love must be present too, in order to please God.
A Stone’s Throw
A few weeks ago my son Jeremiah preached a lesson titled, “The Distance Greater Than a Stone’s Throw.” The principles found in that lesson are worthy of examination, and I would like to adapt his teaching in this article.
The reference is to Jesus’ prayer in the garden of Gethsemane on the night of his betrayal, (Luke 22 & Matthew 26). Matthew reveals that after entering the garden, Jesus, Peter, James and John walked a bit further into the garden. There, Jesus left the three of them, and “He was withdrawn from them about a stone’s throw” (Luke 22:41), where He began to pray to His Father. He was in agony. After finding them asleep, Jesus said to Peter, “What! Could you not watch with Me one hour? Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matthew 26: 40-41).
Practical Christian Attributes
The apostle Peter promised that the adding of various attributes to our faith will preclude us being “barren [or] unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” In fact, “you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:8,10-11).
We might ask why are these attributes key? It is because they equip us to act and to be the type of people who please God. They direct us in the paths of righteousness! This is especially true in our interactions with others. Remember, the two great commandments are to love God and love your neighbor (cf. Matthew 22:37-40). If we keep the necessity of love for God and man at the forefront of our thinking, it is easy to see why Peter would call for these qualities to be present in our lives.
The Patternists: Paul – A Simple Apostle
Question: Who was the most educated apostle among Jesus’ chosen men? We know that Peter, Andrew, James and John were simple fishermen in Galilee. Matthew was a tax collector, typically indicating some business acumen. Little is known from scripture about the other seven men’s educational background.
An interesting statement is made about Peter and John after their arrest for teaching “in Jesus the resurrection from the dead” (Acts 4:2). Luke records Peter’s address to the Sanhedrin, and the response of the assembly, “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus” (4:13).
Sermon: Paul’s Prayer for the Colossians (1:9-14)
The lesson is a discussion of Paul’s prayer, in (1:9-14), where he prayed that the Colossians would be filled with knowledge, walk worthily, and be strengthened.
COVID-19 (22) Processing a Pandemic
I came across a gem this morning from Warren King. He shared a chart (see the picture accompanying this article), with the premise “Who do I want to be during COVID-19? Though Warren didn’t make the chart, he shared it on Facebook. In the comments, a point was made that the chart mirrored the process that we go through when grieving. The five famous steps of grief: Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression and Acceptance.
In this chart are listed three ways people are handling the pandemic. Fear, Learning and Growth. The process is seen over and over again in life, and is certainly valid here. I would like to share a few thoughts about what is noted in the chart.
Proper Attitudes Toward Knowledge
It is right to emphasize the importance of gaining knowledge of God’s word. The Psalmist expressed the proper attitude toward seeking such knowledge when he wrote, “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night” (Psalm 1:1-2). However, it must be recognized that gaining knowledge is the means to an end in its impact on the Christian’s faith. It is not an end in itself. Our standing with God is not dependent upon of our knowledge of truth per se, but upon our acceptance of Jesus Christ as Lord.
One might object that knowledge of Christ is necessary for that acceptance, and that is entirely true. Jesus affirmed this very thing when he said to a group of Jews who expressed their faith in Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:31-32). We are to be disciples of Christ. To be His disciples, we must know and adopt His teachings. However, it is important to remember that the newborn babe in Christ is as accepted of God as the most mature Christian. Immediately upon being washed in the blood of the Lamb, we receive the forgiveness of our sins, and can claim the right to an eternal inheritance. The Ethiopian Eunuch who “went on his way rejoicing” (cf. Acts 8:39) immediately following his baptism, had equal claim to the heavenly Father as the aged Paul, who had “fought the good fight” (cf. 2 Timothy 4:7) as a learned and mature apostle of the Lord. Continue reading “Proper Attitudes Toward Knowledge”
FB: How to Gain Wisdom
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding” (Proverbs 9:10).
Wisdom begins with a “fear of the Lord.” That means that if one does not fear God, he can not be wise. Perhaps that is why Paul wrote so dismissively of the wisdom of men, “Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men” (1 Corinthians 1:25).
“Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?” (1:21). If you truly desire to be wise, fearing and knowing God is the place to begin.
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Can We KNOW We Are Right?
We live in a postmodern age, one that has rejected the idea of absolute and verifiable truth. In the minds of many, the only intolerable contention is that we may know truth. Is this right? Is it possible to know (be certain) that we are right? The answer is most certainly yes!
To be clear, we are not maintaining that we have obtained perfect and complete knowledge of God’s word. The process of maturity is an ongoing one. However, an answer to this question will give us confidence as we seek to defend the truth against the various errors we confront. If we are given the charge to “contend earnestly for the faith once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3), it logically follows that said faith is verifiable and knowable.
Sermon: Knowledge Puffs Up
The title of the sermon is a reference to Paul’s statement in 1 Corinthians 8:1-3. Throughout the ages, an inappropriate attitude toward knowledge has led to arrogance and other sins. An appropriate attitude towards truth acknowledges its importance regarding the salvation of man, but that knowledge itself is not the end, but rather a means to obtaining that end, the salvation of the soul.
Invitation: Growing in Grace and Knowledge
Invitation delivered by: Jerry Gallman
To grow in the favor of God, it is necessary to know God’s will for man. Growth in knowledge through study leads to growing in the favor or grace of God (cf. 2 Peter 3:18).
Sermon: Ignorance II
This lesson is a sequel to one preached on June 26, 2011. In this lesson an emphasis is placed on the danger of being ignorant of God’s word. We need to know of God’s goodness and righteousness; what is required for the conversion of man; the jurisdiction of the law; and the nature of the Christian’s hope. An ignorance of these things can cost a man his soul.
Sermon Powerpoint: Click Here .
Sermon Audio: Click Here .
Sermon: Spiritual Maturity
This sermon by Josh Cox examines the text of 2 Peter 1:5-11 to determine the characteristics that make for Spiritual Maturity. (Virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness and love).
Sermon Powerpoint: Click Here .
Sermon Audio: Click Here .
Sermon: That You May Be Filled
This sermon is an exegetical treatment of Colossians 1:9-19. The text relates Paul’s prayer on behalf of the Colossians, “that you may be filled…” Also, the Preeminence of Christ is revealed and discussed.
Sermon Audio: Click Here .
