Of
the Knowledge of God 3.2a
By John Gill
Prefaced &
Edited by Dr. Riktor Von Zhades
Preface
First, make note
that the editor’s comments are in brackets [ ], such as displayed
to the left.
Brethren:
Greetings to all
people of all nations and tongues. I pray continually, that every
study that is posted is one that enriches the lives of the believers,
and brings to Christ those that have yet to hear and believe.
Remember, that in order to transform into the new man, we must first
accept Christ as redeemer, confess our sins, and receive the grace of
our mighty Creator. Who will endow you with His righteousness, and
Holy Word. Likewise we must believe in faith, that He IS, and will do
as He has promised.
10. And put on the
new garments that renew the cognizance of what that image He created
resembles, 11. It does not matter whether Jew or Aramaean,
circumcised or uncircumcised, Greek or barbarian, a slave or the son
of the free; except for all and for every human being, He is the
Messiah.
Colossians 3:10-11 -
Aramaic Translation
In every renewed
person there is a knowledge of God and of divine things; the new
creature or "new man is renewed in knowledge, after the image of
him that created him". Spiritual and divine knowledge is a part
of the new man, which is no other than an assemblage of grace
consisting of various members, of which this is one; it is a part of
the image of God and Christ enstamped upon the soul in regeneration,
and which gives it a disposition godward; concerning which may be
observed,
First, the object of
it, God; before conversion men know not God, but after that they know
him, or rather are known of him, there is a threefold knowledge of
God, or a knowledge of God that is come at in a threefold way.
There is a knowledge
of God by the light of nature through the works of creation, which
show his eternal power and Godhead, declare his glory, and display
his wisdom and goodness; and through the works of providence, by
which he has not left himself without a witness of his Being and
beneficence; and though these ways and works are past finding out,
and a small portion of them is known by men, yet something of God is
to be known by them, and that he is, as Jethro said, "greater
than all gods"; but then such knowledge was always insufficient
to teach men the true worship of God, and influence them to it;
notwithstanding this, either they did not worship him at all, or
ignorantly worshipped him; that is, not in a right way and manner;
the wise philosophers of the heathens, though they in some sort knew
God, yet they did not glorify him as God, nor serve him only, but
worshipped and served the creature more and beside the Creator; nor
was such knowledge effectual to make the hearts of men better, nor to
mend their lives; those to whom God left not himself without a
witness, by the works of creation and providence, still walked on in
their own ways, and those very bad ones, walking in lasciviousness,
lusts, drunkenness, revellings, banquetings, and abominable
idolatries, even committing abominable lewdness in their religious
services. What a character does the apostle give of them (Read Romans
1:18-32), even of those who professed themselves to be wise, both as
to their hearts and actions? their foolish heart was darkened and
their imagination vain, and they were given up to the lusts of their
hearts and to the uncleanness of them, to vile affections and a
reprobate mind, being filled with all unrighteousness and wickedness;
what a dreadful portrait does the apostle draw of them (Read Romans
1:29-31). Nor was this light and knowledge sufficient to point out to
them the true way, how incensed Deity may be appeased, or sinners be
reconciled to God; or by what means atonement for sin could be made,
and therefore put such questions as in Micah 6:6-8 not the least hint
did it give of a sin bearing and sin atoning Saviour, and of the
blood of Christ which makes peace with God, and cleanses from all
sin; nor could it give men any good ground to hope for pardon of sin
on any account whatever; though they might presume on the mercy of
God, and conjecture that he would forgive their sins upon their
repentance, this they could not be sure of; at most it was but an
"who can tell" if God will repent and turn from his fierce
anger, as said the Ninevites (Read Jonah 3:9). Nor was it sufficient
to assure them of a future state of happiness, and describe what that
is; as for the immortality of the soul, they had some faint views of
it, and rather wished it to be true than believed it; of the
resurrection of the dead they had no hope; and what that happiness of
man hereafter they sometimes speak of, they had gross notions of,
such as had any; and could not assure themselves by all their virtue
that they should enjoy it. Life and immortality are only truly
brought to light by the gospel.
There is a knowledge
of God by the law, the law of Moses, the moral law [known in Judisim
as the Torah]; though this came by Moses, it was of God, and shows
what is his good and perfect will; it is a transcript of his nature,
his justice and holiness; but then it only gives knowledge of him as
a lawgiver who is able to save and to destroy, and as an incensed God
threatening wrath to the breakers of it, without any hope of mercy,
not even on the foot of repentance; it accuses of sin, the breach of
it; pronounces guilty for it, and is the ministration of condemnation
and death; by it is the knowledge of sin, but not of a savior from
it. The ceremonial law was indeed a shadow of good things to come by
Christ; its sacrifices prefigured the sacrifice of Christ; it was the
Jews schoolmaster that taught them Christ, and directed them to him.
There is a knowledge
of God which comes by the gospel, the doctrine of grace and truth,
that is by Christ, who lay in the bosom of his Father, and has
declared him, his person, his nature, his grace, his mind and will to
men[Read Romans 1:16-17]; God has spoken by his Son, and made the
largest discovery of himself by him; and makes use of the ministers
[we the believers] of the gospel to give the light of the knowledge
of the glory of God in the face or person of Christ, who is the
brightness of his Father's glory and the express image [Read Hebrews
1:3] of his person: and it is of this kind of knowledge of God in
Christ, that souls are made partakers, when they are renewed in the
spirit of their minds; this is not a mere notional and speculative
knowledge, such as the carnal Jews had, who had a form of knowledge
in the law, and by breaking it dishonored God; and which some who
call themselves Christians may have, who profess in words to know
God, but in works deny him; who say, Lord, Lord, but do not the will
of our Father in heaven: but this is a spiritual and experimental
knowledge of God, such as a spiritual man has, and that from the
Spirit of God as a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge
of him; and which leads men to mind and savour spiritual things. This
is a knowledge which is attended with faith in God as a covenant God
in Christ; it is a fiducial[this is to say a faith and trust in the]
knowledge, such as know his name put their trust in him, in whom is
everlasting strength, and from whom they expect all supplies of
grace; and having knowledge of him as their portion and exceeding
great reward, they hope in him for what they want in time, and for
happiness with him hereafter; and such knowledge always includes in
it love to God, and the most cordial affection for him; "he who
loveth not, knoweth not God" (Read 1 John 4:8), for if he knew
him he could not but love him, and say of him, "Whom have I in
heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire besides
thee"[Read Psalm 73:75]. Such knowledge is accompanied with a
filial fear and reverence of God; where there is no knowledge of God
there is no fear of God; but where there is knowledge of God, of his
grace and goodness, and of his pardoning mercy in Christ, men fear
the Lord and his goodness; for there is forgiveness with him that he
may be feared; not with a slavish but a childlike fear; and where it
is known he is so feared. And such a knowledge is practical, and it
is known to be right by being so; "hereby we know that we know
him, if we keep his commandments" (Read 1 John 2:3), for such
only may be said to be "filled with the knowledge of his will in
all wisdom and spiritual understanding", in a true spiritual and
evangelical manner, when the end for which they have it, and for
which they desire it, is, to "walk worthy of the Lord unto all
pleasing"; that is, to do the will of God in the most acceptable
manner (Col. 1:9,10), and a knowledge attended with such graces and
fruits of righteousness may be called saving knowledge; that is,
salvation is annexed unto it and follows upon it; for "this is
life eternal", the beginning of it, and in which it issues (Read
John 17:3). Now this knowledge of God may be considered as respecting
the three divine persons in the Godhead distinctly, Father, Son, and
Spirit; and that acquaintance and fellowship with each which such
knowledge leads into. For there is a fellowship and communion which
believers have with each divine person, which arises from their
distinct knowledge of them (Read 1 John 1:3; 2 Cor. 13:14).
Every renewed soul
has knowledge of God the Father. "I write unto you, little
children", says the apostle John (Read 1 John 2:13), "because
ye have known the Father", the Father of Christ and their Father
in Christ; for he that is Christ's Father is their Father, though
they are not in the same class of sonship with him; "I ascend to
my Father and your Father" (Read John 20:17), and this relation
is made known to them, as children are taught to know their father;
and this the saints know by the Spirit of adoption sent down into
their hearts, crying, Abba, Father; and witnessing to their spirits
that they are the children of God; and this leads into communion with
him, and into the enjoyment of many privileges with pleasure. They
have knowledge of the love of the Father which is bestowed on them,
and is in them, and which appears in their election, in the gift of
Christ to them, and in their adoption, and in other blessings of
grace; and this is shed abroad in their hearts by the Spirit, and
they are led by him into the heights and depths, and lengths and
breadths of it; they are warmed by it, and comforted with it; it is a
source of joy, peace and comfort to them; and the knowledge of it is
what they glory in and should do, and in that only (Read Jeremiah
9:23,24). They have also knowledge of God the Father as having chosen
them in Christ, and blessed them with all spiritual blessings in him;
for though their election is so early as before the foundation of the
world, and so secret as it is in Christ, yet it may be known by them;
"Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God"; how and
by what means? By the powerful influence of the gospel upon their
hearts, "for our gospel came not unto you in word only but also
in power" (Read 1 Thessalonians 1:4-5), they have knowledge of
him as their covenant God in Christ, who has blessed them with all
covenant blessings, with the sure mercies of David; with
justification by the righteousness of Christ[ Read Romans 5:16],
pardon of sin for his sake, reconciliation and atonement, adoption,
and every other blessing; the knowledge of all which draws out their
hearts in thankfulness to the Father of Christ, in love to him, and
praise of him (Read Ephesians 1:3,4). They have knowledge of him as
"in Christ reconciling the world unto himself", planning
the scheme of their peace, reconciliation and atonement by Christ,
"not imputing their trespasses" to them but to their Surety
and Saviour; which scheme he has executed by him, and has "by
him reconciled" them "to himself", of which they have
knowledge, and hence reason in the strong and comfortable manner as
the apostle does (Rom. 5:11). Moreover they have knowledge of God the
Father as having proclaimed his name in Christ, a God "gracious
and merciful, pardoning iniquity, transgression and sin"; as a
God that does abundantly pardon, and which engages their souls to
turn unto him, and fills them with wonder and amazement; so that they
say, "Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity?"
and this raises in them the highest gratitude and thankfulness to
God; they call upon their souls, and all within them, to "bless
his holy name, and not forget his benefits, who forgiveth all their
iniquities" (Read Micah 7:18; Psalm 103:1-3). To observe no
more; they know him as "the God of all grace, who has called
them to his eternal glory by Christ Jesus" his Son; that is,
that he is the author and giver of every grace unto them; that their
faith is not of themselves, it is the gift of God; that their good
hope through grace is of him, and therefore he is called the God of
hope, because not only the object but the author and giver of it; for
the same reason he is called the God of love, the God of patience,
&c. and this knowledge of God the Father leads to deal with him
for fresh supplies of grace, and that he would make all grace to
abound towards them; this draws them to the throne of grace to seek
grace and mercy of him to help them in their time of need. [Read
Hebrews 4:15-16]
Every renewed soul
has knowledge of Christ the Son of God (Read John 17:3), where the
"only true God" designs God the Father, yet not to the
exclusion of Christ the Son of God, for he is expressly called the
"true God" ([See] also 1 John 5:20) and "eternal life"
is made to depend equally upon the knowledge of the one as upon the
knowledge of the other; now would Christ ever have ranked himself in
this manner with the only true God, if he was not equal with him? and
such an interpretation of the passage as would exclude him from being
the one only true God with the Father, would exclude the Father from
being the one only Lord with the Son (Read 1 Corinthians 8:6). Now
truly gracious souls have knowledge of the person of Christ, as being
truly God and truly man; as being true God, and therefore they
venture their souls on him, commit their all unto him, and look unto
him for salvation, and trust in him for it, because he is God and
there is none else; and as being truly man, partaker of the same
flesh and blood with them, and in all things made like unto them, and
so their near kinsman, and who cannot but have sympathy with them;
[as being tempted in all ways by the carnality of this world] and
thus being both God and man, he is fit to be the mediator between
both[Read Hebrews 8:6, 9:15-16; 1 Timothy 2:5], and to take care of
things belonging to God, and to make reconciliation for the sins of
the people. They have knowledge of him in all his offices, and deal
with him as such; with him as their prophet to teach and instruct
them by his word, his ministers, and his Spirit; with him as their
priest, who by his sacrifice has made atonement for their sins, and
by his intercession pleads for every blessing for them; and with him
as their king, to rule over them, protect and defend them; and they
become willingly subject to his commands and ordinances, and esteem
all his precepts concerning all things to be right; they know him as
their living Redeemer, as Job did[Read Job 19:25]; and their souls
rejoice in God their Saviour, as Mary the mother of our Lord did;
they know him in the various relations he stands in to them, as their
everlasting Father, who bears an everlasting love to them, takes an
everlasting care of them, and makes everlasting provision for them;
as their head of eminence over them, and influence to them; as their
husband, who has betrothed them to himself in righteousness and
lovingkindness; as their brother, and one that sticks closer than a
brother; and as their friend that loves at all times, and of whom
they say as the church did, "This is my beloved, and this is my
friend". And this knowledge which such souls have of Christ is:
Not merely notional and speculative, such a knowledge the devils
have: they know Christ to be the Holy One of God, and that he is the
Son of God, and the Messiah (Read Luke 4:34,41), and men destitute of
the grace of God may know and give their assent to those truths, that
Christ is truly God, and existed as the Son of God from all eternity;
that he assumed human nature in the fulness of time, that he lived a
life of sorrow and trouble, died the death of the cross, was buried
and rose again from the dead, ascended to heaven, and is set down at
the right hand of God, and will come a second time to judge the world
in righteousness; but this spiritual special knowledge gracious souls
have is an affectionate knowledge, or a knowledge joined with love
and affection to Christ; he is in their esteem the chiefest among ten
thousand, and altogether lovely; he is precious to them, and there is
none in heaven nor in earth so desired by them as he is.
Their knowledge is a
knowledge of approbation, they approve of him above all other lovers,
and above all other saviors; they reject all others, and say, "Ashur
shall not save us"; we will have no regard to our works, duties
and services, as saviors; but they say of him as Job did, "Though
he slay me yet will I trust in him—he also shall be my salvation",
I will have no other (Read Job 13:15,16).
Their knowledge of
him is fiducial; they know his name, his nature, his abilities, his
fulness, and suitableness, and therefore they put their trust in him,
give up themselves to him, rely and lean upon him, and trust him with
all they have, and for all they want, for grace here and glory
hereafter.
Their knowledge of
him is experimental, they have their spiritual senses exercised on
him; they see the Son and believe on him, see the glories of his
person, the riches of his grace, the fulness of his righteousness,
the efficacy of his blood, and the virtue of his atoning sacrifice;
they "hear" his voice with pleasure and delight, the voice
of his gospel, so as to understand it, approve of it, and distinguish
it from the voice of a stranger they "feel", they handle
him the word of life by faith, lay hold on him and retain him; they
"taste" that the Lord is gracious, and "savour"
the things which be of Christ and not of men.
Their knowledge of
Christ is appropriating; it does not lie in generals but in
particulars, they know him themselves and for themselves; they do not
only say as the Samaritans did, "We know that this is indeed the
Christ the Saviour of the world" (Read John 4:42), but that he
is their Saviour and Redeemer; and say with Thomas, "My Lord,
and my God"; and with the apostle Paul, "Who loved me, and
gave himself for me"; and with the church, "My beloved is
mine, and I am his" (Read John 20:28; Galatians 2:20; Song of
Solomon 2:16). Every renewed soul has knowledge of the Spirit of God,
the world does not know him, but truly gracious souls do; our Lord
speaking of him says, "Whom the world cannot receive, because it
seeth him not, neither knoweth him", neither his person, nor his
office, nor his operations; "But ye know him", meaning his
apostles and followers; and gives a very good reason for it, "for
he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you"; and therefore they
must have a feeling and experimental knowledge of him (Read John
14:17). Such as are renewed in the spirit of their minds, have a
knowledge of him as a Spirit of conviction and illumination, he
having convinced them of sin, the evil nature and sad consequences of
it; of righteousness, of the insufficiency of their own righteousness
to justify them before God, and of the fulness and suitableness of
Christ's righteousness for that purpose; and having had the eyes of
their understandings enlightened by him as a Spirit of wisdom and
revelation in the knowledge of Christ, as an able, willing, and
complete Saviour; and having received him as the Spirit which is of
God, whereby are made known to them the things that are freely given
to them of God; the free grace gifts of righteousness, peace, pardon,
and eternal life. They have knowledge of him as the Comforter [Read
John 14:16], who comforts them by shedding abroad in their hearts the
love of the Father and of the Son; by opening and applying the
exceeding great and precious promises of the gospel, and by taking
the things of Christ and showing them to them, and their interest in
them; and these comforts they have a feeling experience of, for they
delight their souls amidst the multitude of their thoughts within
them; yea they walk in the comforts of the Holy Ghost, and are
edified by them. They have knowledge of him also as the Spirit of
adoption, who manifests to them their interest in this blessing; and
not only from his witnessing do they know their relation to God as
children, but also from their being led by him out of themselves to
Christ, and into the truth as it is in Jesus, for such "are the
sons of God" (Read Romans 8:14-16). Moreover they have knowledge
of the Spirit as a "Spirit of grace and of supplication",
who first works grace in the soul, and then draws it forth into act
and exercise; and perhaps there is no season in the Christian life in
which this grace is more drawn forth into exercise than when in
prayer, public and private, under the influence of the Spirit of
supplication; who helps saints under all their infirmities in prayer,
and makes intercession in them according to the will of God,
impresses a sense of their wants upon them, puts strength into them,
and fills their mouths with arguments to plead with God in the
exercise of grace: once more, such souls have knowledge of him as the
Spirit of truth, that guides into all truth necessary to be known by
them, and powerfully applies it to them; who teaches them all things
they should know, and brings to their remembrance truths or promises,
at proper seasons, for their relief and comfort; and who is the
unction they have received from the Holy One, the anointing which
teacheth all things, and from which they are denominated Christians;
to say no more, they have knowledge of him as an inhabitant in them,
for he dwells in them as in his temple; of whose indwelling they are
sensible by the operations of his grace upon them; they find he is in
them as the earnest of their inheritance, and as the sealer of them
unto the day of redemption. Now in this distinct, special, and
peculiar knowledge of Father, Son, and Spirit, and in that communion
with them, which arises from hence, inward experimental religion
greatly lies.
