That "Epignósis" Type of Knowledge

Take off the old man … Put on the new.

The concept of doing away with sin and everything attached to it is taking off the old man. Putting on the new man is when we forsake our fleshly desires for the will and way of God. Colossians 3:8-10 reads:

“But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him”

So, we see a few things we need to do away with … anger. Yes, control how you react to things. No, you didn’t have to curse that person out in your head (or out loud!) just because they are driving like a maniac. You can just retreat into prayer … God, soothe my anger … Lord, help them to learn to drive safely for their good and the good of others.

Yes, do away with that filthy language. And that’s not just in relation to cursing or swearing. On my husband’s birthday, I dropped into Walgreens to grab him a few goodies to go in his gift bag. Imagine my surprise when I hear two young women having a sexually explicit conversation. And they didn’t have the decency to quiet themselves when I walked past them with my young son. But I just took that as an opportunity to pray for them. May God help us all in putting on this new man!

But this isn’t just about putting on the new man. Paul wrote, “put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him.”

It says the new man is renewed. How is the new man renewed? He is renewed through knowledge of God. But the knowledge mentioned in this text isn’t solely about attaining knowledge of God. Many people know about God.

They know God is professed to be the Creator of all. They know He is reported to have a Son who died for the sins of the world. They have a general knowledge of God. In fact, some atheist have more knowledge of the Bible than some believers do.

But knowledge (or epignósis per the Hebrew text) means true knowledge. It is a full, experiential knowledge. A contact-knowledge. A knowledge gained through a first-hand relationship. It is knowledge through a personal, intimate knowing of God, not a general knowledge of God.

This personal relationship is crafted when our general knowledge of God blooms into a love of God. In relationships, we first gain general knowledge of a person. From there, the more we learn of a person and the more time we spend with them, the deeper and more intimate the relationship becomes. And before you know it, you're engulfed in love, married, and fully devoted to someone you took the time to know better.

The gospel itself is knowledge. We must first hear the word of God and then, we believe. Basic knowledge of God is needed and we are encouraged to attain it. But basic knowledge does not automatically mean we love God or that we have a relationship with Christ. Because sometimes, the more you learn about someone, the more you discover that you don't want to be with them. Unfortunately, maybe that's the reality for those who have basic academic knowledge of Christ but lack “Epignósis" or true knowledge and intimacy with Him ...

The text says the new man is renewed through knowledge, but we cannot be spiritually renewed through a basic knowledge of God. We can, however, be renewed through love. If our knowledge of God has transcended into love and intimacy, that type of knowledge can renew us.

Yes, we are to gain knowledge of scripture. We are to accurately know the word (2 Timothy 2:15). But if that knowledge doesn't translate into an intimate knowing of God, then we are no better than Satan, who has knowledge of God and is yet hellbound because his knowledge did not translate to love and obedience to the Lord.

May we never forget this: Our souls need consistent renewal in the Lord. The new man must continuously subject himself into being renewed by fostering a healthy relationship with God through intimate prayer, worship, and reading the scriptures. But most importantly, all relationships must be based in love.

The new man can begin to feel like the old man when we aren’t renewed in God daily. The new man becomes spiritually malnourished when he doesn't eat of the Bread of Christ or drink from the Living Water (Matthew 4:4, John 4:10). The new man will eventually become the old man again if we are not consistently seeking God and His will.

So, let us be renewed through true knowledge, through that “Epignósis” type of knowledge. May we renew ourselves in God, not just in basic head knowledge of Him, but in the day-to-day love of God that first came from receiving the basic knowledge of God, but grows into something greater.

May this message bless you and may God keep you. Until next time, take care.

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Thank you for reading this week's Write On! Wednesday article. The Now That's A Word! YouTube Channel is here: http://YouTube.com/@nowthatsaword

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Sincerely,

Quin Arrington