When Jesus moves into the life of the believer, He brings with Him everything necessary for the believer to live a holy life. “Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue.” (2 Pet. 1:2-3). Notice that God’s divine power has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness. Is there anything that we need which does not pertain to “life and godliness”? We cannot conceive of one single blessing concerning life and godliness which is not already ours through Christ. We have been blessed with “ALL spiritual blessings in Christ” (Eph. 1:3).

Now, observe how God’s divine power has given us everything we need: through the knowledge of Christ. If we know Jesus, we know everything we need to know.

            Knowledge in the right areas can be a wonderful thing, but the only knowledge that will take us to heaven, and therefore the only knowledge that truly matters, is the knowledge of Jesus Christ. “And this is life eternal, that they might know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” (John 17:3). Eternal life is one thing: knowing the true God and His Son Jesus Christ. 

            When we speak of “knowing” Jesus, it is imperative that we make the distinction between knowing about Him, and knowing Him. Knowing Him speaks of being united with Him in intimacy, just as Jesus is united with the Father. The way a Father knows his son; the way a mother knows her infant; the way a husband knows his wife. This is the kind of knowledge under consideration.

            The verse before us says that God has given us “all things that pertain to life and godliness.” There is nothing more that we need. Again, how has He given us all things that pertain to life and godliness? “Through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue.” It is through knowing Jesus—personally, intimately, abiding in His love—that we receive everything that we need. So to know Christ is to know everything that is important, both in this life and in the life to come. We have all that we need, given to us, by His power. 

             So salvation is a gift, and all things that we need to live for God are gifts. In the eighth chapter of Romans, Paul says that if the Father gave us His Son, how will He not freely give us all things that we need? It is all of God. What do you have that you did not receive? And the answer is nothing. God gives us all. We do not earn anything. God is the giver. We are simply the recipients. It is time for God’s people to realize all that is theirs in Christ. 

Bryan Dunaway 

Grace and Peace Ministries

www.gandpministries.org