SEVEN SUPPLEMENTS FOR YOUR FAITH-PART II
(The Supplement of Knowledge) II Peter 1:1-7,
2/42018
There's a story
about a proud young man who came to Socrates asking for knowledge. He walked up
to the muscular philosopher and said, "O great Socrates, I come to you for
knowledge." Socrates recognized a pompous numb skull when he saw one. He
led the young man through the streets, to the sea, and chest deep into water.
Then he asked, "What do you want?" "Knowledge, O wise
Socrates," said the young man with a smile. Socrates put his strong hands
on the man's shoulders and pushed him under. Thirty seconds later Socrates let
him up. "What do you
want?" he asked again. Wisdom," the young man sputtered, "O
great and wise Socrates." Socrates crunched him under again. Thirty
seconds passed, thirty-five. Forty. Socrates let him up. The man was gasping.
"What do you want, young man?" Between heavy, heaving breaths the
fellow wheezed, "Knowledge, O wise and wonderful..."Socrates jammed
him under again Forty seconds passed. Fifty. "What do you
want?" "Air!" the young man screeched. "I need
air!" Socrates said, "When you want knowledge as you have just wanted
air, then you will have knowledge."
Last week we saw how the
Apostle Peter reminded the persecuted believers of his time that only by God’s
grace and through their faith in Jesus Christ they were saved. But after that God
calls believers for total dedication. Peter used these words, “for this very
reason, make every effort” to emphasize the fact that they were to make every
disciplined effort to supplement to their faith with the following seven
supplements. 2 Peter 1: 5-7 “For this very reason,
make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge;and to knowledge, self-control; and
to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness,
mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.”
Undoubtedly
many of us take supplements daily because we came to believe that they are
necessary due to our sedentary life style and eating habits. Supplements may add
to what may be missing in our regular diet, therefore our quality of life may
be improved. In the passage we read, the Apostle Peter recommends seven
supplements to all those who want to be spiritually healthy and productive.
Last week we learned that, faith without works is dead. We are called to do good,
respect and honor all people. How do we know what is the difference between
good and evil? Who is our standard when it comes to doing good? What will
increase goodness in us? Let’s explore the second supplement called Knowledge
to find answers to these questions.
I. THE
SUPPLEMENT OF KNOWLEDGE: (WISDOM)
During
the time of Peter’s writing of this letter, Gnosticism seemed to threaten the
core foundations of the Christian faith. Gnostics believed that, “acquiring
special, and mystical knowledge as the means for salvation which is contrary to
the message of salvation through Christ alone (Acts 4:12). Peter challenged the
heretics and their heresies by highlighting the true knowledge of Christ. The
Greek word, ginosko which is translated
into English “Knowledge” literally means, “to know experientially.”
What
did Peter mean when he said, supplement to your faith, goodness and to goodness,
knowledge? He was saying as you exercise goodness in your life, continue to
grow in the experiential knowledge of Christ. We need to acquire not just the
head knowledge but experience Christ deep in our hearts. How can we get to know
God deeply? When we are desperate for Him, when we yearn for Him as the deer
pants for the waters.
When
we can say like Paul, “I consider
everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus
my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I
may gain Christ.” Philippians 3:8 When we press on to know Him, then we will
have the true knowledge of Christ.
Unlike
in many other religions including Judaism, in Christianity God calls His
children to know Him intimately and it is possible for us to develop such
intimate relationship with God. Christianity is not a religion made up of bunch
of dos’ and don’ts, but it is a relationship with Jesus. The Apostle Peter was
making a distinction between the knowledge of the world vs the Knowledge of
Christ in II Peter, (1: 2,3,5-6, 8, 2:20, and 3:18).
Not
only here in Peter but throughout the scripture God makes such distinction
between the worldly knowledge and spiritual knowledge. Consider the following
scriptures: We hear the wise King Solomon talking about a worldly knowledge
that leaves God out, and when people go after such knowledge in the end they
are stricken with grief and sorrow. Ecclesiastes 1:16-18, “I said to myself,
“Look, I have increased in wisdom more than anyone who has ruled over Jerusalem
before me; I have experienced much of wisdom and knowledge.” Then I applied
myself to the understanding of wisdom, and also of madness and folly, but I
learned that this, too, is a chasing after the wind. For with much wisdom comes
much sorrow; the more knowledge, the more grief.”
Unfortunately,
there are so many highly educated, and bright minds like Richard Dawkins and
the likes with all their acquired earthly knowledge and wisdom think that they
are greater than God, they deny the very existence of God who is the wisdom and
the source of all wisdom. How would God deal with such foolishness? I
Corinthians 3:19, “For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight.
As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness” Isaiah 29:14, “Therefore
once more I will astound these people with wonder upon wonder the wisdom of the
wise will perish, the intelligence of the intelligent will vanish.” These are
just a few scriptures in regards to how God views all those who only pursue
worldly knowledge but never pay attention to know God and His ways. God is
delighted when we run after Him.
After
acquiring worldly wealth and knowledge later in life, we hear the wise King Solomon
giving fatherly advice to his son about pursuing true knowledge and wisdom:
Proverbs 2:1-6, “My son, if you accept
my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and
applying your heart to understanding indeed, if you call out for insight and
cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search
for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord
and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom; from his
mouth come knowledge and understanding.”
How
many of us want to pursue this kind of wisdom, knowledge and understanding?
This wisdom is not taught in universities. It comes by knowing Christ
personally and pursuing to know Him. This truth is often ignored by educated
and successful but cherished by the uneducated, yet whose hearts are
transformed by the love of God. Let me Illustrate:
Alexander
Grigolia had immigrated to America from Soviet Georgia, learned English, earned
three doctoral degrees, and become a successful professor at the University of Pennsylvania.
But despite his achievements, he had a misery in his heart that he couldn’t
dislodge. One day while getting a shoeshine, he noticed that the bootblack went
about his work with a sense of joy, scrubbing and buffing and smiling and
talking. Finally, Dr. Grigolia could stand it no longer. He said in his funny
sounding accent, “What always you so happy?”
Looking
up, the bootblack paused and replied, “Jesus, He love me, He died so God could
forgive my badness. He makes me happy.” The professor snapped his newspaper
back in front of his face, and the bootblack went back to work. But Dr.
Grigolia never escaped those words, and they brought him eventually to the
savior. He later became a professor of anthropology at Wheaton College and
taught, among others, a young student named Billy Graham.” What a powerful
story! What matters here is not how much you know but Who you know.
The
bootblack knew his savior, he knew that he was dearly loved, in that he found
his purpose in life, even if it was just shining the boots of others, he did it
cheerfully and joy fully.
We talked a lot about wisdom, but what
is wisdom, why is it important that we get it and how do we get it? Proverbs is
a great book to read if we want to know what is wisdom like, how you can obtain
it and grow in it. Proverbs starts with these words: “The proverbs of Solomon
son of David, king of Israel: “for gaining wisdom, and instruction; for
understanding words of insight; for receiving instruction in prudent behavior,
doing what is right and just and fair; for giving prudence to those who are
simple, knowledge and discretion to the young.”
Let’s hear what Wisdom have to say
to us, Proverbs 9:10, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is
understanding.” Proverbs 19:8, “The
one who gets wisdom loves life; the one who cherishes understanding will soon
prosper.” Here Wisdom is talking, Proverbs 8: 35-36, “For those who find me
find life and receive favor from the Lord. But those who fail to find me harm
themselves; all who hate me love death.” It is only to our folly when we don’t
seek wisdom for in it is life and prosperity.
Let
me explain practically how we can grow in the wisdom of the Lord? Firstly, we
ask God to give us wisdom who is the source of all wisdom, like King Solomon
asked. Secondly, when we ask God for wisdom as James puts it, “we must ask in
faith without doubting.” When we ask Him sincerely in faith we will receive
wisdom. We are encouraged to supplement to our faith, goodness and to goodness knowledge.
Not the worldly knowledge but the experiential knowledge of Christ. Let me
leave you with this question, do you know Jesus, I mean do you really know Him?
The way you will get to know Him is by spending time in prayer and reading His
Word daily, not as a must do item in your list. But cultivating a discipline
which leads to desire and delight in God. When we draw near to Him, He will
draw near to us. Amen!
