A Walk Which Is
Increasing In the Knowledge of God
Tuesday Bible Study
Notes
Westside Care Center Tuesday, February 6, 2006
C. Pat Lanyon
Review: We are now looking at what appear to be conditions for having a
worthy walk. Last time we studied the "fruitful" goal we are to have
in our approach to God’s Will– how to act so as to bear lasting fruit for
God’s Kingdom.
Colossians 1:9-12 (with outline sectional marking as we are seeking to
understand it)
9 For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray
for you, and to ask that (1B.) you may be filled with the
knowledge of His will (1c.) in all wisdom and (2c.) spiritual understanding;
10 that you may 2B. walk worthy of the Lord, (1c1d.) fully
pleasing Him, (1c2d.) being fruitful in every good work and (1c3d.)
increasing in the knowledge of God;
11 (1c4d.) strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for
(1c5d.) all patience and (1c6d.) longsuffering with joy;
12 (1c7d) giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of
the inheritance of the saints in the light.
Introduction:
God’s desire is for everyone of us to be "increasing in the
knowledge" of Him as we walk the Christian life in our efforts to do
His will.
Let’s first look at the meaning of the words in this phrase: increasing:
1) to cause to grow, augment 2) to increase, become greater 3) to grow,
increase 3a) of plants 3b) of infants 3c) of a multitude of people 3d) of
inward Christian growth
"The knowledge of God means 1) precise and correct knowledge
1a) used in the NT of the knowledge of things ethical and divine and of
God means here "of 2) the Godhead, trinity 2a) God the Father,
the first person in the trinity 2b) Christ, the second person of the
trinity 2c) Holy Spirit, the third person in the trinity 3) spoken of the
only and true God 3a) refers to the things of God 3b) his counsels,
interests, things due to him 4) whatever can in any respect be likened unto God,
or resemble him in any way 4a) God's representative or vice-regent 4a1) of
magistrates and judges
So the things we must study can include things universally having to do with
God. And those things enable us to walk more uprightly, and to be like Him.
Another well known verse is:
1Pe 2:2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may
grow thereby:
and 2 Peter 3:18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.
When Peter uses the words babes and grow, he is drawing on a
concept originated by Jesus in John 3 where the Lord explained that the new life
that God gives to those who believe in Christ as the Messiah is like a baby born
anew with the need to grow through feeding first on milk and then later solid
food. No child continues to grow properly unless it is eventually weaned off of
the milk and becomes able to digest the complex proteins of a normal diet.
Similarly in the Christian life, we learn that growth is not automatic from
the Writer of Hebrews:
Heb. 4:12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone
to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have
come to need milk and not solid food. 13 For everyone who partakes only of
milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. 14 But solid
food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by
reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
Paul told the Ephesians about the same thing in Eph 4:11 And He Himself
gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and
teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the
edifying of the body of Christ, 13 till we all come to the unity of the
faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure
of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14 that we should no longer be
children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by
the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15 but, speaking
the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head–
Christ– 16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every
joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its
share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.
When we are walking uprightly and increasing in God’s knowledge, we are not
only causing our own spirit to grow, we are also building the entire church body
to grow.
Examples
Time famous saints were made to prepare to INCREASE in the knowledge of God,
1. Moses-
a. - 40 years in Egypt - physical dev.
b. - 40 years in Sinai Wilderness - spiritual dev
c. - Called to service – brief return to Egypt,
d. - His spiritual leadership used to bring Israel out
e. - Sinai - 40 days on the mountain
i. - to learn words of God
ii. - to learn will of God
iii. - to learn ways of God
f. - Sinai - 40 years back to Wilderness - endurance training
2. David- studied and knew God well, but waited 14 years to become King of
Israel, he had both a heart for God, and a walk with God, although he fell
through weakness; since he loved war, and had to destroy many enemies of Israel,
he was prevented from ‘housing’ God’s presence, as Solomon did.
3. Solomon- knew God from from father's knowledge, but not personally like
David, Solomon gained wisdom but not the 'walk'
4. Ezra- prepared his heart, 7:10; he became a ready scribe 7:6, 12, 21
5. Nehemiah- a governor for Jerusalem, was a cup-bearer that pleased the king
of Shushan 2:6
6. Daniel- purposed in his heart not to defile himself, deported to Babylon,
walked pleasing to kings and was revered by them because of his training as a
youth by godly parents.
7. Jesus- 28 years training in the word of God in Nazareth, 3 years living
God’s will and training disciples in will of God
8. Paul- Jewish trained man, Saul, as a youth learned the Law of God, was
converted on the road to Damascus, then 3 years wilderness to learn ways of God
(not conferring with flesh, Gal 1:15-18), then the remainder walking the walk
until he "finished the course" 2 Tim 4:7.
Application: 1. What Periods of your life has God used to Train You? 2. Has
it helped your ‘walk?’ 3. In what ways can you increase further in God’s
knowledge? 4. Can you help someone else increase their knowledge of God?
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