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Do You Want More Grace?

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• The title of the message is a question: Do you want more grace? 2 Peter 1, verses 1 and 2. The Bible says, "Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us, through the righteousness of God and our Savior Jesus Christ: grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord." I call your attention to verse 2 where Peter says, "Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord." Grace is not only a wonderful word and a glorious concept, it is also exceedingly desirable, especially to those who have tasted that the Lord is gracious. If you would look back to 1 Peter 2, verses 2 and 3, notice what the scripture says. 1 Peter 2, verse 2: "As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if so be that you've tasted that the Lord is gracious."

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• So once a babe has suckled his mother and gotten a taste of milk, he always wants more. Likewise, those who have tasted the grace of God in Christ Jesus always desire more. As babes grow and mature on their mother's milk, likewise, Christians grow and mature on the milk of His Word. Grace has been defined as unmerited favor. While that definition is obviously true, it is far more than just simply unmerited favor. It is unmerited favor to those who are positively undeserving. It's easy to understand in one sense of the word how grace could be bestowed upon someone who is good and upright and moral. And yet it's absolutely a totally different thing when you consider that we were enemies of God, haters of God, transgressors of His law, and despisers of His Son. Once you've tasted grace, the truth of the matter is you should absolutely never ever get over the grace of God. It is grace that has bought us. It is grace that has drawn us. It is grace that has justified us.

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• It is grace that has regenerated us. It is grace that has converted us. It is grace that sanctifies us. And it is grace that will ultimately glorify us. So since grace has done all of those things and is doing all of those things, the question is, is there any reason why we should not desire more grace? Since God has placed us in the Lord Jesus Christ and made us heirs of God, why do we not seek more grace? Do you realize there is much more in store for us according to the Word of God? Let me ask you. Do you not desire all that the Lord has for you? Do you not desire to honor Him more?

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• To serve Him more efficiently? And to worship Him more effectively? Do you not desire grace in your life to a greater degree? Let me show you something. I want you to hold 1 Peter or 2 Peter if you would. But turn very quickly back to the book of James. And look in James 4 and verse 6. Here's a very interesting verse, especially in light of 2 Peter chapter 1 and verse 2, which I will come back to momentarily. But look at James 4 and verse 6. The Bible says, "But he giveth more grace." But he giveth more grace. So the question is, how much do you want? The word "more" here is the Greek word meizon, which means greater, larger, more. So He gives a larger portion of grace, a greater portion of grace, and more grace. And if you would look in your Bibles to the book of Hebrews chapter 4, Hebrews chapter 4 and verse 16, and I want you to note that His throne is referred to as a throne of grace.

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• So the Bible teaches us that He not only gives more grace, He is a throne of grace. A throne of grace. Notice if you would, Hebrews 4 and verse 16: "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in the time of need." So He has a throne of grace, and we may find Him and obtain more grace to help in the time of need.

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• Now, we're told in the book of Romans chapter 3 and verse 24, "Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." Now listen to that. Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. Now listen to Romans 8 and verse 32: "He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not also with Him freely give us all things?" So if God then has given us initial grace in Christ Jesus, what makes you think He will not give us additional grace in Christ Jesus? If He has given us initial grace in salvation, surely then, since He has given us His greatest gift, the Lord Jesus Christ, how shall He not also with Him freely give us all things? So He will give us sanctifying grace. He will give us living grace. He will give us all kind of grace and mercy. I've read many accounts of dying grace.

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• Wherein martyred saints have died with ease and joy. But let me tell you something. We do not really need dying grace until it comes our time to die. Until then, we need living grace. So what we need to do is seek more grace. I want you to turn to the book of Acts. Still hold 2 Peter. We're coming back there. But look in the book of Acts chapter 20 and verse 32. A number of verses. Acts chapter 20. And notice if you would, verse 32. Note what the Apostle Paul says in this verse. Remember the Bible says that He gives more grace. Remember He has a throne of grace. Now in Acts 20 and verse 32, the Apostle Paul says this: "And now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the Word of His grace, which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance among all them that are sanctified." Now I want you to note, if you would please, He commends them to the Word of His grace. What is the grace of God and the Word of His grace to do?

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• It is able to build us up, to strengthen us, to edify us. So if you're a child of God, you certainly should desire to be built up in the faith. You should desire to be strengthened and edified and to be made more holy and more godly. In fact, the truth of the matter is this, the ultimate end of our sanctification is to be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ. The Bible says in Romans 8 and verse 29, listen carefully, "For whom he did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son that He might be the firstborn among many brethren." So what is God's ultimate goal for you? And the answer is that you might be conformed to the image of His Son, Jesus Christ. So the question is, how are we to be conformed to His image? Well, the first answer, obviously, is by His grace. And the second answer is by the Word of His grace. It's that Word that gives us understanding and builds us up.

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• I ask that you turn in your Bibles to the book of Ephesians chapter 4. Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians. Look in Ephesians chapter 4 and let's begin reading there with verse 11. Let me show you why God gave some pastors and teachers, okay? Watch this carefully, Ephesians 4 verse 11: "And he gave some apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists, and some pastor teachers." Why? Watch carefully. "For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect or complete and mature man, unto the measure of the stature of the

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• fullness of Christ, that we henceforth be no more children tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive." Now note if you would please, He gave some pastor teachers, why? For the edification of the saints. To build them up, so that they may do the work of the ministry, so that the body of Christ may be edified till we all come in the unity of the faith and to the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect or mature or complete man according to the measure of the fullness of Christ. So the Bible is teaching us then that God's goal for us is to be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ.

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• And therefore, He's given us His Word that we might be built up in Christ. Have you ever considered why there is so much emphasis in the Bible concerning truth? You remember that passage in 2 Timothy chapter 2 and verse 15, where we are commanded, by the way, where God tells us, "Study to show yourselves approved unto God, rightly dividing the Word of Truth." Study to show yourselves approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth. So I want you to note, God's Bible is not only called the Word of His Grace, it is also called the Word of His Truth. God is Truth. When you hear theologians speak about the veracity of God, they are teaching about the truthfulness of God. God is the God of truth. He is truth personified.

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• In fact, let me quote a scripture for you. Deuteronomy 32 and verse 4. The Bible says, "He is the rock. His work is perfect. For all of His ways are judgment. A God of truth, just and right is He." He's a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is He. So the Bible says that God is the God of truth.

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• Now, if you would look in your Bibles to the book of Hebrews chapter 6, I'm trying to set the stage for you. Look in Hebrews chapter 6. Notice if you would beginning there with verse 17. Hebrews 6 verse 17. We know now that God cannot lie, because God is a God of truth. He is truth personified. Hebrews 6 verse 17: "Wherein God, willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise the immutability, that is the unchangeableness of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath. So the oath is one thing, by two immutable things, that is one, the oath, in which it was impossible for God to lie, that is the second thing, we might have a strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us." So the Bible tells us very clearly it is impossible for God to lie. God is the God of truth. The veracity of God speaks of the truthfulness of God.

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• Now I'm laying this foundation in order that you might understand that every grace that you and I possess has come to us through the righteousness of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and the Word of His grace and the Word of His truth. Moreover, let me point something out. Jesus Christ is the fullness of grace and the fullness of truth. The Bible teaches in John 1 in verse 17, "For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ."

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• Now stop and think about that verse just momentarily. The law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. Now this verse does not teach us that there was no grace and no truth in the Old Testament. Surely there was. The Bible says, for Noah was saved by grace. Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. In fact, anyone and everyone who was saved in the Old Testament were saved by grace through faith exactly the way you and I are saved by grace through faith. And everything in the Old Testament as far as it was revealed was truth. But the fullness of truth and the fullness of grace came only in Jesus Christ. He is the personification of truth. He is the personification of grace. And the reason being is found in Colossians 2 and verse 3. Let me just quote it.

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• "In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." In Jesus Christ are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Again, in Colossians 2 and verse 9, the Bible says, "For in him dwelleth the fullness of the Godhead bodily." So Jesus Christ is God incarnate. Jesus Christ is God in the flesh. Jesus Christ is everything that the Father is. In fact, He said in John 10 and verse 30, "I and the Father are one."

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• You remember what He told Thomas? In John chapter 14 and verse 9, He said, "He that hath seen me hath seen the Father." So Jesus Christ then is God in the flesh. The Bible tells us in 1 Timothy 3 and verse 16, "And without all controversy, great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh." And so Jesus Christ then as God is truth personified and grace personified. Now, I want you to go back in your Bibles to 2 Peter chapter 1 and look at verse 1. Then we're going to skip down to verse 2 momentarily. Watch 2 Peter chapter 1 verse 1: "Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Savior Jesus Christ." So here's a question. How did we obtain a like precious faith with those who have formerly believed? And the answer is through the righteousness of God and our Savior, Jesus Christ. Let me ask you another question. What were the means that God used to bring us to the righteousness of God and our Savior, Jesus Christ?

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• And the answer is His grace and His Word. Now listen carefully to this next question. Since God has initially brought us to saving grace through the righteousness of Christ and the Word of His grace and the Word of His truth, is there any other way that we can progress in the Christian faith other than the Word of His grace and the Word of His truth? And the answer is absolutely not. So if you and I wish to grow in grace, if we wish to be more holy, more godly, more sanctified, we must not only have grace, but we must have knowledge.

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• Let me quote Colossians 2 in verse 6. Listen carefully. "As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk you in him." As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk you in him.

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• Now, we received Him by grace, through faith, in obedience to His Word, and therefore in order to mature, we must continue in the same way. I want you to look at verse 2, because the message today actually centers around verse 2. I was reading through this book and this thought struck me. He says in verse 2, "Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God and of Jesus, our Lord."

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• Now, let me just show you a couple of simple truths right now. First of all, I want you to consider that grace and peace may be multiplied. Grace and peace may be multiplied. I want you to note something. Grace never comes alone. It always brings other graces and other blessings with it. In this instance, in verse 2, it brings peace with it. So it says grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord. The second truth is just as simple. Grace and peace may be multiplied.

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• You know what multiplication is? Multiplication simply means that something may be increased at a phenomenal rate. That's all it means. In fact, the Greek word here, plethuno, literally means to multiply, to abound, to increase, and cause to be increased.

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• Now here's what I want to do. I want to take you very quickly through some other passages in the Bible and just show you where this word "multiplied" is used over and over. It's exactly the same Greek word, but I want you to see how it literally means to multiply. I could go 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. That's slow. I could go 2 times 3 is 6. That's faster. I get the same answer, but when you multiply, you speed things up. Things are increased at a phenomenal rate. So, I want you to hold 2 Peter chapter 1, but turn back in your Bibles, first of all, to Acts chapter 6. I'm going to show you how this word "multiplied" is used throughout Scripture, and then I want to come back and apply it to the truth that we're enunciating. So look in Acts chapter 6, if you would please, and verse 1. Acts 6, verse 1.

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• The Bible says, "And in those days when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there was a murmuring of the Grecians among the Hebrews because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration." Note if you would, in those days when the number of the disciples was multiplied. Well, you've got to remember on the day of Pentecost, 3,000 were converted at one time. Now it is multiplied. I don't know by what numeral, but it was multiplied. It was greatly increased.

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• Look in Acts 6 and verse 7. "And the word of God increased. And the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly. And a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith." So here again, the believers are multiplying, they're growing at a phenomenal rate. Look in Acts 7 and verse 17. "But when the time of the promise drew nigh, which God had sworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt." You stop and think, and I forget the exact number, but when Jacob went down into Egypt, about 76 people went with him. And guess what? Several million came out. So you got from 76 to several million. Now, I want you to note, he said, "and the people multiplied greatly." It's the same truth. Look in Acts chapter 9 and verse 31. Acts 9 verse 31. Here it is.

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• "Then had the churches rest throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria and were edified and walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost were multiplied." Again, they are increasing. They're growing phenomenally. Look in Acts chapter 12 and verse 24. Acts 12 and verse 24. The Bible says, "But the Word of God grew and multiplied." That is the effects of it. Then if you look in 1 Peter 1, 1 Peter 1 and verse 2. 1 Peter 1 and verse 2. The Bible says, "Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ, grace unto you, and peace be multiplied."

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• Let me just quote one more. In Jude, verse chapter 1, only one chapter in Jude anyhow, but Jude 1, verse 2, "Mercy unto you and peace and love be multiplied." Now in each one of these verses that I just quoted, the word "multiplied" is exactly the same as the word in 2 Peter chapter 1 and verse 2. Look back there. Here's all I want to emphasize right now. He says grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord. So the word "multiplied" actually means to multiply. It means to increase. It means to abound. It means greater than ever before. Has it ever dawned upon you that God's grace may be multiplied in our lives? That God's peace may be multiplied in our lives?

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• I'm going to tell you, this one concept, this one truth should excite every believer. Really. Because you know what God's grace has already done for you. And if God has done so great for you in giving you initial grace, what in the world will He do for you when He gives you additional grace? How do we go about obtaining additional grace? That's a good question, isn't it? You remember the Bible says, "For he giveth more grace."

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• James 4 and verse 6. Hebrews 4 talks about the throne of His grace. We read about the Word of His grace. The only way that we can get additional grace is the same way we received initial grace. That is simply through the knowledge of God and Jesus Christ our Lord. That's what he said. Look in verse 2. "Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord."

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• Now, here's the third thing and I want to emphasize this today. Additional grace and peace are bestowed upon us through the knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord. So, here's my question. What does the word "knowledge" mean? In order to explain this concept, I have to differentiate for you between two Greek words. And both of these words are translated as "knowledge" in the Bible. For instance, the first word that is translated as "knowledge" is the word gnosis. G-N-O-S-I-S, gnosis. And it simply refers to knowledge as a general understanding or a general knowledge or what you and I would call a general intelligence. There's nothing special about this word. And the word is used both in a good and bad sense in the Bible. For instance, I want you to turn to Romans chapter 15 and go ahead and find 1 Corinthians chapter 8 because we would come back there next. But go to Romans chapter 15 and then we're going to turn to 1 Corinthians chapter 8. And I just want you to see how the word gnosis is used, and it's used many times in the Bible.

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• But it's used both in a good and in a bad sense. For instance, in Romans chapter 15, look at verse 14. Romans 15 and verse 14, the Apostle Paul says concerning these Roman Christians, he said, "Now I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that you also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another." Now when he says "filled with all knowledge," it is filled with all gnosis. That is general knowledge, a general intelligence, able also to admonish one another.

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• Now let me just tell you something. You don't need a theological degree to know what's right and what's wrong. If I were to come up to Henry and say, "Henry, I want you to pray for me. Because I'm thinking about having an affair with another woman." Henry does not need a theological degree to say, "Pastor, God says, 'Thou shalt not commit adultery.' God says, 'Thou shalt not covet.' God says, 'No!'" That's plain and simple. You don't need a lot of understanding to know what's right and what's wrong if you've got a basic general intelligence. And that's what the Apostle Paul is saying. You're able to admonish one another if you understand basic principles.

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• Now, what is the bad sense of this word gnosis? Well, I want you to look in 1 Corinthians chapter 8, at verses 1 and 2. 1 Corinthians chapter 8, verses 1 and 2. The Apostle Paul says this: "Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Watch. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth. If any man think that he knoweth anything, he knoweth nothing, yet is he ought to know." Ah, here's a problem with gnosis. It's the word gnosis. Gnosis puffeth up. It causes pride. It causes arrogance. It causes a haughty attitude. And the Apostle Paul says, "When you think that you have arrived, when you think you really have knowledge, you don't know anything." So, obviously, this word can be used in a good and a bad sense. For instance, the word "puffeth up" here literally is the Greek word phusioo, and it literally means to inflate, to blow up, to cause a swell up, to puff up, and to be proud, and to bear oneself loftily and heartily, and to be proud. Well, obviously, that is not the kind of knowledge that brings additional grace and peace. That is the kind of knowledge that will bring heartache, trouble, and problems. There were several groups in the New Testament era that thought themselves to be super spiritual with super intelligence.

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• And they were known as the Gnostics. Of course, there were Cerinthian Gnostics, there were the Docetic Gnostics, and I'm not going to get into that right now. But there are two books in the New Testament that were written against Gnosticism. And you cannot even understand the book of Colossians or the book of 1 John until you realize that these two books were written against the Gnostics who thought that they were super spiritual and super intelligent and they had all this secretive knowledge and unless you could get in on their knowledge, you were

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• just simply not where it was. You know, you had to have their knowledge. It's just like all the secret organizations and secret religions today that they want to tap you into their special knowledge. No, no, no, no. There's a second word for knowledge. It is not gnosis, it is epignosis. It is gnosis with a preposition epi in front of it. And it refers to knowledge on top of knowledge, or what you and I would explain as full knowledge. Or we could explain it a little more precisely by saying it refers to a precise and correct knowledge. It refers to knowledge that is ethical and divine. Now, I want to show you a number of passages in the New Testament where this word epignosis is used. Now, I want to include one passage that has the word gnosis in it just so I can show you and explain the difference. So I want you to turn, first of all, to the book of Ephesians chapter 1. Ephesians chapter 1. And I want you to look, if you would please, at verse 17.

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• Ephesians 1 and verse 17. Now remember we're talking about epignosis. We're talking more about a precise and correct knowledge of God and our Savior Jesus Christ. In Ephesians 1 in verse 17, Paul is praying for the Ephesians and he says in verse 16, he ceases not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers. Verse 17, "That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the full knowledge of Him." So he prays that God would give them a more precise and correct knowledge of God. Now, if you look in Ephesians 3 and verse 19, here is where the word gnosis is used, just to show you a truth. Ephesians 3 and verse 19. In fact, let's begin reading there with verse 17. He says that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith, that you being rooted and grounded in love may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, length, and depth, and height and to know the love of Christ, which passeth gnosis, knowledge, that you might be filled with all the

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• fullness of God. So he says, if you know the love of Christ, you've got something more than a general knowledge. You've got something more than a general intelligence. For he says, the love of Christ passes that. And what he wants is for you to be filled with the fullness of God.

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• Now, look at Ephesians 4 and verse 13. Here again is the word epignosis. Ephesians 4 and verse 13. Why did God give some pastor teachers? Watch carefully. "Till we all come in the unity of the faith and of the full knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man, a mature complete man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ." Would you not think that Christ had precise and correct knowledge?

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• Well, of course He does. He's God incarnate. Well, what's He want us to do? He wants us to come to this full knowledge of the Son of God that we may be mature and complete as well. Turn over to the book of Colossians chapter 1 and look at verses 9 and 10. Remember, this is the word epignosis, which means a full or precise and correct knowledge. Colossians 1 verse 9. The Apostle Paul is talking about how he's praying for the Colossians. And he says, "For this cause we also, since the day we heard of it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that you might be filled with the full knowledge, or precise knowledge, of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, that you might walk worthy of the Lord in all pleasing, being fruitful unto every good work, and increasing in the full, precise, correct knowledge of God." Wow! Do you understand there is a general knowledge, which most Christians have, but beyond that there is a precise and correct knowledge of God, which brings us to maturity, completeness in Christ.

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• In each of these passages that I just quoted, with the exception of Ephesians 3 and verse 19, the word epignosis is the word that is used. Now, let me point something out. When I use the word epignosis, or I'm talking about a full or complete or precise knowledge, I'm not introducing a new notion, nor am I speaking about some mysterious secret knowledge. No. The knowledge that I'm talking about has been revealed in Jesus Christ, clearly in the Word of His grace, in the Word of His truth.

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• I want you to turn back in your Bibles to John 17. I want you to look at this. John 17. And this may surprise you. Because he tells us exactly what eternal life really is. Look in John 17 in verse 3. Our Lord says, by the way, John 17 is the high priestly prayer of our Lord. And look in verse 1, "These words spake Jesus and lifted up His eyes to heaven and said, Father, the hour has come. Glorify Thy Son that Thy Son also may glorify Thee." So we're talking about our Lord's high priestly prayer. Look what He says in verse 3, "And this is life eternal, that they may know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent." You know what eternal life is? Eternal life is not simply living somewhere forever. If you define eternal life as living forever, then the unsaved have it as well, for they'll live forever in punishment. Eternal life is not just living forever. It is true those who possess eternal life do live eternally.

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• But eternal life is a personal, intimate knowledge of God the Father through Jesus Christ our Lord. And we have eternal life here and now. And we will have it far greater when we have a glorified body and a purified understanding. But he says, "And this is life eternal that they might know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent." This word "know" is used all in the Bible and it always speaks of a personal intimacy.

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• Adam knew his wife and she conceived. Joseph did not know Mary until after our Lord was born. And when our Lord said that this is life eternal, that they may know thee. In other words, that there may be a personal, intimate relationship with the one true and the living God through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Now, the question remains, how do I acquire such a relationship? How does anyone acquire such a relationship?

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• I suppose the clearest and the best answer is found in Matthew 11 and verse 27. I want you to turn there. Look at Matthew 11 and verse 27. Matthew 11, and notice if you would what our Lord said in verse 27. Matthew 11, verse 27. And then I'll show you something. Matthew 11, verse 27. Our Lord says, "All things are delivered unto me of my Father. Are you watching? And no man knoweth, that is, no man has full knowledge of the Son, but the Father. Neither knoweth hath full knowledge of any man of the Father, save the Son. And he whomsoever the Son will reveal him." So here's my question. Who knows the Father fully? The Son. Who knows the Son fully? The Father. And our Lord says, no one can know the Father except the Son revealing. And the word "knoweth" there means full knowledge. Neither can anyone know the Son except the Father revealing. And the word there is epignosis, which means a full or precise and correct knowledge. So it's only the revelation of God, the grace of God, that will give us this full, precise and correct knowledge.

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• Let me give you a quote. I want you to listen very carefully. I'm going to try to tie things together for you. But I want you to listen to Adam Clarke. Here's what he said: "But the Lord Jesus Christ has given us the knowledge of God, His Father, as He knew Him, generally in the days of His flesh, fully in His resurrection and ascension, that we might know Him as His Father and our Father, His God and our God, in the new creation consequent on His atoning death."

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• "What was all before in many modes and many measures compared with this fullness. As the beloved disciple says in his first epistle, 1 John 5 verse 20, 'We know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding that we may know Him that is true and we are in Him that is true in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.'"

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• "Is anything so wonderful, gracious and practical as the truth now made fully known? It could not be till He came who knew it Himself perfectly and died and rose and ascended that we might be brought as far as is possible into his relationships and have the Holy Spirit given to us to know it this day. Such is Christian knowledge of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. As the Father is revealed, so the Son reveals. And this only in its living reality by the Holy Spirit."

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• "It is the full revelation of God. Confession and our baptism and needed as it ought to be enjoyed every step of our way till our pilgrimage closes and it's coming to take us on high where He is and we also may be." So he is simply saying that Jesus Christ has revealed everything in His life, in His death, in His resurrection. He's given us this knowledge. Do you remember the passage in Matthew chapter 16?

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• Our Lord looked at His disciples and He said, "Whom say men that I the Son of Man am?" Well, they answered, "Some say that you're Elias, or Elijah, or one of the prophets." Then he asked, "But whom say ye that I am?" And they responded, Peter responded, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." And what did our Lord say to Peter? He said, "Thou art Peter."

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• "Flesh and blood have not revealed it unto you, but my Father who is in heaven." It was the God of grace who used the Word of grace to reveal an accurate, correct, and precise knowledge concerning Jesus Christ. So here's the thing. If you and I wish to mature in our Christian lives, if we wish to progress in our Christian lives, we must labor to have a more precise, correct, and full knowledge of God through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We cannot be content with a general knowledge. We cannot be content with a simple general understanding. We must labor to have a precise and correct knowledge of God. Let me show you.

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• I want you to turn in your Bibles to the book of Jeremiah chapter 9. Jeremiah chapter 9. Jeremiah chapter 9. And let's begin reading there with verse 23. Jeremiah 9 verse 23. Look what he says. Jeremiah 9 verse 23. "Thus saith the Lord, let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches, but let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord which exercise loving kindness, judgment and righteousness in the earth, for in these things I delight, saith the Lord." Did you hear that? He said in verse 24, "But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me."

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• Now, let me give you a word of caution. No one can understand or know God perfectly, totally, and completely. Only God can understand God. Only God can comprehend God. But what limited knowledge we now have and are able to acquire by His grace, can by His grace be precise and correct knowledge. What we know about Him we can know accurately, precisely, and correctly because it is revealed in His Word. And do you understand, this is part of the glory of eternity.

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• Many in this room are close to my age and some are younger. But have you noticed when you get closer to 70, you tend to be a little forgetful. Have you ever noticed that? You walk into the room and you turn around and say, "Now why did I come in this room?" I want you to stop and think with me. When we have glorified bodies, glorified minds, we will never forget anything.

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• Everything that we learn will be perfect righteousness, perfect knowledge. We will retain it perfectly and completely and totally and throughout eternity we will be forever learning new truths about our gracious and glorious God and never ever fully comprehending Him. And yet all the knowledge we have will be precise and accurate and correct. And we'll never forget it. But we can begin today with that precise knowledge. You remember on the Emmaus road in Luke 24 and verse 45, after our Lord was walking with those two disciples, after He opened the Scriptures and explained Himself, the Bible says in verse 45, "Then opened He their understanding that they might understand the Scriptures."

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• You know what you and I need to do? We need to pray, "Oh Lord God, open my understanding. Give me a precise and correct knowledge of thyself and of thy Son Jesus Christ as thou art revealed in His Word." There's a difference between just general knowledge and a full, accurate, precise knowledge. Let me make just a couple of applications. The first one is this. Our Lord bids us to grow up. He bids us to mature. And we can only mature and we can only grow up as we mature in knowledge and understanding.

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• Now let me tell you something. A 4 or 5 year old kid is happy and content with the fact that he knows his ABC's and he can count to 25. An adult should never be satisfied with such an accomplishment. Likewise, babes in Christ may be satisfied with gnosis, having a general knowledge and a general understanding, but a mature individual, a mature Christian, a father in the faith, should have a more precise and accurate knowledge and never ever be satisfied with rudimentary truths. The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 14 and verse 20, "Brethren, be not children in understanding. Howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men."

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• Secondly, when we grow in grace, we grow in every other area of our lives as well. I've already pointed out grace never travels alone. It will always bring with it peace and mercy and a multitude of other blessings and attributes with it. It will also bring repentance and a deeper knowledge of sin. Job 28 in verse 28 says, "And unto man, he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to depart from evil, that is understanding." So as we grow in grace and in knowledge, we grow in our understanding of that which is evil and wicked, and we turn from it.

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• I want to show you one last passage. I want you to turn to Jeremiah chapter 3. Jeremiah chapter 3. Here's my question. Are you really desirous of having a full, precise knowledge of God and of our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ? Do you really want to be mature in the faith? Are you listening? When God finds the people that are really desirous of living a godly and obedient life, when God finds the people that really and truly want truth more than anything else, He sends them a special blessing. What is it? Look in Jeremiah 3 verse 15, God says, "And I will give you pastors according to my heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding."

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• If you're fed, you should grow. If you grow, you should mature. If you mature, you should have knowledge and understanding, and it's only through the grace of God, the Word of His grace, and the Word of His truth, that we can ever expect to have a precise and accurate knowledge of God. Do you want more grace? Peter said, "Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and our Savior, Jesus Christ." Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to Thee. We thank You for Your Word, for Your truth, for Your grace, for Your mercy. And Lord, I pray that You would indeed enable us to mature in the faith and have a more precise and accurate knowledge of God. Give us grace, Lord, that we may serve Thee acceptably with reverence and godly fear. And we ask, Father, that Your will would be done in our lives. In the name of Jesus Christ, we ask and pray. Amen.

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• If you're fed, you should grow. If you grow, you should mature. If you mature, you should have knowledge and understanding, and it's only through the grace of God, the Word of His grace, and the Word of His truth, that we can ever expect to have a precise and accurate knowledge of God. Do you want more grace? Peter said, grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and our Savior, Jesus Christ. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to Thee. We thank You for Your Word, for Your truth, for Your grace, for Your mercy. And Lord, I pray that You would indeed enable us to mature in the faith and have a more precise and accurate knowledge of God. Give us grace, Lord, that we may serve Thee acceptably with reverence and godly fear. And we ask, Father, that Your will would be done in our lives. In the name of Jesus Christ, we ask and pray. Amen.

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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-04T22:15:38Z