Knowledge and Grace
(week 38/06)
Olubi Johnson
2 Peter 1:2-4: Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, according as 3 His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue. 4 Thereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises, that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
Grace is the favour of God that causes Him to give divine life into our spirits, through Jesus Christ.
Psalms 30:5 KJV: For His anger endureth but a moment, and in His favor is life; weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.
For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. (John 1:17 KJV)
It is the knowledge of God through His Word that informs about this grace.
So knowledge is like a package or box while grace is the gift inside the package or box.
Now, the measure of grace is dependent not on the amount of knowledge but on the degree of the honesty and humility of heart: the more humble the heart is the greater the measure of grace or life that enters the heart and produces fruit and results.
1Peter 5:5 KJV: Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility; for “God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.“
For instance one brother, X, may have a lot of knowledge represented by 100 boxes say but the degree of the openness (honesty and humility) of his heart is just 1% so the measure of grace and life the 100 boxes give is just 100 times 1% which is just 1 measure.
Another brother, Y, may have less knowledge represented by 20 boxes but the degree of the openness (honesty and humility) is 100% so the measure of grace and life the 20 boxes give is 20 times 100% which 20 measures.
So even though brother X has more knowledge than brother Y, brother Y has a greater measure of life and consequently fruit in his life and conduct than brother X because of the degree of honesty and humility of his heart.
So while knowledge is very important, for my people perish for lack of knowledge (Hos. 4.6) and grace is multiplied unto you through knowledge (2 Pet.2.2); the measure of grace is determined by the openness of the heart and not the amount of knowledge.
Observe that if brother X heart was 100% open like brother Y’s he would have 100 measures of life because he has more knowledge: so knowledge is important.
So even though knowledge is important it must be used with a right attitude of honesty and humility.
How then does God make our hearts more open or honest and humble?
By breaking our pride through difficult situations and trials: He enlarges our hearts in the place of distress:
Leveticus 26:19 KJV: And I will break the pride of your power; and I will make your heaven as iron and your earth as brass.
Psalms 4:1 KJV: Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness! Thou hast set me at large when I was in distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer.
Proverbs 15:13 KJV: A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance, but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.
2Corinthians 7:10 KJV: For godly sorrow is not to be repented of, but worketh repentance unto salvation; but the sorrow of the world worketh death.
The degree of the honesty and humility of our hearts increases by the afflicting or breaking of our hearts through fasting, prayer and adverse circumstances that cause us to trust not in our knowledge alone but in God’s grace and mercy:
Psalms 119:67,71 KJV: Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now have I kept Thy word it is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I might learn Thy statutes.
Psalms 35:13 KJV: But as for me, when they were sick my clothing was sackcloth; I humbled my soul with fasting, and my prayer returned unto mine own bosom.
Psalms 69:10 KJV: When I wept and chastened my soul with fasting, that was turned to my reproach.
2Corinthians 1:9 KJV: But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raiseth the dead,
With the increase in honesty and humility, the knowledge of God that we have and act upon, because of increased measure of grace and life, will begin to produce more results and fruit.
So it is possible to have a lot of knowledge, but not enough grace to translate the knowledge into action and fruit.
So remember that:
1Corinthians 8:1-3 KJV: Now concerning things offered unto idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth.2 And if any man think that he knoweth anything, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know. 3 But if any man love God, the same is known by Him.Selah!
