Lesson 4

The Necessity Of Knowledge

2 Peter 1:5

We return today to the Recipe for a Fruitful Christian Life as written by Peter who spoke by inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

We have learned that the Christian life starts with faith in Christ. We are saved "by grace through faith", Ephesians 2:8. Faith is where it all must start but not where it ends. For there to be the proper spiritual growth there are some things that must be "added" one by one to your faith. The first ingredient that Peter says to "add to your faith (is) virtue (excellent morals)". First comes faith, then comes excellent morals. The ingredient is important and so is the order.

Today, we have arrived at the third ingredient in the recipe for a fruitful Christian life. Verse 5 says that to our virtue we should add "knowledge." We are just at the fifth verse of the first chapter and this the third time that Peter has used the word "knowledge". Verse 2 speaks of the knowledge of God and of Christ and verse 3 does, too. So does verse 8. In fact, all together Peter uses the word "knowledge" 7 times in the 61 verses that comprise II Peter. Peter's last word is for us to (II Peter 3:18) "grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." One gets the very strong sense here that knowledge is a very important and necessary part of the Christian life.

Let us consider today "The Necessity Of Knowledge."

Interestingly, there are two different Greek words used here for knowledge. The first Greek word translated knowledge and used four times in II Peter (1;2, 3, 8, 2:20) means "full knowledge." And the one used in verse 1:5, 6 and again in 3:18 refers more to "practical wisdom" than to information. Some people have all the "biblical data" but they do not live the Christian life! I think of the Pharisees and of the now famous Judgment Jeopardy contestant (at least here at Dearborn) Fred Smarm. Lots of "biblical data" but no practical wisdom, no Christian living. That is not to say that we don't need ever-increasing biblical knowledge. Peter expresses both ideas by using two different words. There should be ever-increasing biblical knowledge which translates into practical wisdom and Christian living.

And so, when we put this together, we discover that in order to experience a fruitful Christian life, there must be knowledge added to our faith and virtue and acquiring this knowledge requires of us two things.

Now, this is what I want you to get today. In order to "add knowledge", you must do two simple things.

Learn The Bible! - Information

Amos 8:11 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD:

Hosea 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.

A public high school in Massachusetts offered a course called The Bible As Literature to its college bound juniors and seniors. On the first day of class, the teacher gave a quiz to test the students knowledge of the Bible. Here are some of the replies which he got from students...

Sodom and Gomorrah were lovers.

Jezebel was Ahab's donkey.

The 4 Gospels were written by Matthew, Mark, Luther and John.

Eve was created from an apple.

Jesus was baptized by Moses.

And the answer that took the cake, given by a boy in top 5% of his graduating class academically was ...

Golgotha was the name of the giant who slew the Apostle David.

That's hilarious! But it's also pathetic! In a nation filled with churches and Bibles, there is a famine in the land of knowledge of the word of God. But I wonder if you would do any better?

An article in a national periodical appeared a few years back entitled, "The Startling Beliefs Of Our Future Ministers" which included the results of a survey of seminary students (studying for the ministry).

54% did not believe in a physical, bodily resurrection.

56% did not believe in the virgin birth of Christ.

71% did not believe in a literal heaven or hell.

89% did not believe in the deity of Christ.

98% did not believe in that man was separated from God because of sin.

99% did not believe in the second coming of Jesus Christ.

In other words, the majority of men training to be ministers did not believe the Bible! And a mist in the pulpit will cause a fog in the pew!

And if a preacher doesn't believe the Bible, then what is he going to preach? The answer is the he begins to preach opinion and personal convictions rather than the scriptures. And so the people in the pews don't hear the Bible and thus, don't know the Bible.

It would be a mistake to assume that the people who attend this church know the Bible. We don't want to make any mistaken assumptions.

The Divine Design of the Church is to Teach. Remember our Great Commission? "Teach all nations ... teaching them to observe all that I have commanded" - Matthew 28:19-20. A pastor much be "apt to teach." The command in scripture is to teach sound doctrine, Titus 2:1. The pattern of the early church was teaching and preaching Jesus Christ. Paul said, "I teach everywhere in every church" (I Corinthians 4:17).. He said, "These things command and teach" (I Timothy 4:11).

You need to see and understand what is going on at Dearborn Baptist Church. We teach God's Word. I call upon every parent to teach your children the Bible. When ours were young we bought a Family Bible Story Book and used it for family worship and devotions. It just told all the stories of the Bible and our children learned the basic content of the Bible. We have also read "Leading Little Ones To God" to them (another one is called Little Visits With God) which teach basic Bible theology. I urge every teacher in our Sunday School and throughout our various ministries to just teach the basic content of Bible to those in your charge.

Don't even assume that adults know the Bible. That's one of the reasons why this year we are doing a Sunday School Series called "Major Bible Events And People." So that our own people will acquire a working knowledge of the Bible, its events and people. The Adult Ladies Class is learning all the books of the Bible in order and I think that is great! From this pulpit now for more than 12 years I have been unleashing God's powerful Word, one verse at a time. The divine design of the church is to teach the Bible.

The Delightful Duty Of Every Christian is to Learn. Jesus said, "Learn of me," Matthew 11:29. Paul said, "We prophesy (proclaim) that all may learn," I Corinthians 14:31. You are commanded to study.

Many people have missed the purpose. They do not come to church to learn. They come to experience some emotion or to enjoy the fellowship. But the primary purpose of our assembly is to teach and learn. Become a learner.

Many people have the mistaken notion that simply teaching God's Word is a lame, safe, sentimental thing to do. "You've got to make people think," they might say. "You've got to stir the pot with your own perspective."

Listen, teaching the Bible is not safe and sentimental. It is powerful, Hebrews 4:12. It isn't up to you to change people. God's Word is plenty good for that. It is profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction, instruction in righteousness.

Beloved, Dearborn Baptist Church from top to bottom must be committed simply to teach God's Word.

And you, should learn the Bible! "Add to your virtue, knowledge."

Live The Bible - Application.

The first word for knowledge in II Peter is a reminder to gain information. But there are two words for knowledge and the second one is all about practical wisdom for Christian living. We don't just collect a bunch of biblical data. We've got to do something with the what we learn. We must implement into our lives what we learn. That's what Peter means when he says, "Add to your virtue, knowledge."

First, we learn the Bible. That information. But then we live the Bible. That's application.

Now, the truth is that I don't always even attempt to make every application of the passage I teach. If there is an explicit one in the text, I give it. But often, application is a very personal thing that happens as we hear God's Word. The Spirit guides us into all truth (John 16:13). The Holy Spirit convicts us, personally and individually of sin or teaches us an important lesson that fits where we are at the moment. I teach God's Word. But I rely on the Holy Spirit to make personal applications to your life, as He, frankly, does to mine.

It is important that you be both a hearer and a doer of God's Word, James 1:22. "Be ye doers of the word and not hearers only deceiving your own selves."

Personal application guided by the Holy Spirit is how we "add knowledge" to our Christian lives. We ask ourselves ...

Is there a command here for me to obey? (there are 54 in the Book of James alone).

Is there an example for me to follow?

Is there a sin for me to avoid or to confess?

Is there a promise for me to claim?

Is there an action for me to make (an apology; a relationship, a bad habit that needs to be broken, etc.)?

Is there an attitude that I need to change?

Beloved, knowledge is necessary for a fruitful Christian life. We must learn the Bible. And then we must live the Bible. To put it another way, first we get in God's Word and then we make sure that God's Word gets into us.

Beloved, "add to your faith virtue and to virtue knowledge."