Grow In Grace & Knowledge

I assure you, this article will cause the reader to rethink his or her position on the process of salvation. If you think that is a bad thing, you best run now. You have been warned.

I’ll start by identifying the word “Grace”, because there’s no one I know of teaching the truth on this subject. Christianity's definition of grace is just wrong. Grace is NOT unmerited pardon for sin. Grace is defined in scripture and in Strong’s as Favor and not just favor for no reason…..It is favor of The Most High because of obedience, the exact opposite of what Christianity teaches.

The Title Text is found in the second Epistle of The Apostle Peter:

14 Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless, 15 and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation; just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, 16 as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction. 17 You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men and fall from your own steadfastness, 18 but GROW IN GRACE AND KNOWLEDGE of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.” 2Peter 3:14–18

Notice, the warning given by Peter concerning Paul’s writings / teaching.

“as also in all his (Paul’s) letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things HARD TO UNDERSTAND, which the UNTAUGHT AND UNSTABLE distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction.”

If ever there was an apt description of what Christianity is all about, the above text defines it best. I’ll sum up Paul’s writings by ,the following statement.

When reading Paul you have to understand, you are reading someone else’s mail. Paul was commissioned to go to the Lost Sheep of The House of Israel, teaching them about Christ, bringing Israel to Christ and Him crucified. He was not commissioned to bring Israel to Christ, via the abolishment of YHWH’s Covenant Law.

Paul was also sent to the portion of ancient Israel called The Jews, which was compromised by Edomite infiltration, to which now know as Judaism. This new religion of the day, was based upon Levitical Priesthood Law, which was a punishment placed upon Israel for a time, until Christ would come and had nothing at all to do with Covenant Law, which is eternal. Levitical priesthood Law was temporary, but Covenant Law was and is eternal.

So what Paul was teaching concerning Law being abolished was not Covenant Law, but rather the ceremonial, sacrificial law of The Levitical Priesthood. It is to this end, we find Peter’s statement here is his second Epistle. Without he back drop of this foundational information concerning Paul’s commission, his writings would be very much hard to understand and yes, would be ministers, pastors and teachers, whom YHWH never sent from that time until this very day have most certain twisted and distorted to their coming destruction. Just read Jeremiah 23 and pay careful attention to verse 20.

That said, lets address what role knowledge plays in this equation of growth.

You have to understand, scriptural knowledge is broken up three categories and it takes all three to create true growth.

1. Information
2. Understanding
3. Wisdom

Information is bits and pieces of knowledge or data gleaned from scriptural study. It is knowing the players in the Bible. It is knowing the lessons they learned. It is the meanings of words, names, places, etc. It is knowing the characteristics and nature of YHWH, It is pieces of the big picture puzzle.

Understanding is best defined as knowing how all these pieces of the puzzle fit together to form that big picture. How prophecy fits with love. How grace fits with law. How YHWH’s nature manifest in Human Beings and why. And understanding can not come apart from The indwelling of YHWH’s Spirit. The process for attaining such an indwelling is a subject all to itself, for very few have such a gift, no matter what “The Sunday Morning Comedy Hour” will tell you.

Wisdom is knowing how to use the understanding and knowledge one possesses for the edifying of the Saints. This in itself is a hidden art because there are so many false / lawless would be teachers out there, doing damage to the simplistically of Christ which is found in Covenant Law, by abolishing that law at every turn.

So, what is the process of this growth? Well once again, it is The Apostle Peter who lays it out for us, and if you never learn anything from me, please, I beg you……Please learn this lesson brought to us by this humbled man, Peter.

What I am about to convey to you is nothing short of a road map. The starting point of this journey is Faith. The destination is Agape Love……And once more, it is an uphill climb, all the way. Like going up a high mountain, walking, carrying a heavy load, against a down sloping wind, with The Enemy offering an easier path at every turn, which leads back to the valley.

Allow me to begin with the foundation of our journey. The starting place, which is faith.

1 Simon Peter, a bond-servant and apostle of Yeshua The Christ,
To those who have RECEIVED A FAITH of the same kind as ours, by the righteousness of our Father and Savior, Yeshua The Christ: 2 Grace (Favor) and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of The Father and of Yeshua our Lord; 3 seeing that His (YHWH’s) divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. 4 For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises (The top of the mountain), so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust. 2Peter 1:1–4

The statement, “To those who have RECEIVED A FAITH of the same kind as ours,”, denotes the foundation of starting line. If the analogy was building a house, faith would be the foundation. If the analogy is a journey, then faith is the starting point…..But please get this point……If you are toeing the line to begin such a journey, you are favored (given grace) by The Father to be worthy to walk such a walk. In other words, you did something to have gained YHWH’s eye to be given the opportunity.

This journey pertains “to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us”…..Not the false knowledge taught in the churches today. In other words, the goal is life….Life of YHWH’s future son, to which you will carry to term and birth into His family, if you OBTAIN the next 8 checkpoints, of which Peter lays out in verses 5–7.

“5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, 6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, 7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.” 2Peter 1:5–7

1 — Faith (Belief in YHWH & Yeshua)

2 — Virtue (Actions of Obedience)

3 — Knowledge (Defined Above)

4 — Self Control (Fruit Born Repentance)

5 — Perseverance (Time)

6 — Godliness (Character)

7 — Brotherly Kindness (Spiritual Gifts)

8 — Agape Love (Not Loving Your Life To The Death)

A foundational FAITH which is a strong belief in A Creator Family Head, The Father and His Son, Yeshua, is the starting point. However, from here, the goal is to provide YHWH with proof that you, as The Believer, are serious about your walk. A profession of your faith is required, and not just lip service, as Christianity teaches. Notice the following text, often used as such a profession of faith and then I’ll tell you why Christianity's use of this text is totally false.

“8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): 9 that if you confess with your mouth Yeshua and believe in your heart that The Father has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” Romans 10:8–9

Question….what is the last thing in verse 8?

I conduct this exercise from time to time to show how people just simply read over a text without critically considering how verses tie together. Without exception, out of the hundreds of times, I have presented the above question to Believers, the answer I always receive back is:

(that is, the word of faith which we preach), which is totally incorrect.

The last thing in verse 8 is……..a colon (:).

A Colon ties two thoughts together, so that the reader will know the two thoughts can not be fully understood divorced from one another….But have you ever heard Christian preachers trying to bring persons to Christ quote verse 8 is the alter call? If so, did they ever tell you, verse 8 is a direct quotation from Deuteronomy chapter 30:14……

“But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may observe it. Deuteronomy 30:14

The context of Deuteronomy 30 is YHWH’s Covenant Law (Exodus 20 through 23, Deuteronomy 4 through 31). Thus, if you are confessing with your mouth Yeshua is resurrected by The Father, then the evidence of your belief or faith, this is true will be your observance of Covenant Law.

As a Believer, have you ever heard it taught that way? Probably not….But it is the truth.

So back to Peter’s journey to the top of the mountain.

VIRTUE is the first check point as to whether or not your faith is working and alive or is it dead. What is VIRTUE? The root word of virtue is defined as Manliness, as in a man has to do what a man has to do. To take the bull by the horns and act. The action of obedience, in the knowledge you have at that time, which is the very beginning of your walk, is the sign as to whether or not you are worthy to be given the favor (GRACE) of the going on to the next check point.

Some examples of acts of virtue from scripture are as follows:

1. Sabbath Observance
2. Observing YHWH’s Appointed Times / Feast
3. You cease to observe The Pagan Holidays such as Christmas and Easter.
4. A Proper Form of Tithing (Not what is taught in the churches)
5. A proper Baptism (Complete with the laying on of The Eldership's hands, in the true name of YHWH).
6. Change Of Diet (Only Clean Meats)

Thus, when YHWH sees your acts of VIRTUE, in the form of repentance, He then begins to give you more KNOWLEDGE….which is next on the list. Your understanding of the above topics deepens. You begin to have even more KNOWLEDGE above even these topics, which test you further in making changes in your life. Maybe, you now see, you’ve been observing the wrong Sabbath or your calendar is wrong, or maybe the use of Pagan names such as LORD, GOD and Jesus now bother you, as they should and you are tested even further.

Thus your virtue deepens as well as your knowledge, for you are tested in new ways……And in this deepening of virtue and knowledge, you now are expected to begin to have a certain amount of SELF CONTROL above that of what you once had. You’re not as easily swayed toward acts of sin as you once were. You begin to see sin and evil for what it truly is…..damaging. You begin to love and respect righteousness in a way you never did before. Through it all, you are showing fruit worthy of repentance.

And over time, through PERSEVERANCE, the next check point on the list, having patients built, you now learn how to wait on YHWH to act in your life. You much more patient, and when you are not patient, you recognize it and work to change that standing in yourself. All the while seeing the need for more and more change in your life (virtue), recognizing more and more knowledge, with a deepening understanding and actually beginning to see wisdom in your life on how you handle matters, as you become more and more in control.

Suddenly, you see YHWH favoring you (GRACE), giving to you more and more spiritual and even physical blessings, as you recognize you are truly growing in Grace and Knowledge.

And before you know it, you have a certain amount of Set Apart Righteous Character (Godliness), as YHWH begins to trust you more and more to do the right thing, as you begin to, show Him the first fruits of Loyalty……And just in case you did not recognize it as you were reading it, what we are talking about is a true relationship with The Most High, through The Mediation of Yeshua the Messiah.

By now, you are strong in FAITH. You have no trouble making changes in your life (VIRTUE). You find yourself thirsty for knowledge and now able to see the big picture for what it is and you even begin to see how you might lead someone to Christ and His Covenant Law, yourself (wisdom). People begin to recognize you as a true follower of YHWH’s way, even to the point of condemnation (which is human nature).

Thus, the stage is set for YHWH to unlock your spiritual gifts, unto service and edifying the body of Christ. This stage is quite late in the game. Christianity falsely teaches, everyone has spiritual gifts and these are to be used immediately, with no prerequisites applied.

Do you really think YHWH will unlock a person’s spiritual gifts, if that person has a lack of untested character? Really? No way.

However, when a person has shown YHWH he or she is serious enough to build that level of righteousness via YHWH’s prescription (road map), then yes, YHWH is true to unlock those gifts written on your DNA from the foundation of the world, and in trust you to use those gift to serve your brother in Phileo Love……Brotherly Kindness……But in that, there is a test.

The question is, will you as the empowered Believer…..Empowered with examples of VIRTUE, a vast understanding of KNOWLEDGE, serving YHWH in the FAITH over a long period of time, having a good reputation of SELF CONTROL and character (GODLINESS), with now many spiritual gifts at your disposal…..will you use those gifts for selfish reasons of vanity and power, or will you use your gifts selflessly, actually giving up your life to serve others?

It is truly the final check point in your climb of that mountain and the pentacle is AGAPE LOVE, which is a 100% selfless kind of love, to where you are actually willing to lay down your life so that others may climb that same mountain, if need be. It literally becomes the very most important thing in your life. Not Sports. Not your Job. Not even your family come before this mission.

I’ll close with more of Peter’s words from 2Peter chapter 1.

8 For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of Yeshua The Christ. 9 For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.

10 Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; 11 FOR SO AN ENTRANCE WILL BE SUPPLIED TO YOU into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Yeshua, The Christ. 2Peter 1:8–11

A governmental position awaits such a one who has grown in GRACE and KNOWLEDGE to obtain the Favor of YHWH through obedience unto The Agape Love of perfect service, in the coming Kingdom or Government of YHWH, here on this earth.

May YHWH bless you in your studies.

Joey Thompson

joeythompson777@aol.com