"But grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ" - II Peter 3:18

    Peter was careful to put growth in grace before growth in knowledge and to identify the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ as the proper content of spiritual knowledge. That one whose growth in knowledge precedes a growth in grace, and whose growth in knowledge consists only of a growing mass of scriptural facts becomes divisive, judgmental, and ever smaller in his knowledge of Christ. Such a one is constantly finding "new things" which he then injects into a continually growing mass of knowledge which he feels is necessary before one can truly be saved.

    But that one whose growth in knowledge is a product of a growth in grace realizes that the fact that believers do grow in knowledge is proof of the fact that complete knowledge is not necessary for justifying faith. Such people are patient with those who yet cling to some error, willing to give them the benefit of the doubt until, by grace, "we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God, and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fulness of Christ." (Eph. 4:13). Such a one whose growth in knowledge of the personal Christ, does not need to despise his past, immature, infant knowledge of Him, as though it were somehow inadequate. Rather, each new step in growth is received with gladness, giving thanks to God whose grace enables the growth, and whose Son, whether known only a little or deeply, is equally mighty to save.