knowledge – Ministry of Grace Church

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Romans 10:2 – Zeal for God

Posted on June 29, 2018 by Will

For I testify to them that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.

Truth to Learn

Zeal and devotion are good if they are not misplaced.

Behind the Words

Paul starts off this verse with “For I testify to them.” This is translated from the Greek words marturō gar. The Greek word gar is a primary particle which assigns a reason. Hence it is usually translated as “for.” This particular word is always post positive; that is, it always appears after the word to which it applies. The Greek word marturō is the word from which we get our English word martyr. It means “to be a witness.”

“Zeal” is from the Greek word dzēlos, which literally refers to “heat.” Figuratively, it is a reference to the heat of a person’s passion. Thus it is often translated as “zeal.”

The word translated “knowledge” is epiginōskō, which is made up of epi, meaning “on or upon” and ginōskō, which means “to know, to perceive, or to be aware of.” Hence epiginōskō literally means “to know upon.” That is, to perceive and understand based on the facts.

Meaning Explained

Paul is now declaring the reason why he is desirous of seeing all of Israel saved, while at the same time declaring the reason why they aren’t all saved. He tells us, “For I am a witness of the fact that they (his fellow Jews) have a zeal for God.” His witness is driven by the fact that not only was he that way himself, but he has personally known many devout Jews who were earnestly seeking after God and His righteousness.

The problem, according to Paul, is that they have been seeking after the righteousness of God in the wrong way. It hasn’t been “according to knowledge,” he says; that is to say, they haven’t recognized or understood the proper way to attain God’s righteousness because they didn’t understand the proper way.

As part of his calling from God, Paul is declaring the facts of salvation through the Messiah, Jesus Christ. He wants them to have knowledge of their Savior so that they might accept the truth and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul knows that many of his fellow Jews are ignorant of the truth. Because of that ignorance, even though they are very passionate about God and His righteousness, they are going about it all wrong.

Application

There are many who call themselves Christian today who are very passionate about God. But instead of seeking God through faith, they are trying to earn His favor. Some would call them devout, but their devotion is to their church or to living up to some set of standards. Some of them even believe that they can reach a point of sanctification in which they no longer sin. That, however, is a works oriented religion; it is not walking by faith.

Being zealous is a good thing. Being devoted to a good cause or to a church is wonderful. But it’s not the way of salvation. Salvation only comes through faith in the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ. Only through living by faith can we please the One who is our Heavenly Father. And we can only live by faith if we have knowledge of the truth. That’s why it is so important that we study the Bible!

In God's service, for His glory,

Romans 3:20 – Good Deeds

Posted on October 5, 2017 by Will

Therefore by the works of law no flesh will be justified in His presence, for through the law is the knowledge of sin.

Truth to Learn

No one can do enough good deeds to be saved.

Behind the Words

“Therefore” is translated from the Greek word dioti, which is a compound word made up of dia, meaning “through” or “by” and hoti, which means “that.” Hence, dioti basically means “through that, because of that, or for this reason.”

The word “works” is from ergon which means “a product of labor, a work, or a deed.”

The word translated “flesh” is sarx, which literally means “flesh of a living creature.” It is used here to denote all of mankind, both Jew and Gentile.

“Justified” is from dikaioō, which means “to declare someone righteous” or “to make someone righteous.”

The phrase “in His presence” is translated from enōpion. This is another compound word. It is made up of en, indicating a static position (in, on, over, etc.) and ops (a derivation of optomai – to see) which refers to “sight” or “eyes.” So, literally this word means “in His sight,” though it is often translated “before Him” or “in His presence.”

The word translated “knowledge” is the Greek word epignosis, which means more than simply knowing something. It means “to recognize and understand something” or “to have full knowledge of something.”

Meaning Explained

Remember that whenever we see a “wherefore” or a “therefore” we need to see what it’s there for. In the previous verse we learned that the Law was given so that all those who tried to obey the Law would be found guilty before God without excuse. Therefore, that is, in light of this fact, because of this… “by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His presence.”

What Paul is saying is that justification before God cannot be obtained by obeying any set of rules no matter who made the rules. Why? Because it is through rules (Law) that we recognize sin and sinfulness.

If you recall the account of the temptation of Adam and Eve, up until God gave them the command not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, they were without sin. If they had eaten of the tree before they were told not to, they would not have been sinning; but due to the fact that they had been commanded not to, it suddenly became sinful to do so.

What Paul is telling us in these verses is that we cannot become righteous by following any set of rules, whether God-made or man-made. How then can one become righteous before God? Is it impossible? Paul is going to begin telling us in the next two verses.

Application

Just because we can’t be declared righteous through doing good deeds doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t do them. We ought to do them out of obedience and gratitude. In other words, we can’t be saved by doing good deeds, but once we are saved, we should do them because we want to, not because we have to.

In God's service, for His glory,

2 Peter 2:21 – Knowledge or Faith?

Posted on May 11, 2017 by Will

For it was better for them not to have recognized the way of righteousness, than having recognized it to turn away from the sacred commandment that was delivered to them.

Truth to Learn

Great works done in the name of God are not an indication of salvation. Real salvation comes only through true repentance and faith.

Behind the Words

In verse 20 we talked about the word ginōskō, referring to intellectual knowledge. It is the same word used in this verse translated “to have recognized.” There is a different Greek word that means experiential knowledge, the word oida. Had Peter used this word, he would have been referring to experiencing salvation rather than just knowing about it.

Meaning Explained

Peter has been talking about these people who had escaped from the pollutions of the world system, and that their escape came about by their intellectual knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We have many in our churches today who are there, not because they have a saving faith in Jesus, but because they have knowledge and they are doing everything they can to be a good Christian. However, they are doing it in their own power because they don’t have the power of the Holy Spirit. I have no doubt that they actually believe they are saved, which is a supreme tragedy.

In fact Peter shares that sentiment! He says that it would have been better for them not to have had full knowledge of the way of righteousness because in the end they will be more deeply entangled in the pollutions of the world. Our Lord, Himself, talked about such people. Here’s what He said of them:

Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!' (Matthew 7:21-23)

Also, speaking in a parable, our Lord said:

Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, 'Sir, open the door for us.' "But he will answer, 'I don't know you or where you come from.' Then you will say, 'We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.' But he will reply, 'I don't know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!' There will be weeping there, and gnashing of teeth … (Luke 13:24-28)

Just because someone claims to be a Christian doesn’t mean that they really are. In fact, a recent poll showed that over 60% of the people in the United States claim to be Christians. Unfortunately, less than 10% of them live like Christians.

Application

Are you sure of your salvation? Have you ever completely submitted your life and your will to God, confessing your sinfulness and your need for salvation? Have you accepted the sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross as the payment for your sins? Or do you believe you are saved because you followed some methodical process that finally made you worthy of salvation? There’s a big difference in these two. One leads to eternal life, while the other leads to weeping and gnashing of teeth!

In God's service, for His glory,

2 Peter 1:2 – Abundant Peace

Posted on March 16, 2017 by Will

According to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit to obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace and peace be multiplied to you.

Truth to Learn

Peace with God comes from complete knowledge of Him.

Behind the Words

Some translations use the expression, “through the foreknowledge of God,” which is a little misleading. The normal word in Greek for “through” is dia, but that is not the word used here. The Greek word used here is kata, which in this case means “according to” It’s a fairly minor point but it is this: grace and peace do not come as a process (through the doing of something), they are found in something (in a full knowledge of Him, and in an intimate relationship with Him).

The word translated “knowledge” is the Greek word epignōsis, which is made up of epi, meaning “over or above” and ginōskō, meaning “to know, in an absolute sense.” Therefore, it is much more than simply knowing about God. It means having an intimate relationship with Him based on thorough knowledge. It’s not the knowledge that we get by simply being exposed to Him, but the complete knowledge we get by spending time with Him, studying Him carefully and thoughtfully.

The word translated “multiplied” is plēthunō, which is derived from plēthō, meaning “to fill.” Plēthunō means “to be filled up” or “to increase fully.” It is expressed here is in the optative mood, indicating a sincere desire on Peter’s part.

Meaning Explained

Peter now offers a significant benediction to his intended readers. He proclaims that grace and peace should increase to the readers of this letter. Literally, he says, “Grace to you and peace to be filled-up.” That is, grace in the form of forgiveness of our sins by a righteous God through the sacrifice of His son, and peace, that elusive characteristic and quality that only comes to one who is firmly fixed within the body of Christ. Peter is not wishing for a little peace, but that his readers be filled with it.

If you search the New Testament carefully, you will see that God never promises Christians pleasure or comfort. Instead, He promises us peace. The Apostle Paul says that righteousness, peace, and joy are what the kingdom of God is all about:

For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, (Romans 14:17)

Also, notice that Paul told the Christians in Rome that it is not just peace in general, but peace with God:

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, (Romans 5:1)

Now we see that Peter tells us the blessings of grace and peace come as a result of having a thorough knowledge of God, which only comes by careful study and consistent fellowship.

Application

Do you have peace with God? The more you learn about Him and the more you submit to His lordship over you, the more peace you will have no matter what may be happening around you.

In God's service, for His glory,

Ephesians 4:13 – Gifts For Unity

Posted on November 4, 2015 by Will

untill we all may come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a full grown man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;

Truth to Learn

Christians should all be working for each other.

Behind the Words

The word “until” is from mecri, which marks an endpoint in place or time. There is a similar Greek word, achri, which focuses on the whole duration up to the endpoint. Mecri, however, focuses on the endpoint itself.

“May come to” is the translation of the Greek word katantaō, meaning “to arrive somewhere” or “to attain something.” It is expressed here in the subjunctive mood, indicating the possibility or probability of the occurrence.

“Unity” is from enotēta. This word is derived from heis, meaning one. Enotēta means “unity” or “oneness.”

The word translated “knowledge” is the Greek word epignosis, which means more than simply knowing something. It means “to recognize and understand something,” that is, “to have complete, in-depth knowledge of someone or something.”

“Full grown man” is from the Greek words andra teleion. Andra, a form of anēr refers to “a man,” although as it is used here, it refers to “a person.” Teleion, a form of teleios, means “complete” or “of full age.” Thus, together these two words refer to “a fully grown person.”

The word “measure” is translated from metron, meaning “a measure of length or capacity.”

“Stature” is from hēlikia, meaning “maturity, in age or size.”

Meaning Explained

In today’s verse, Paul tells us some of the reasons that God gave us spiritual gifts. In the opening verses of this chapter, he told us that we are to be humbly and patiently bearing with each other, being diligent to keep the unity of the Spirit, being bound to one another by peace. In the following verses he talked about why unity is a defining characteristic of the Christian faith. He also told us how Christ came to present gifts to each one of us when He arrived home after His victory over Satan and death. As we learned in yesterday’s verse, these spiritual gifts are given to every believer, and we are to use our gifts to minister to members of the church and, thereby, to build-up the body of Christ.

The first objective of our ministering to each other and building up each other is two-fold. It is to reach that unity Paul talked about in verse three, and it is so that each of us might come to a full knowledge of the Son of God. Here he calls that unity “the unity of the faith.” Even though there have been splits in the Christian church throughout the centuries, and it sometimes seems that every church is going off in its own direction, there are two unifying factors. One is our common faith in what Jesus Christ has done for us. The other is the complete in-depth, experiential knowledge of who Jesus is.

Another objective of our using our spiritual gifts within the church is so that we might become fully grown Christians. And, in using our spiritual gifts in the church, we help each other mature in our relationship with God. This is why the writer of Hebrews said:

And let us consider one another to provoke to love and to good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. (Hebrews 10:24-25)

Application

It is quite apparent that we are in the last days and that Christ could return any day now. Instead of living for ourselves in these last days, let us use our gifts to strengthen each other and to prepare ourselves for our heavenly reunion with the Savior.

In God's service, for His glory,

Ephesians 3:19 – Knowledge by Experience

Posted on October 14, 2015 by Will

and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge; that you may be filled unto all the fullness of God.

Truth to Learn

You can only really know God’s love by experience.

Behind the Words

“And” is translated from the word te, which is a particle of connection meaning “and, also, or even.”

The word translated “to know” is the infinitive form of ginōskō, which refers to “knowing something completely, usually by experience.” So, we could say “to fully know.”

“Surpasses” is from huperballō, which is made up of huper (or hyper), meaning “above” or “beyond” and ballō, meaning “to throw.” Thus, we see that huperballō literally means “to throw beyond.” In general usage the meaning is “to exceed” or “to go beyond.” It is expressed here as a participle (being beyond).

“Knowledge” is from gnōsis. This is derived from ginōskō, which we just looked at.

Putting all this together we see that the opening part of this verse could be translated, “and to know by experience the love of Christ which is beyond knowing …”

Meaning Explained

We are in the middle of a worshipful prayer of the Apostle Paul which he is praying for his beloved friends in the church at Ephesus. By extension, this prayer is presented on behalf of all Christians. The first two of the four petitions in this prayer were that God the Father would strengthen our inner man by means of God the Holy Spirit and Christ might finally settle down and feel completely at home through faith.

The third petition began in verse seventeen and ends in today’s verse; it is “that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge.”

The crux of all this is in today’s verse: “for us to fully experience the love of Christ which is beyond intellectual knowledge”. Not only does Paul pray that we might understand how huge and all-encompassing (width, length, depth, and height) God’s love is, he also prays that we, through experience might know that which is unknowable.

There are many people (saved and unsaved) who talk about the love of God but who don’t really know God’s love. According to Paul, it is not something that you can study and learn about by reading books and listening to others talk about. Sure, you can recognize God’s love at work, but you can’t gain a full understanding of it that way. Only those who have experienced God’s love through His mercy, His grace, His miraculous provision, and His comfort in times of need can really know what it’s like.

Application

If you’ve never gone through times of difficulty in your Christian walk, if you’ve never felt helpless and had to rely completely on Him, if you’ve never felt trapped by your own sinfulness, begging for His mercy, if you’ve never fallen before God with a completely broken spirit, then you don’t really understand His love. If you have, then you know by experience the kind of love that only God can show! Praise be to God!

In God's service, for His glory,

Ephesians 3:4 – Uncovering the Mystery

Posted on September 23, 2015 by Will

by the reading of which, you are able to understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ),

Truth to Learn

Mysteries are revealed in the Bible.

Behind the Words

“The reading” is translated from anaginōskō. This word is made up of ana, used as an intensifier and ginōskō, which means “to know.” Initially this word meant “to perceive accurately.” Later it came to mean “to recognize” and in some cases “to read.” In the New Testament it is always used in reference to reading. It is expressed here as a present participle.

“Are able” is the translation of the word dunamai, which means “to be able” or “to have power.”

The Greek word translated “understand,” is noieō. This word means “to exercise the mind,” that is “to comprehend” or “to understand.”

Sunesis is the Greek word translated “knowledge.” This word is made up of sun, meaning “together” and a form of the verb heimi, meaning “to send” or “to put.” This sunesis literally means “that which is put together;” that is to say, “perception” or “knowledge.”

Meaning Explained

This is one of those verses which has very little meaning without the verses surrounding it. You may recall that in the previous verse Paul talked about the fact that a mystery had been revealed to him. He also alluded to the fact that he had previously written to the Ephesians about this mystery. That previous writing is probably a reference to what he said in Ephesians 1:9-12.

He goes on to explain that this mystery is the gathering together in one place (heaven) of all created things which belong to Christ (both those things in heaven and those things on earth). This mystery also includes the fact that Gentiles, who had previously been alienated from God’s chosen people (the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob), are now part of the same family, the family of God. We also learned recently that this mystery was not revealed to Paul by a human teacher, but by God, Himself. Now, because of what Paul has already written concerning this mystery, the readers of this letter are able to understand the mystery also.

Application

Today it is in vogue to declare that all people are part of God’s family. And, there are some churches which teach that we will all go to heaven. After all, a loving God wouldn’t really send some people to Hell where they would suffer eternally with no possibility of being rescued from it, would He? The answer is a resounding yes!

All of us have sinned and deserve eternal hell because we don’t measure up to God’s standard of righteousness. But He has provided a way for us to obtain His righteousness. All we have to do is believe that the blood of Jesus Christ is the payment for our sins. Those who believe that Jesus died to pay for their sins will be gathered to Heaven someday. Those who reject His blood sacrifice will die in their sins and will be condemned by God to spend eternity in Hell. Have you accepted the blood of Jesus as payment for your sins?

In God's service, for His glory,

1 Corinthians 1:5 – Birthday Gifts

Posted on February 27, 2013 by Will

that you were enriched in everything by Him in all utterance and all knowledge,

Truth to Learn

Christians are given spiritual gifts at the moment of salvation.

Behind the Words

The words “you were enriched” are translated from the Greek verb ploutidzō, which is derived from the noun ploutos, meaning “wealth” or “riches.” Therefore, ploutidzō means “to make wealthy” or “to make rich.” It is expressed here in the passive voice, indicating something done to the subject (you). It is also expressed in the aorist tense, indicating something that was done at a point in time in the past. So, we could translate this as “you were made rich.”

“Everything” is a neuter form of pas, meaning “all things” or “everything.” It expresses the totality of things.

The word “utterance” is from the Greek noun logos, which refers to “something said.” However, this word represents more than just the words themselves; it includes the thoughts behind the words.

Gnosis is the word translated “knowledge.” More specifically, it refers to the act of knowing something. It indicates more than just being aware of something. It indicates an acceptance and belief of some fact or facts.

Meaning Explained

You may recall that Paul is in the midst of a prayer for the Corinthian Christians, thanking God for blessings that they had already received from God. In yesterday’s verse he talked about the grace that they (and we) received that resulted in their salvation. Part of that grace includes the wealth that they (and we) received. We will see a few verses down the road that part of the riches that they received was spiritual gifts. The thing to note here is that these riches were bestowed at a point in time in the past. Since he is talking about these riches being part of God’s grace, it is clear that these things were given at the time of our salvation. In other words, we do not have to pray for any spiritual gift to be given to us because whatever gifts God bestows on us were given to us at the point in time that we accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.

It’s interesting that Paul couples together utterance and knowledge. Knowledge, the internalization or acceptance of facts, can only come as a result of something being communicated to us. Conversely, we can only declare that which we already know. So we see that utterance and knowledge are the tools that are used to pass along the glorious truth of salvation in Christ Jesus.

As we will see later in this letter, the church at Corinth was particularly blessed with spiritual gifts. However, the members of this church had placed inordinate value on some of the lesser gifts (like the gift of tongues, or languages) and much less value in some of the greater gifts (like the gift of prophesy, the proclamation of spiritual truths and doctrine). This problem is just as prevalent is some churches today where the sign gifts are considered more desirable than the edifying gifts.

Application

At the moment of your salvation (your spiritual birthday), you were given certain specific abilities (spiritual gifts) that are intended for the building up of the church. You don’t have to pray for them or wait for them. You already have them. Are you using them for God’s glory?

In God's service, for His glory,

Ephesians 4:13 – Gifts For Unity

Posted on December 4, 2011 by Will

till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;

Truth to Learn

Christians should all be working for each other.

Behind the Words

“Come to” is the translation of the Greek word katantaō, meaning “to arrive somewhere” or “to attain something.”

“Perfect man” is from the Greek words andra teleion. Andra, a form of anēr refers to “a man,” although as it is used here, it refers to “a person.” Teleion, a form of teleios, means “complete” or “of full age.” Thus, together these two words refer to “a fully grown person.”

The word “measure” is translated from metron, meaning “a measure of length or capacity.”

“Stature” is from hēlikia, meaning “maturity, in age or size.”

Meaning Explained

One of the objectives of our ministering to each other and building up each other is a two-fold objective. It is to reach that unity Paul talked about in verse three, and it is so that each of us might come to a full knowledge of the Son of God. Here he calls that unity “the unity of the faith.” Even though there have been splits in the Christian church throughout the centuries, and it sometimes seems that every church is going off in its own direction, there are two unifying factors. One is our common faith in what Jesus Christ has done for us. The other is the complete in-depth, experiential knowledge of who Jesus is.

And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. (Hebrews 10:24-25)

Application

In God's service, for His glory,

Ephesians 3:19 – Knowledge by Experience

Posted on November 6, 2011 by Will

Ephesians 3:19 – Knowledge by Experience

to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Truth to Learn

You can only really know God’s love by experience.

Behind the Words

There is a tiny Greek particle that is left out of our translation here. It is the word te, which is a particle of connection meaning “and, also, or even.” Thus, this verse should start out, “and to know …”

The word translated “to know” is the infinitive form of ginōskō, which refers to “knowing something completely, usually by experience.” So, we could say “to fully know.”

“Passes” is from huperballō, which is made up of huper (or hyper), meaning “above” or “beyond” and ballō, meaning “to throw.” Thus, we see that huperballō literally means “to throw beyond.” In general usage the meaning is “to exceed” or “to go beyond.” It is expressed here as a participle (being beyond).

“Knowledge” is from gnōsis. This is derived from ginōskō, which we just looked at.

Putting all this together we see that the opening part of this verse could be translated, “and to know by experience the love of Christ which is beyond knowing …”

Meaning Explained

The third petition began in verse seventeen and ends in today’s verse; it is “that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— and to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge.”

The crux of all this is in today’s verse: “for us to fully know (by experience) the love of Christ which is beyond intellectual knowledge” [my paraphrase]. Not only does Paul pray that we might understand how huge and all-encompassing (width, length, depth, and height) God’s love is, he also prays that we might know that which is unknowable.

Application

In God’s service, for His glory,

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