Do you know a lot about God? Or do you really know God?
There is a big difference between really knowing God and just having gathered knowledge about Him.
Yet it does begin with gathering knowledge about Him. But it shouldn’t stop there….
Paul teaches us what it takes for knowledge about God to be fruitful in our lives so that we can come to what God made us for.
Paul says 1 Corinthians 1:4 (NIV)
I always thank my God for you
because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus.
For in him you have been enriched in every way
with all kinds of speech and with all knowledge
So Paul says that the Corinthians have become rich in knowledge and he thanks God for that.
However, when you read on in 1 Corinthians chapter 1, it says in verse 10: Now I urge you…….
That is strange, isn’t it, because Paul began so optimistically.
So there must still be something missing from the knowledge he mentions in verse 4.
gnosis
The word knowledge here in 1 Corinthians 1:4 is the Greek word γνωσις (gnosis)
Strongs gives us the following meaning of this word:
GNOSIS
Strongs #1108
1 – intelligence, understanding
1A – the general knowledge of Christian religion
1B – the deeper more perfect and enlarged knowledge of this religion, such as belongs to the more advanced
1C – especially of things lawful and unlawful for Christians
1D – moral wisdom, such as is seen in right living
Thus, the gnosis in the Christian faith would be the knowledge of how God would want us to live.
However, this does not yet complete our faith and knowledge of God according to Paul.
Thus, a strong urging remains.
epignosis
When we look at where else Paul uses the word knowledge, we come to Ephesians 4:13, among other places.
There he says:
Ephesians 4:13 (NKJV)
…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.
So the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, according to Paul, is the perfect man, who is one with the faith of the Son of God and with the knowledge of the Son of God.
In 1 Corinthians chapter 1 verse 4 there is an urging after Paul uses the word knowledge, which indicates imperfection.
But in Ephesians 4:13, it is about perfection and fullness, after Paul uses the word knowledge.
Do you see the difference?
Therefore, for the word knowledge in his letter to the Ephesians, Paul does not use the word γνωσις (gnosis), but the word επιγνωσις e’pignosis.
Strongs says the following about this word, epignosis:
EPIGNOSIS
Strongs #1922
1 – precise and correct knowledge
2 – used in the NT of the knowledge of things ethical and divine
This epignosis knowledge seems to be far above the gnosis knowledge!
This knowledge brings us to perfection!
This knowledge is beyond knowledge.
This epi’gnosis is beyond gnosis!
The lesson Paul teaches us about the difference between having knowledge of God and knowing God personally would not be complete if he did not explain it to us himself.
So he says that he was always praying for the Ephesians that they….
Ephesians 3:18 (NKJV)
…may be able to comprehend with all the saints
what is the width and length and depth and height
to know (ginōskō = to learn to know) the love of Christ
which passes knowledge (gnosis)
that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
So in order to come to perfection
by coming to know the perfect love of Christ
and by being filled to all the fullness of God,
we need a knowledge beyond gnosis!
That is the epignosis; the knowledge and wisdom of God Himself.
He who has ears, let him hear what the Spirit says!
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