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There is a tremendous difference between knowing someone and really knowing someone. For instance Adam and Eve spent their evenings walking in the garden and communing with God. But they never really knew him or learned his divine ways. Going back further into the history of the universe, Satan who was the sun of the morning lived in heaven and saw all the glory of God, but he never really knew God, and never gained the wisdom of God.
There are men and women who have been married for years but they have never really learned about each other. Sure they think they think that they know each other, but in reality they never progressed beyond the stage of two people living in the same home. When you really know someone your thoughts become their thoughts and visa versa. When you really know someone you tend to really care for that person as much as you care for yourself.
Knowledge \Knowl"edge\ (?), n. [OE. knowlage, knowlege,
knowleche, knawleche. The last part is the Icel. suffix
-leikr, forming abstract nouns, orig. the same as Icel. leikr
game, play, sport, akin to AS. lāc, Goth. laiks dance.
See Know, and cf. Lake, v. i., Lark a frolic.]
1. The act or state of knowing; clear perception of fact,
truth, or duty; certain apprehension; familiar cognizance;
cognition. Knowledge, which is the highest degree of the
speculative faculties, consists in the perception of the
truth of affirmative or negative propositions. --Locke.
2. That which is or may be known; the object of an act of
knowing; a cognition; -- chiefly used in the plural. There
is a great difference in the delivery of the mathematics,
which are the most abstracted of knowledges. --Bacon.
Knowledges is a term in frequent use by Bacon, and, though
now obsolete, should be revived, as without it we are
compelled to borrow "cognitions" to express its import.
--Sir W.
Hamilton.
To use a word of Bacon's, now unfortunately obsolete, we
must determine the relative value of knowledges. --H.
Spencer.
3. That which is gained and preserved by knowing;
instruction; acquaintance; enlightenment; learning;
scholarship; erudition. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity
edifieth. --1 Cor. viii.
1.
Ignorance is the curse of God; - Knowledge, the wing
wherewith we fly to heaven. --Shak.
4. That familiarity which is gained by actual experience;
practical skill; as, a knowledge of life. Shipmen that had
knowledge of the sea. --1 Kings ix.
27.
5. Scope of information; cognizance; notice; as, it has not
come to my knowledge. Why have I found grace in thine
eyes, that thou shouldst take knowledge of me? --Ruth ii.
10.
6. Sexual intercourse; -- usually preceded by carnal; as,
carnal knowledge.
Syn: See Wisdom.
Knowledge \Knowl"edge\, v. t. To acknowledge. [Obs.] "Sinners which knowledge their sins." --Tyndale.
knowledge
n : the psychological result of perception and learning and
reasoning [syn: {cognition}]
knowledge
<artificial intelligence, information science> The objects,
concepts and relationships that are assumed to exist in some
area of interest. A collection of {knowledge}, represented
using some {knowledge representation} language is known as a
{knowledge base} and a program for extending and/or querying a
knowledge base is a {knowledge-based system}.
Knowledge differs from {data} or {information} in that new
knowledge may be created from existing knowledge using logical
{inference}. If information is data plus meaning then
knowledge is information plus processing.
A common form of knowledge, e.g. in a {Prolog} program, is a
collection of {fact}s and {rule}s about some subject.
For example, a {knowledge base} about a family might contain
the facts that John is David's son and Tom is John's son and
the rule that the son of someone's son is their grandson.
From this knowledge it could infer the new fact that Tom is
David's grandson.
See also {Knowledge Level}.
(1994-10-19)
As you can see there are many definitions and degrees of knowledge. It takes a concerted effort to really have a thorough knowledge on a subject, or to know someone. Many Christians have not taken the effort to know their savior Jesus Christ. They know about Jesus, but they don't know Jesus. The same is true for many husbands and wives don't know their spouse and are surprised when they end up getting divorced. This happens because they have never become one as described in the Bible.
Matthew 19:1-9
1 And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these sayings, he departed from Galilee, and came into the coasts of Judaea beyond Jordan;
2 And great multitudes followed him; and he healed them there.
3 The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?
4 And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female,
5 And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?
6 Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.
7 They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away?
8 He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.
9 And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.
God made marriage to be the melding of two individuals into one. He made marriage to be the total sharing of two individuals to become like one person. God made marriage to be two people united into as one person. Many couples fail to reach this level in their life. But every now and then you will meet a couple who truly are one. They think alike, act alike, and know what the other is thinking. This state of marital bliss comes rarely in a persons life and getting married should be taken with the thought that you are going to be come one with the person that you are marrying.
Furthermore, when you become a born again Christian you are to become one with the Lord. You are to know the Lord and his wishes just like you know the desires of your mate or yourself. Being a Christian means becoming Christ like which means becoming one with Christ. It is our job to really get to know the Lord and become one with him. It is our responsibility to know the Father as well as we know ourselves. Ignorance is the curse of God; - Knowledge, the wing wherewith we fly to heaven. --Shak.
1 John 2:1-15
1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.
6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.
7 Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning.
8 Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth.
9 He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now.
10 He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.
11 But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.
12 I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake.
13 I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father.
14 I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.
15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
Satan promises us knowledge but what little knowledge that he imparts to us is usually to our detriment.
Genesis 3:1-24
1 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:
3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.
4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
7 And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.
8 And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.
9 And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? 10 And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.
11 And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?
12 And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.
13 And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.
14 And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:
15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
16 Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.
17 And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;
18 Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;
19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.
20 And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all living.
21 Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.
22 And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:
23 Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.
24 So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.
As you can see the knowledge that Satan imparted to Adam and Eve was to their detriment whereas in the past all they knew was good, now they knew evil and wickedness. In the past everything was great without the knowledge of evil whereas Satan wanted them to know how to do evil. Now the desire of man was to do evil instead of good. Examples of this are Cain who slew his brother Able, Hitler who desired to kill all Jews, Clinton who commits adultery with pride, and many others too enumerable to list.
Genesis 6:1-8
1 And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them,
2 That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.
3 And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.
4 There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.
5 And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
6 And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.
7 And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.
8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.
Even today all you have to do is look around and see that the heart of men is to do wickedness continually. Look at the strife in the world that could be extinguished if people would strive to live righteously and become free from sin. But the people of the world live for the pleasures of this life with all of the wickedness involved. Look at the pornography that surrounds us that has made its way into every Christian home via the television. Look at what the shows on the television espouse, adultery, lasciviousness, fornication, and etc. This is what the world is all about! They want their audience to emulate what they show. Is it any wonder that the teachers union out west is negotiating for bullet proof vests for the teachers?
Romans 1:18-32
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; 29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness,
covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
This is the knowledge of this world which leads to death, but the knowledge of God leads to life and peace. Really knowing God will lead you to a life full of wonder and peace. Jesus died on the cross so that you can have an abundant life that is free from sin and wickedness. Really knowing Jesus is to have the Lord's knowledge and not the knowledge of this world.
John 10:10
10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
The Apostle Paul strived continually for a deeper knowledge of the Lord. He spent a lifetime searching for a more in depth understanding of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Philippians 3:10
10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
Knowing the Lord and having the knowledge of the Lord is a life long ambition. It is not an easy thing to know the Lord, but it takes a lifetime of living with him to know him. Just like the newly wed couple really don't know each other it is the same for the born again Christian. A Christian needs to grow in the Lord To really get to know the Lord. This knowledge comes through study, experience, trials and temptation.
Romans 5:1-5
1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;
4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope:
5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
The more that we are tried, the more temptation that we overcome and the more experience that we have in the Lord gives us a greater knowledge of him and his power. Look at the old saints who have overcome many trials and hardships even when all seemed lost, the Lord came through for them. A new Christian doesn't have the experience in the Lord yet to really know the power of the Lord in his life. When trials and hardship come he will grow in the Lord and begin to gain a personal knowledge of the Lord in his own life.
3014 E Street Philadelphia, PA 19134 Church Office Phone: (215) 634-3637 Published by: Rev. LeRoy D. Cressy (215) 535-4037
Services:
Sunday School . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10:30 AM
Sunday Morning Worship . . . . . . . . . . 12 NOON
Sunday Evening . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6:30 PM
Wednesday Evening . . . . . . . . . . . . 7:30 PM
Copyright © 2000 LeRoy D. Cressy
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