2Peter 1:5-8 (b) - Knowledge and Self-Control

2Peter 1:5-8

5-8 For this very reason make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. 8 For if these things are yours and abound, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

KNOWLEDGE

The Greek word "gnosis" can have a number of meanings that differ subtly from each other. It is the context that so often dictates which nuance of meaning is intended. Thus, the Gnostics of the New Testament were actually heretics because they taught that there was a special knowledge that could be attained by a precious inner few. Secret, hidden knowledge that only the elite could grasp. It showed itself in both high and low forms, and brought its appropriate fruit. It led either to hyper-spiritualism or antinomianism, depending upon the particular flavour of the gnosis.

This sort of gnostic heresy is a demonic corruption of the precious Biblical truths of regeneration, and the gift of the knowledge of God in Jesus Christ through faith. The two ought not to be confused. Christianity does teach that only the regenerate elect know God in a personal way, and that the knowledge of God is by revelation to the heart - that the natural man does not receive the things of the spirit, nor can he, for they are spiritually discerned {1Corinthians 2:14}. But the Bible glorifies God - makes Him the author and perfecter of all things, the source, the power, the fountain of all goodness and knowledge - and gives all glory to God. The gnostics, on the other hand, ascribe power and glory to men, sometimes in very subtle ways - but always in ways that end up with them controlling other "less enlightened" proteges, to their own glory and/or profit.

In this context in 2Peter the word "gnosis" refers to the knowledge of God - and not to knowledge itself. Knowledge of God is not the accumulation of information - it is a relationship that unfolds in increasingly intimate and experiential appreciation of Him. It is the vehicle of love. Love is meaningless without knowledge, but mere knowledge is not love. We Christians sometimes fall into both errors. In recent years experiential religion has often disdained knowledge (doctrine) and has ended up with a chaotic array of increasingly false teachings in a feelings-driven environment. At anytime, doctrine can come to be simply knowledge, without relevance to the personal knowledge of God. Knowledge for knowledge’s sake. Knowledge as an end in itself. Knowledge about God, but not of Him.

Being the fools that we are, when we find ourselves in one milieu or the other we almost invariably over-react and throw out the baby with the bath water. The result is factions within God’s church. The Charismatics can show themselves to be, for the most part, doctrinal paupers - and the Traditionalists can be dry old dead bones. But the solution is not to throw out doctrine or to suppress experiential religion. It is to add knowledge to virtue. It is to deepen our understanding of the scriptures (in and by which we know God) and to live out the truth that we are given - not in our own power, not on our own dime, not by dint of ourselves - but by the grace and power of God through the exercise of the faith we have been given - and to His glory alone.

To quote the Westminster Cofession, "The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. "

SELF-CONTROL

This term carries the sense of "temperance." It is the bringing of the natural lusts and affections under the authority of God. It is putting to death the deeds of the body. It is reining in all that which is opposed to God within us. It is the putting off of the old nature and the putting on of Christ. That which is of the flesh is flesh, and therefore, death. That which is of the spirit is spirit, and therefore, life. It is submitting the whole inner being to the rule of Christ as Lord. It is receiving, accepting, believing and acting upon that knowledge of Him which was added to His virtue in us, by virtue of His grace at work in our desire to know Him more.

Its only a word. How does one get such a wealth of expression and meaning from it? It comes from studying God’s word and understanding the revealed will of God for His children. Nothing in the Bible is unconnected to the whole truth of the Bible. It all hangs together as a piece, in just the same way that all things are upheld by the Word of His power.

Now, we probably all have some particular besetting sin that troubles our walk with God from time to time, and God is gracious to be patient and loving with us - even to the point of chastisement. But there ought to be no mistaking the clear words of scripture that those who habitually display the marks of uncontrolled lusts can have no part in the kingdom of God.

Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither the immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor sexual perverts, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor robbers will inherit the kingdom of God. {1Corinthians 6:9-10}

No one who abides in him sins; no one who sins has either seen him or known him. {1John 3:6}

Now, we must never judge a brother as to his heart before God, nor should we presume that the grace of God will not be at work in a brother in the future - but we are commanded to speak the truth that God is speaking - and that truth includes the fact that unrepented, habitual sin indulged in without heeding the voice of conscience and the Word of God, is evidence of a carnal nature. And, to repeat, the carnal nature is death {Romans 8:6}. We must be discerning (we must judge) not in order to be judgmental, but in order to be loving. How can we minister unless we discern? And how can ministry be effectual unless it speaks the truth in love? We must receive a brother unreservedly if he repents, but we must continue to speak the hard truth until he does. Sometimes we, as a church, must even turn that brother over to Satan.