Many passages in the Bible make it clear that knowledge of and about God the Father and Jesus Christ is intensely important. For example, the apostle Peter emphasizes this particular theme in his second New Testament letter.

The introduction to Simon Peter's second general epistle states: "Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ our Lord" (2 Peter 1:2). The next passage talks about "the knowledge of Him who called us" (verse 3). Other Scriptures show us that it is the Father who does the calling of the firstfruits into the Church (John 6:44, 65), "as many as the Lord our God will call" (Acts 2:39).

Adding true knowledge should be a spiritual pursuit of every Christian (2 Peter 1:5). If we grow substantially in the qualities of faith, virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness and love, then we will be "neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ" (verse 8).

Not only does Peter urge Christians to add knowledge to their spiritual armor, he also reminds them of the importance of the true knowledge that they already have (verses 12-13).

The firstfruits who have escaped from worldly pollutions and defilements have done so "through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 2:20). In his conclusion, Peter gives us a warning about twisting the truth of God (2 Peter 3:16). "You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked" (verse 17).

Then in the closing verse Peter concludes with the positive admonition to "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (verse 18). Reading and studying the four Gospel accounts would be a good start. WNP