We grow in knowledge as we take note of the promises of God, and by faith apply them to ourselves, and seek to discern in our lives the fulfillment of those promises; we grow in grace simultaneously, for unless each item of knowledge be received into a good and honest heart, and bring forth its measure of obedience and righteousness (grace), we shall not be prepared for the next step of knowledge, and would thus be stopped, or possibly turned back. And as a loss of knowledge would mean a measurable loss of grace, so also a loss of grace would mean a corresponding loss of knowledge—going into darkness, the promises of the Lord's Word becoming more and more dim and obscured, in proportion as our goodness or grace would be lost in worldliness or sin.
To be forewarned is to be forearmed. In this evil day the Lord has forewarned us of coming evils against which we will be immune, if we cultivate the proper spirit; but which will as errors of the wicked surely entrap us, if we do not so do, thus bringing us to a loss of our reward. Our only safety in the presence of these evils is daily growth in grace and the knowledge of our Lord Jesus.
Prov. 4:14; Mark 13:23; 2 Pet. 1:10-12; 2:18; 1 Cor. 15:58; Gal. 5:1; Eph. 4:14, 15; 1 Tim. 4:1, 2; 1 Pet. 2:2; 1 John 2:18-21, 26.
