Today I’d like to examine the Scriptural connections between one’s growth in the knowledge of God and one’s struggle with sin and spiritual apathy. As we’ve already seen, the knowledge of God is a specific reality. It refers to a personal and inward fellowship with God’s presence, and a deep knowing of His character, His will, and the desires of His heart. It is knowing Jesus’ ways and wants, and it is seeking to make His ways and wants your own (Jer. 15:16; 1 Jn. 2:3). As we continue, therefore, let us not lose grasp of this truth. When we speak of knowing Jesus we mean to know Him intimately, not superficially (Eph. 5:25-32). We want to know Him even as we ourselves are known (1 Cor. 13:12).

The Knowledge of God and Sin

What can be said of the connection that Scripture makes between eating up the knowledge of God and gaining strength to resist sin and worldliness? It should come as no surprise that Jesus uses an earthly, biological truth to highlight a far more important spiritual reality. Just as in the natural world, so it is in the spirit: We become what we behold. Naturally speaking, if we spend our days feasting on junk, then junk is likely to be subsequently produced: obesity, anxiety, poor health, addictions. But the opposite is also true: If we ingest good and healthy things into our bodies, then we will feel good and likely bear fruit. Spiritually speaking, if we conform to the rudiments of this world then the world’s pollution will be seen in and upon us. But, if we die to ourselves, then Jesus will be seen instead (Eph. 2:1-7)!

Let’s observe several Scriptures that display this truth in detail:

1 Thessalonians 4:1-2

“Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more. For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus“.

Notice how the above verse connects sin to a refusal to eat the Words of God. We should be abounding “more and more” in the sanctification process simply because of verse 2: “For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus“. Simply put, a deeper and deeper dive into the knowledge of God, i.e. “the commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus“, will prove to keep us from falling into sin and apathy! What good news! The Word of God is full of power! Truly eating it will cause us to absorb its endless, perfect qualities for ourselves. When sincerely eaten, we don’t simply hear God speak – we also discover the strength and gracious wherewithal to obey His instructions.

Dear reader, the opposite must also be true! Those who refuse to feast upon the knowledge of God will not only find themselves ignorant of who God is, they will also miss the opportunity to allow God to form and fashion His perfect qualities within their own hearts. They will struggle with sin and condemnation and will not know the Lord as He longs to be known (Matt. 7:23). How sad! What waste!

“And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God or consider Him worth knowing [as their Creator], God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do things which are improper and repulsive, until they were filled (permeated, saturated) with every kind of unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice and mean-spiritedness. They are gossips [spreading rumors], slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors [of new forms] of evil, disobedient and disrespectful to parents, without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful [without pity]” (Rom. 1:28-31, AMP).

1 Peter 1:14-16

“[Live] as obedient children [of God]; do not be conformed to the evil desires which governed you in your ignorance [before you knew the requirements and transforming power of the good news regarding salvation]. But like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves in all your conduct [be set apart from the world by your godly character and moral courage]; because it is written, “You shall be holy (set apart), for I am holy” (AMP).

Before we knew the transforming power of the Gospel we were governed and enslaved by our ignorance! But now, having been called by the Holy One, we too can partake of His holiness, godly character, and moral courage. And how? Simply, “because it is written…” To seek Christlikeness via any other route is to possess a zeal for God, but not according to the true knowledge of Him (Rom. 10:1-2). Yes, the only way for these attributes to be multiplied unto us is through the knowledge of God (2 Pet. 1:2). The only way to escape the pollutions of the world is through “the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ” (2 Pet. 2:20).

“Awake to righteousness and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God…” (1 Cor. 15:34).

“When Thy judgments [are] in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness” (Isa. 26:9).

Ephesians 3:19

“[I pray that you may come] to know [practically, through personal experience] the love of Christ which far surpasses [mere] knowledge [without experience], that you may be filled up [throughout your being] to all the fullness of God [so that you may have the richest experience of God’s presence in your lives, completely filled and flooded with God Himself].”