Experiential knowledge of God is the believer’s growing awareness of the Lord that comes through consistent obedience to His revealed will. This knowledge differs from intellectual understanding alone. A person may possess accurate doctrinal information and yet lack a deep, personal awareness of God’s presence and activity in daily life. Jesus taught that obedience creates the conditions for deeper disclosure when He said, “He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him” (John 14:21; cf. John 14:15; 23; 1 John 5:3). Christ is not promising new revelation beyond Scripture, but a richer manifestation of Himself to the believer who responds positively to His Word. MacDonald states, “In one sense, the Father loves all the world. But He has a special love for those who love His Son. Those are also loved by Christ, and He makes Himself known to them in a special way. The more we love the Savior, the better we shall know Him.”[1] As the believer walks in obedience, biblical truth moves from the pages of Scripture into the realities of life experience. Warren Wiersbe states:
When the sinner trusts Christ, he is born again and the Spirit immediately enters his body and bears witness that he is a child of God. The Spirit is resident and will not depart. But as the believer yields to the Father, loves the Word, prays, and obeys, there is a deeper relationship with the Father, Son, and Spirit…Our experience with God ought to go deeper and deeper, and it will as we yield to the Spirit of Truth and permit Him to teach us and guide us. If we love God and obey Him, He will manifest His love to us in a deeper way each day.[2]
This experiential knowledge develops gradually through repeated decisions to trust and obey God in the circumstances of life. Every act of faith strengthens the believer’s understanding of God’s character, faithfulness, wisdom, and power. Constable states, “Some believers love Jesus more than other believers do. This results in some believers obeying Him more than others, and enjoying a more intimate relationship with Him, and a greater understanding of Him, than others enjoy.”[3] Abraham learned God’s faithfulness through years of waiting for the promised son (Gen. 12:1-4; 21:1-3; Rom. 4:19-21). Likewise, believers today come to know the Lord more deeply as they apply His Word during times of blessing, adversity, testing, and suffering. Doctrine believed and applied becomes doctrine experienced. Through this process, theological truths cease to be merely abstract concepts and become living realities that shape thought, conduct, and perspective.
The apostle Paul expressed this pursuit when he wrote, “that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings” (Phil. 3:10). Paul already knew Christ positionally and doctrinally, yet he desired an ever-deeper experiential knowledge of his Savior. This pursuit characterized his entire Christian life. The mature believer never outgrows the need to know the Lord more fully. Through obedience, dependence, and faithful endurance, Christ becomes increasingly real in the believer’s daily experience. The result is a growing confidence in God’s character, a greater appreciation of His grace, and a more intimate awareness of His presence. Experiential knowledge of God is therefore the progressive unveiling of Christ to the obedient believer who consistently responds to divine truth.
Steven R. Cook, D.Min., M.Div.
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[1] William MacDonald, Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments, ed. Arthur Farstad (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1995), 1547.
[2] Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 353.
[3] Tom Constable, Tom Constable’s Expository Notes on the Bible (Galaxie Software, 2003), Jn 14:21.
The same principle appears in Paul’s experience. In 2 Corinthians 12:7 he writes, “There was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me.” The attack was satanic, but the purpose was divine: “to keep me from exalting myself” (2 Cor. 12:7). Three times Paul asked for removal (2 Cor. 12:8). The Lord replied, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness” (2 Cor. 12:9). The sustaining grace of God did not eliminate the pressure. It provided strength within it. Paul learned to say, “When I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Cor. 12:10). According to Harris, “This grace of Christ was adequate for Paul, weak as he was, precisely because divine power finds its full scope and strength only in human weakness—the greater the Christian’s acknowledged weakness, the more evident Christ’s enabling strength (cf. Eph. 3:16; Phil. 4:13).”
The believer who knows Scripture and thinks from divine viewpoint possesses inner stability. The psalmist said, “Your word I have treasured in my heart” (Ps. 119:11). Isaiah wrote, “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You” (Isa. 26:3). Faith appropriates revealed truth, for “We walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Cor. 5:7). Jesus said, “blessed are those who hear the word of God and obey it” (Luke 11:28). When circumstances contradict human expectations, doctrine anchors the soul. Peter states that believers “are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time” (1 Pet. 1:5). God’s power provides continuous guarding.
Jesus said, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life” (John 8:12). And He also declared, “I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness” (John 12:46). When we trust in Christ as our Savior, God rescues us “from the domain of darkness” and transfers us “to the kingdom of His beloved Son” (Col 1:13). This domain of darkness refers to Satan’s kingdom, a spiritual realm in which the majority of this world live. When one hear abouts Christ and the good news of the gospel, it affords them the opportunity to “turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God” (Acts 26:18). Writing to Christians in Ephesus, Paul said, “you were formerly darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light—for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth—trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord” (Eph 5:8-10).
To us who are in Christ, Paul writes, “walk as children of light” (Eph 5:8c). This is the Lord’s will for us. The directive assumes we can walk in darkness, otherwise it’s an unnecessary command. The word walk translates the Greek verb peripateō, which is used here as a metaphor for how we live. The verb is in the active voice, present tense, and imperative mood. The active voice means we have the responsibility to act as God directs, and the present tense refers to habitual conduct, and the imperative mood means it’s a command to be obeyed. To walk as children of light means living transparently before God who sees all we think, say, and do. It also means we live in way that reflects His glory for others to see, and we seek to bring others to God through Christ and His Word that they might know and walk with the Lord too. But those who love the darkness (John 3:19)—and they are the majority of humanity—will avoid spiritual Christians because our values and lifestyle reveal the darkness of their hearts and lives, and they want nothing to do with us and will avoid biblical conversation and fellowship at all costs, even resorting to violence when they feel threatened.
Paul does not leave us guessing as to what the production of our walk with the Lord should look like, as he states, “for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth” (Eph 5:9). The fruit refers to the qualities that are seen in God Himself (Gal 5:22-23), and when we are filled with the Spirit (Eph 5:15), and walk in the Spirit (Gal 5:16), the Light within us will shine forth and bear fruit for others to see. This requires us to walk in fellowship with God, to “walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light” (1 John 1:7), which means submitting to Him (Jam 4:7) and walking by faith (2 Cor 5:7) as obedient-to-the-Word believers. But if we “walk in the darkness” (1 John 1:6), which is always a possibility for the Christian, there will be nothing noticeable to distinguish us from an unbeliever who lives in perpetual carnality (1 Cor 3:1-3).
Those of us who learn and live God’s Word on a regular basis are “trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord” (Eph 5:10). There’s only one way to live a life that is pleasing to the Lord, and that is to learn His Word and walk by faith (2 Cor 5:7; Heb 10:38). God has revealed Himself and His will through His written Word, and when we devote ourselves to the daily study of Scripture, we come to know what pleases the Lord. Every thought, word, and deed must be measured by the Word God as it speaks to our conversations, friendships, resources, work ethic, and every aspect of life. When we yield our lives to God and walk by faith in obedience to His Word, we know that it pleases Him, for “without faith it is impossible to please Him” (Heb 11:6).
There are two kinds of righteousness that matter to Christians: positional righteousness and experiential righteousness. Positional righteousness refers to the believer’s legal standing before God, achieved through faith in Jesus Christ (John 3:16; 2 Cor 5:21). The moment a person believes in Jesus Christ as Savior, God declares that person righteous on the grounds that God’s perfect righteousness has been credited to their account (Rom 4:5-7). God gives His righteousness to one who believes in Christ as Savior. The Apostle Paul describes this as “the gift of righteousness” (Rom 5:17). It’s a free gift from God to us. This righteousness is not our own, which is relative to whatever standard we might follow, but God’s righteousness deposited in us. Paul also calls it “the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith” (Phil 3:9). When God looks at us, as Christians, He sees His righteousness in us and declares us justified in His sight (Rom 3:24, 28; Gal 2:16). This righteousness is unchangeable and eternal because it depends entirely on Christ’s finished work (John 19:30) and God’s grace (Eph 2:8-9). And it cannot be given back to God after it’s been received, for all God’s gifts are irrevocable (Rom 11:29).
Experiential righteousness refers to the believer’s daily life and conduct as they grow in spiritual maturity and obedience to God’s Word (2 Tim 2:15; 3:16-17; Jam 1:22; 1 Pet 2:2). Often called practical righteousness, it involves living in a manner consistent with the believer’s positional righteousness. Scripture instructs us to “walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called” (Eph 4:1; cf. Col 1:10; Phil 1:27). Experiential righteousness is empowered by the Holy Spirit (Eph 5:18; Gal 5:16-25) and involves making choices that align with God’s moral standards as revealed in Scripture. The degree of experiential righteousness varies among believers, depending on their spiritual growth, volition, and discipline in applying God’s Word to their lives (Rom 6:13; Jam 1:22). In this sense, all believers practice relative righteousness, as some live more “rightly” than others (1 Sam 24:17; Jer 3:11) due to their greater knowledge and adherence to God’s Word.
Let us be Christians who operate in humility, walking by faith, and seeking to live in a manner that pleases God (2 Cor 5:7; Heb 10:38; 11:6). Let us learn and live God’s Word (2 Tim 3:16-17; 1 Pet 2:2; Jam 1:21-22), being transformed by the renewing of our minds (Rom 12:2) and confessing our sins as needed to maintain fellowship with Him (1 John 1:9). Let us be filled with the Spirit (Eph 5:18), walk by the Spirit (Gal 5:16), and manifest the fruit of the Spirit in our daily lives (Gal 5:22-23). We should also “walk in love” (John 13:34-35; Eph 5:2), and “rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and give thanks in everything” (1 Th 5:16-18). Let us perform good deeds (Gal 6:10; Eph 2:10), advance to spiritual maturity (Heb 6:1), and “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Pet 3:18). Such lives glorify God (1 Cor 10:31) and edify others as we use our spiritual gifts in service to the body of Christ (Rom 12:6-8; 1 Pet 4:10-11). Let us press on toward this high calling, remembering that our labor in the Lord is not in vain (1 Cor 15:58; Phil 3:13-14).
As Christians, God’s Word directs us not to worry about the future (Prov 12:25; Matt 6:25-34; Luke 12:22-31), to “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” (Phil 4:6), and to “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you” (1 Pet 5:7). This requires divine viewpoint thinking, disciplined mental focus, and a will to live by faith rather than succumbing to worry. It requires believers to “Watch over your heart with all diligence” (Pro 4:23a), to “destroy speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ” (2 Cor 10:5), and to “keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God” (Col 3:1).
Wise preparation for the future, on the other hand, is marked by prudence and responsibility. It involves making plans based on sound judgment, taking into account potential challenges, and considering how best to address them. Wise preparation is grounded in trust in God’s sovereignty and provision, recognizing that while we plan, we ultimately rely on God for the outcome. Solomon wrote, “The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the LORD” (Prov 16:1). Wise planning is proactive, born not out of fear but from a desire to be a good steward of the resources, time, and opportunities God gives us. Solomon wrote, “The plans of the diligent lead surely to advantage” (Prov 21:5a). The person who wants to build something will “first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it” (Luke 14:28b). This is wise planning. Wisdom involves thoughtful, intentional action, not anxious fretting over things we cannot control.
Let’s face it: life is not fair. Sometimes it is unfair to our disadvantage, but at other times, it is unfair to our advantage. It is interesting how we are prone to cry foul when life is unfair to our disadvantage but are more than glad to accept and rejoice when it is unfair to our benefit. This inconsistency highlights the human tendency to be self-centered and myopic rather than God-focused and biblically wise. Scripture reminds us that we are all undeserving of God’s goodness, for “There is no one righteous, not even one… for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom 3:10, 23). If God dealt with us strictly based on fairness, we would face His righteous judgment and eternal separation from Him.
Ultimately, our focus should rest on God’s grace and purposes rather than temporal fairness. His ways are higher than our ways, and His thoughts higher than our thoughts (Isa 55:8-9), and we trust that His actions are always based on perfect wisdom. By keeping our eyes on His grace, we are reminded of the immeasurable blessings we have received, which far outweigh the injustices of life. In all circumstances, we can trust that God is just, merciful, and working all things together for good for those who love Him (Rom 8:28). In everything, we know that “God’s work is perfect, for all His ways are just; a God of faithfulness and without injustice, righteous and upright is He” (Deut 32:4).
In every situation, we should turn to God in prayer, seeking His wisdom and strength to respond appropriately (Jam 1:5), and trust in His sovereignty, knowing that He will bring justice in His perfect timing (Rom 12:19). We are called to be “kindhearted and humble in spirit; not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead” (1 Pet 3:8b–9a). Jesus serves as our ultimate example: “While being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously” (1 Pet 2:23). We are told, “Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord” (Rom 12:19). God has said, “If you do all that I say, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries” (Ex 23:22). Furthermore, “it is just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you, and to give relief to you who are afflicted” (2 Th 1:6b-7a). God is both a defender and a dispenser of justice.
The Judgment Seat of Christ evaluation will take place in heaven and Jesus Himself will be the Judge. Scripture tells us, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad” (2 Cor 5:10; cf. Rom 14:10). Again, this is not a judgment concerning who gets into heaven. That decision is made in time by those who believe in Christ as their Savior, for “whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16), and the person who believes in Christ “has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life” (John 5:24), and “there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Rom 8:1).
That some Christians will be rewarded in heaven more than others means they possessed positive volition and made many good choices to know and walk with God, seeking His will above their own. The humble and maturing Christian is devoted to studying God’s Word (2 Tim 2:15; 3:16-17; 1 Pet 2:2), being filled with the Spirit (Eph 5:18), walking by means of the Spirit (Gal 5:16), living by faith (2 Cor 5:7; Heb 10:38), advancing to spiritual maturity (Heb 6:1), walking in love (Eph 5:2), doing good to others (Gal 6:10), being kind and forgiving (Eph 4:32), serving others spiritually (Phil 2:3-4; 1 Pet 4:10), and living “to the glory of God” (1 Cor 10:31). Such a life will glorify God in time and eternity and He will reward His faithful servant in the eternal state.
In conclusion, the evaluation at the judgment seat of Christ underscores the importance of living a life that honors God, one that reflects positive volition, spiritual growth, and a commitment to His will. While all Christians are secure in their salvation through faith in Christ alone (John 3:16; 10:28; Rom 8:1), the rewards they receive will be determined by their faithfulness in walking with God (2 Cor 5:7), studying His Word (2 Tim 3:16-17; 1 Pet 2:2), and serving others in love (1 Pet 4:10). As we anticipate this evaluation, let us strive to be those who live wisely (Eph 5:15-17), walking by faith and seeking to glorify God in all things (1 Cor 10:31). In doing so, we will be rewarded for our devotion and service to Christ (2 Cor 5:10). Let us, therefore, live each day in light of eternity, with our eyes fixed on the prize that awaits those who faithfully follow Christ.
The Bible reveals that some things are more important than life itself. For the apostle Paul, his call to ministry was the most important thing to him. When speaking to the Elders at Ephesus, Paul said, “I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself, so that I may finish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24). The word “dear” translates the Greek adjective timian (τιμίαν), which means “costly, precious, of great worth…held in honor, high regard” (BDAG, 1005). Paul is expressing that he does not regard his life as precious or valuable for his own sake. His words reflect a self-sacrificial attitude in which his commitment to fulfilling his God-given mission took precedence over personal safety or comfort. Jesus taught this principle when He said, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it” (Matt 16:24-25). Paul exemplified this sacrificial life, saying, “The life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me” (Gal 2:20b). He also declared, “I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ” (Phil 3:8b).
Paul’s mission was “to testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24c). This gospel reveals that salvation is a free gift from God, based solely on His grace and received through faith alone in Christ alone, apart from human works. The word “gospel” means “good news,” and for Paul, the essence of this good news is that “that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Cor 15:3-4). When we trust in Jesus as our Savior (John 3:16; Acts 4:12; Rom 3:24-28), we receive forgiveness of sins (Acts 10:43; Eph 1:7), and the free gift of eternal life (John 10:28; Rom 6:23; Eph 2:8-9). The gospel excludes human merit or works as a basis for salvation (Rom 4:4-5; Gal 2:16; Eph 2:8-9; Tit 3:5). We are saved by the grace of God. Salvation is never what we do for God; rather, it’s what He has done for us through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and it is a free gift, received by us with the empty hands of faith.
The stability of Christians is largely predicated on the biblical content and continuity of their thinking. It is not only what they think, but what they continue to think that provides stability in their souls. When God’s Word—divine viewpoint—flows through their daily thoughts, it enables them to frame life from a divine perspective and respond properly from a position of strength. The more Christians study, memorize, and apply God’s Word, the greater the benefits they will experience in their walk of faith. Achieving this requires positive volition, a commitment to learning, and a willingness to live as obedient-to-the-Word Christians.
Biblically, there will be times when it’s God’s will that you face hardships, such as when Joseph was sold into slavery (Gen 37:23-36; Psa 105:17-19), or Paul suffered as a minister for Christ (2 Cor 11:23-27). During those times of providential difficulty, God wants you to trust that He’s in control of the circumstances of your life and is directing the outcome for good, like He did with Joseph (Gen 45:5, 7, 50:20). Scripture states, “We know God works all things together for good to those who love Him, to those who are called according to His purpose” (Rom 8:28). Therefore, believers are instructed, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight” (Prov 3:5-6). It is God’s will that you trust His Word and walk by faith, to “Rest in the LORD and wait patiently for Him” (Psa 37:7), and “cast all our anxiety on Him, because He cares for you” (1 Pet 5:7), and “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” (Phil 4:6). If you do this, then “the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Phil 4:7).
Discipline of mind—controlling your thoughts—is vital to your walk of faith, for what you focus on shapes your mental and emotional state. Isaiah wrote, “The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace, because he trusts in You” (Isa 26:3). Jeremiah said, “Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD and whose trust is the LORD” (Jer 17:7). In times of trouble, you can take refuge in God, for “The LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble, and He knows those who take refuge in Him” (Nah 1:7). As God’s child, you are called to “take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ” (2 Cor 10:5), and to “set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth” (Col 3:2). If you know and practice these things, you’ll know the peace that comes from the Lord and the walk of faith.
The spiritual life is inseparably connected to the walk of faith, for to “walk by the Spirit” (Gal 5:16) is to “walk by faith” (2 Cor 5:7). The former assumes the latter. God the Holy Spirit inspired the Scriptures (2 Tim 3:16-17; 2 Pet 1:20-21), ensuring the written text is God’s authoritative revelation, the very “Word of God, which performs its work in you who believe” (1 Th 2:13b). It follows that God the Holy Spirit will instruct us in the Word He authored.
To walk by faith is important to the spiritual life. Faith is a mental activity that relies on information. Biblically, faith is never blind. It is never an irrational leap into the unknown. Rather, it is a reasonable response that follows reliable information. Faith trusts facts. For example, none of us have personally seen the resurrected Christ, yet the record of Scripture is historically true and reliable, based on eyewitness accounts of people who walked with Jesus (Luke 1:1-4; John 20:27, 30-31; 21:24; Acts 4:20; 10:39; 1 Cor 15:3-8; 1 Pet 5:1; 2 Pet 1:16-19; 1 John 1:1). After Jesus’ resurrection, He appeared to many people and gave proof of victory over sin and death. These eyewitnesses include Mary Magdalene and other women (John 20:10-18; Matt 28:8-9), two disciples on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-32), the disciples without Thomas (John 20:19-25), the disciples with Thomas (John 20:26-29), the disciples by the Sea of Galilee (John 21:1-23), Peter, James, and more than 500 brethren at one time (1 Cor 15:5-7), the disciples at Jerusalem before His ascension (Acts 1:3-9), Stephen at the time of his martyrdom (Acts 7:56), Saul on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:1-6; 1 Cor 15:8), and John on the island of Patmos (Rev 1:9-18).
Believing in Jesus as our Savior comes after we hear and accept as true the good news that Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose on the third day (1 Cor 15:3-4), thus conquering sin and death. Jesus accomplished what we cannot—our eternal salvation. When we hear this good news of what Jesus has done for us, we can place our faith in Him (John 3:16; Acts 4:12) and be fully assured of forgiveness of sins (Acts 10:43; Eph 1:7) and eternal life (John 10:28; Rom 6:23). The benefits of the cross are applied to us the moment we believe in Jesus as our Savior. This simple act of faith results in our justification before God, “For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law” (Rom 3:28), and “we have believed in Christ Jesus so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law” (Gal 2:16). Eternal salvation is by grace alone (Eph 2:8-9), through faith alone (Rom 3:24, 28; 5:1), in Christ alone (Acts 4:12).
After being born again by faith alone in Christ alone, we are to continue in faith. Paul wrote, “as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him” (Col 2:6). We received Jesus by faith, and after being born again, we are to “walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Cor 5:7). The word “walk” translates the Greek verb peripateō (περιπατέω), which is here used as a metaphor for how we live, behave, or habitually conduct our lives. To walk by faith means we learn and apply God’s Word to our lives (i.e., marriage, family, education, work, finances, etc.). It means obeying God’s directives, claiming His promises, and utilizing His resources for our daily problems. We are also instructed to “walk by the Spirit” and not the flesh (Gal 5:16). When we live by faith and depend on the Spirit for strength and guidance, we “walk in a manner worthy of the calling” with which we have been called (Eph 4:1).
Ultimately, “whatever is not from faith is sin” (Rom 14:23). Faith starts with God and His directives and promises. Once we learn about God’s directives, provisions and promises, He expects us to live by them, to be “doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude” ourselves (Jam 1:22). It is possible to learn God’s Word and not apply it by faith, which is why James wrote, “to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin” (Jam 4:17). It is a sin not to live by faith. The writer to the Hebrews warned his readers, saying, “Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God” (Heb 3:12). After hearing God’s Word, it is evil for a Christian not to believe it. It’s evil because God’s Word is absolute truth (2 Sam 7:28; Psa 119:160; John 17:17), and rejecting or doubting it implies that God, who cannot lie (Num 23:19; Tit 1:2; Heb 6:18), is untrustworthy, which is an affront to His perfect nature. This evil behavior was exemplified by the Israelites in the wilderness, for after they’d been delivered from Egyptian bondage, they failed to live by faith (Num 14:11), angered the Lord (Psa 95:8-11), and so forfeited the blessing of inheriting the land (Heb 3:15-18). The danger for us as Christians is that we might know God’s directives and promises, but fail to apply them by faith, and never benefit from His blessings. The writer to the Hebrews said, “Therefore, let us fear if, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you may seem to have come short of it. For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also; but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard” (Heb 4:1-2).
Though Peter had personally seen and heard Christ (2 Pet 1:16-18), he told his readers, “We have the prophetic word made more sure” (2 Pet 1:19a). Other translations read, “we possess the prophetic word as an altogether reliable thing” (2 Pet 1:19a NET), and “We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable” (2 Pet 1:19a NIV). The words “more sure” translate the Greek adjective bebaios (βέβαιος) which means reliable, dependable, or trustworthy. According to BDAG, it refers to “something that can be relied on not to cause disappointment.”