EPIGNOSIS_COMPLETE EXACT KNOWLEDGE FOR LOVE_2015
(week 48/15)
OLUBI JOHNSON
In our article last week, we saw that Epignosis is the COMPLETE, EXACT KNOWLEDGE OF GOD IN PRINCIPLE and we are to increase in this exact knowledge in detail.
This week, we want to look at Epignosis for love.
Love is discerning by DIVINE wisdom; desiring or feeling by DIVINE compassion and doing by DIVINE power what God would do in every situation.
It is GOD WHO DEFINES LOVE AND NOT LOVE THAT DEFINES GOD!
The scripture says GOD IS LOVE AND NOT LOVE IS GOD!
1John 4:8 NKJV: He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
1John 4:16 NKJV: And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.
So to walk in love, we need IN THIS ORDER (WISDOM IS WHAT DIRECTS COMPASSION WHICH IN TURN DIRECTS POWER):
1. DIVINE WISDOM, which is ONLY AVAILABLE THROUGH GOD’S WORD AND THE REVELATION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
Proverbs 2:6 NKJV: For the LORD gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding;
Ephesians 1:17 NKJV: that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him,
1John 2:5 NKJV: But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him.
So WISDOM IS THE PRINCIPAL (OR THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF DIVINE LOVE).
Proverbs 4:7 AMP: The beginning of Wisdom is: get Wisdom (skillful and godly Wisdom)! [For skillful and godly Wisdom is the principal thing.] And with all you have gotten, get understanding (discernment, comprehension, and interpretation). [James 1:5.]
Philippians 1:9 AMP: And this I pray: that your love may abound yet more and more and extend to its fullest development in knowledge and all keen insight [that your love may display itself in greater depth of acquaintance and more comprehensive discernment],
2. DIVINE COMPASSION
Divine compassion is NOT HUMAN SYMPATHY: it is being SPIRITUALLY (NOT EMOTIONALLY, THOUGH IT CAN AFFECT YOUR EMOTIONS; IT ORIGINATES FROM THE HOLY SPIRIT, NOT YOUR EMOTIONS), touched with the feelings of the infirmities of men, moving you to help them by divine wisdom and power.
Hebrews 4:15 AMP: For we do not have a High Priest Who is unable to understand and sympathize and have a shared feeling with our weaknesses and infirmities and liability to the assaults of temptation, but One Who has been tempted in every respect as we are, yet without sinning.
Divine compassion is exercised by the fruit of the Spirit of longsuffering, gentleness and kindness:
Galatians 5:22-23 NKJV: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, (23) gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
Divine compassion motivates us to exercise longsuffering, gentleness and kindness towards men who are suffering some affliction or problem and so pray for and minister unto them by the wisdom and power of God.
1John 3:17-18 KJV: But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? (18) My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.
3. DIVINE POWER
Divine power FOLLOWS divine wisdom and compassion to administer divine love to men in action and deeds.
Acts 1:8 KJV: But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
James 5:16 AMP: Confess to one another therefore your faults (your slips, your false steps, your offenses, your sins) and pray [also] for one another, that you may be healed and restored [to a spiritual tone of mind and heart]. The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working].
So, we see that to walk in DIVINE love (not just human emotion and sympathy), we need the Word of God, the compassion and power of God through effectual fervent prayer; so we NEED the blood (Heb. 13.20-12); the Word (1 Jn.2.5) and power of the Holy Spirit (1 Jn.4.12-13) to PERFECT the love of God in us.
In our article next week, we will examine epignosis for health.
