Our Responsibilities with Knowledge 2 – Know the Promises

David W Palmer

As shaking and end-times pressure build, we need to take learning God’s true knowledge very seriously. Today, we begin with a long passage that lists some more of our responsibilities where knowledge is concerned, along with some indescribably good promises; it’s worth the read:

Add knowledge to be fruitful

(2 Peter 1:2–8 NKJV) “Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, {3} as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, {4} by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. {5} But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, {6} to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, {7} to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. {8} For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Here, the Holy Spirit mentions knowledge five times, but in the original Greek, two different words are used. In the first two mentions, he motivates us by emphasising our need for knowledge (verses 2–3). The Greek word used here means to know God and the Lord Jesus Christ fully.

Then he instructs us in verse 5 to add a slightly different type of knowledge to our faith and virtue. This time the Greek word means the learned type of knowledge. Then in verse 8, he shows us the benefit: “You will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Here he uses the first word again, meaning that you will truly know him. We can conclude that the learned knowledge about him leads to fully knowing him personally!

Our responsibility includes learning God’s factual knowledge and information. The first reason for this is obvious; so we can live by it. The second reason is so that we have a fixed framework and foundation of absolute truth upon which to base the scope of our spiritual relationship with him. In other words, learning the factual knowledge about God helps us relate to him more effectively and enjoyably.

We must remember, however, to put into practice what we learn or it will not do us any good (See: Mat. 7:24–25).

Another crucially important truth comes out in this passage:

(2 Peter 1:3–5 NKJV) “… the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, {4} by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”

One of our most crucial opportunities and responsibilities with God’s knowledge is to learn, receive, and rely on his promises. Why?—because this is God’s chosen way of allowing us to partake of his very own “divine nature.” This is extremely good news, as it is the only—I repeat, “only”—way to escape the “corruption that is in the world through lust.” (One application of this is that only God’s promise of our complete sanctification (1 Cor. 1:30) working in conjunction with the Holy Spirit’s indomitable holy power will free us from sin’s addictive power.)

Our natural mind boggles at the possibility of partaking God’s divine nature; yet that is exactly what this passage says. We can be his offspring, his image, his spiritual DNA, etc., if we learn, receive, and put 100% trust in his promises.

The outcome also includes some other amazing advantages: righteousness, holiness and love, along with being unblameable and unreproveable in his sight, etc. … not to mention eternal life:

(Colossians 1:21–23 DKJV) And you, … has he reconciled {22} In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: {23} If you continue in the faith …”

This is why it is so worthwhile taking the responsibility to diligently “add” what the Holy Spirit says through Peter:

(2 Peter 1:2–8 NKJV) “… for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, {6} to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, {7} to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.

I believe that today, we need to focus on taking responsibility to add the qualities in this list: virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love. This is part of our responsibilities where knowledge is concerned. Remember, if Jesus—the Living Word of God—tells us to do something, he releases his own power to do it in conjunction with his words of instruction.

That’s why the Holy Spirit calls it the “word of his grace” (Acts 20:32 KJV). When spoken by Jesus and empowered by the “Spirit of grace,” God’s word empowers us for obedient, holy living (Heb. 10:29 KJV). So let’s get busy in the word, and in adding the qualities God says to add: that part is our responsibility; God himself either has done, or will do, the rest.