This chapter is so packed with pearls, but the one thing that jumped out at me most today was the word knowledge and everything the pertains to knowledge.
Knowledge is crucial. Knowledge brings about a change of mind, and when your mind changes, everything changes.
Verses 2, 3, 5, 6, and 8 use the word knowledge. Verse 8 refers, in part, to knowledge increasing. Verse 9 refers to, in part, lacking knowledge. Verse 12 uses the term "established in the Truth" - Truth is founded in knowledge. Verse 16 uses the term, "made known", which is knowledge. Verse 20 says, "know this" which again is knowledge.
knowledge is defined as:
facts, information, and skills acquired by a person through experience or education; the theoretical or practical understanding of a subject.
The most important "subject to understand" is what happens when you die, after all, this world is temporary and eternity is just that, eternal, forever. It is CRUCIAL we trust our "source" of Truth, our "source" of knowledge. The Bible has stood the test of time under the constant attack of skeptics, it has survived several attempts to destroy it throughout history, men have willing endured persecution and death translating it into various languages, men have died smuggling it into restricted nations, it's prophecies have a track record of 100% accuracy, and the proof of that it's original text is what we have today is well founded - so it begs the question, who and what are you willing to receive knowledge of eternity from?
Here's a few things promised in this chapter for those who gain this knowledge:
-Multiplied Grace
-Multiplied Peace
-All things that pertain to life
-All things that pertain to godliness