Cultivating a Deeper Understanding of God's Redemption Story
Understanding God's redemption story involves a deepening comprehension of divine truths that were once hidden but are now revealed through the Gospel [9]. This understanding is not merely intellectual assent but an experiential knowledge that transforms the believer [4].
The New Testament frequently emphasizes the importance of knowing and understanding God's will and the "mystery of Christ" [1, 2]. Paul prays for believers to receive a deeper understanding of the Good News and its full expression in their lives, noting that spiritual growth leads to a clearer comprehension of Christian truth and conduct that pleases the Lord [6]. This knowledge is a gift from God, enabling individuals to grasp the mysteries of the Kingdom [8].
Central to this understanding is the person of Christ. Paul expresses a desire to "know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings" [3]. This knowing is described as experimental, going beyond mere doctrine about Christ to a personal relationship with the Redeemer Himself [4]. The power of Christ's resurrection assures believers of their justification and raises them spiritually with Him, identifying them with His redemptive work [4].
The "mystery" revealed in the New Testament often refers to God's plan to bring everything together under the authority of Christ, including the inclusion of both Gentiles and Jews in God's redeemed people [9]. This divine truth, formerly hidden, is now made known through the Gospel [9].
A deeper understanding of God's redemption story is intrinsically linked to walking in a manner "worthy of the Lord" [5]. True knowledge of God's will is inseparable from living in conformity to it, resulting in fruitfulness and growth in the knowledge of God [5]. This growth is not just about accumulating information but about increasing in grace and peace through the knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord [7]. This can involve a larger discovery of God's love, an increase in the exercise of spiritual graces, or a clearer view of divine truth [7].
The Old Testament Scriptures provide wisdom that prepares one to receive Christ, and in turn, Jesus Christ is necessary to fully understand the Old Testament Scriptures [11]. This continuous process of learning and applying God's statutes is a petition David made, asking for divine instruction to know his duty, especially in times of affliction [10]. The aim is to be well-pleasing to God in every way [5].
Sources
- Ephesians “Ephesians 3:4 (DRC) — As you reading, may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ,”
- Colossians “that their hearts may be comforted, they being knit together in love, and gaining all riches of the full assurance of understanding, that they may know the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ, -- Colossians 2:2”
- Philippians “Philippians 3:10 (BSB) — I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to Him in His death,”
- Philippians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Philippians 3:10: That I may know him--experimentally. The aim of the "righteousness" just mentioned. This verse resumes, and more fully explains, "the excellency of the knowledge of Christ" (Phi 3:8). To know HIM is more than merely to know a doctrine about Him. Believers are brought not only to redemption, but to the Redeemer Himself. the power of his resurrection--assuring believers of their justification (Rom 4:25; Co1 15:17), and raising them up spiritually with Him, by virtue of their identification with Him in this, as in all the acts of His redeeming work”
- Colossians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Colossians 1:10: Greek, "So as to walk"; so that ye may walk. True knowledge of God's will is inseparable from walking conformably to it. worthy of the Lord-- (Eph 4:1). unto--so as in every way to be well-pleasing to God. pleasing--literally, "desire of pleasing." being fruitful--Greek, "bearing fruit." This is the first manifestation of their "walking worthy of the Lord." The second is, "increasing (growing) in the knowledge of God (or as the oldest manuscripts read, 'growing BY the full knowledge of God')"; thus, as the Gospel word (Col 1:6) was said to ”
- Colossians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Colossians 1:9: 1:9-10 Paul prays that God would grant his readers deeper understanding of the Good News and its full expression in their lives. Spiritual growth yields a clearer and deeper comprehension of Christian truth and conduct that pleases the Lord, through which a believer will have the endurance and patience to stand firm against evil (1:11).”
- 2 Peter (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 2 Peter 1:2: Grace and peace be multiplied unto you,.... By a multiplication of grace may be meant a larger discovery of the love and favour of God; which though it admits of no degrees in itself, being never more or less in God's heart, yet, as to the manifestations of it, it is different, and capable of being increased, and drawn out to a greater length; or else an increase of the internal graces of the Spirit of God, as to the actings and exercise of them; or a larger measure of the gifts of the Spirit, for greater usefulness among them; or a clearer view, and a more enlarged k”
- Matthew (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Matthew 13:51: 13:51 The ability to understand the mysteries of the Kingdom is a gift from God (13:10-17, 23).”
- Ephesians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Ephesians 1:8: 1:8-10 Wisdom and understanding come from the revelation of God’s mysterious will regarding Christ. In Paul’s writings, mysterious will (traditionally mystery) often refers to a divine truth formerly hidden but now revealed in the Good News (see 3:9). Here it refers to how God will bring everything together under the authority of Christ, so that he may be universally recognized and respected as Lord (see Phil 2:9-11; Col 1:16-20, 26-27; 2:2, 19; 4:3). Ephesians focuses specifically on the inclusion of Gentiles as well as Jews in God’s redeemed people (see Eph 3:”
- Psalms (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Psalms 119:124: Here is, 1. David's petition for divine instruction: "Teach me thy statutes; give me to know all my duty; when I am in doubt, and know not for certain what is my duty, direct me, and make it plain to me; now that I am afflicted, oppressed, and my eyes are ready to fail for thy salvation, let me know what my duty is in this condition." In difficult times we should desire more to be told what we must do than what we may expect, and should pray more to be led into the knowledge of scripture-precepts than of scripture-prophecies. If God, who gave us his statutes, d”
- 2 Timothy (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 2 Timothy 3:14: 3:14-15 from childhood: Timothy’s Jewish grandmother and mother, Lois and Eunice (see Acts 16:1-3), provided his education in the Old Testament Scriptures (see 2 Tim 1:5), and their lives reinforced their teaching. • The Old Testament Scriptures give the wisdom to receive . . . Christ Jesus. In turn, Jesus Christ is needed to understand the Old Testament Scriptures fully.”