Great Treasure: The Knowledge of God (Colossians 1:10).

Class Outline:

Thursday August 6, 2026

 

Intro:

 

The knowledge of God. How could a human get it? 

 

Outside of Christianity, thinkers across history view the knowledge of God as an active inner awakening achieved through human reason, moral living, and deep contemplation.

 

Paul wrote in 1CO 1:21 that “the world through its wisdom did not come to know God.” Sure enough, and he goes on to tell us that God revealed Himself through Christ and by the instrument of the Holy Spirit. 

 

Our knowledge of God can only come by revelation.

 

COL 1:9-12

For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light. 

 

Increasing in knowledge of God (theology)

 

Auxano - to become greater

 

Epignosis - in the full knowledge of God. 

 

We must always be increasing (EPH 4:15; 1PE 2:2). 

 

EPH 4:13-15

until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. 14 As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; 15 but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up (auxano) in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ…

 

One can look at this as a daunting task: all aspects of Christ until I reach a maturity matching His fullness. Or one can look at it as hitting the jackpot. 

 

The knowledge of God is a grace gift to you.

 

You have to keep increasing (present participle): 

 

Your requirement is faith and humility. In humility we understand that we need to “grow up” or increase “in all aspects into Him.” 

 

The grace gift of God of knowledge of Him is of an infinite mind.

 

I think that God tests this in us when He reveals a truth but not all of it.

 

1PE 2:1-3

Therefore, putting aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander, 2 like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow [auxano - increase] in respect to salvation, 3 if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord. 

 

The very nature of the word “increase” is that we never will, in this life at least, arrive at 100% knowledge of God.

 

Increasing in the knowledge of infinite Trinity:

 

Work and knowledge then become worship.

 

Being made for this, this is what we desire.

 

Worship is personal: wanting to know more about the One you love.

 

2PE 1:2-3 [Father]

Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; 3 seeing that His 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.

 

2 Pe 1:8 [Son]

For if these qualities [virtues - one of which is knowledge, 2PE 1:6] are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

You cannot have a personal relationship with someone you don’t know well.

 

Holy Spirit - His role is to reveal to you the Father and the Son.

 

JOH 16:14-15

"He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you.  15 "All things that the Father has are Mine; therefore I said that He takes of Mine and will disclose it to you. 

 

Falsehood lacks true worship: always has the elevation of man. 

 

COL 2:18-19

Let no one keep defrauding you of your prize by delighting in self-abasement and the worship of the angels, taking his stand on visions he has seen, inflated without cause by his fleshly mind, 19 and not holding fast to the head, from whom the entire body, being supplied and held together by the joints and ligaments, grows with a growth which is from God. 

 

We cannot be devoted to God without a proper knowledge of Him. 

 

Growing is the nature of the gospel - the seed of a new creation: 

 

Parable of the sower: seed is the word of the kingdom (MAT 13:19) or the Word of God (LUK 8:11).

 

COL 1:5-6

the gospel 6 which has come to you, just as in all the world also it is constantly bearing fruit and increasing …

 

Our faith in the gospel is our introduction to adoption and God as Father, Son as Savior and Brother, and Holy Spirit as Mentor. How can we rest in a limited knowledge of them? 

 

COL 2:2-3

that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God's mystery, that is, Christ Himself,  3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

 

2PE 3:17-18 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 (auxano, imperative) in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

 

Phil 3:8 More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ,

 

JER 9:23-24 Thus says the Lord, "Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; 24 but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things," declares the Lord. 

 

Conclusion: 

 

Works and knowledge go together.

 

Our knowledge of God must always be increasing. 

 

Humility says that we never know all.

 

Knowledge of God leads to worship of Him - fulfilled desire.

 

Growing is the nature of the gospel.