Grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and
Saviour Jesus Christ. 2PE 3:18

Growing in grace is not singular; we must grow in many different graces. The grace that is the root of all graces is the grace of love. Our Saviour said in MAT 22:37-40, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."

All the promises in the Word of God hang on growing in this root grace. The first four commandments in the law of love pertain to that first blessed table of the law of love, i.e., loving "...God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind." The last six commandments pertain to the second table of the law of love, i.e., loving our neighbour as ourselves.

Of this second table of the law of love we read in ROM 13:8-10, "Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law."

Until we have put the second table of the law of love into action, we cannot claim that we love God at all--much less with our heart, soul, and mind. "If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?" 1JO 4:20.

Since all the promises there are in Christ hang upon loving God--see how important it is that we strive to grow in the grace of love to our neighbour! "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose," ROM 8:28.

What may seem to be the most loving deeds are not acceptable unto our Lord unless love is the motive. "And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil," 1CO 13:3-5.

Our text also speaks of growing in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ--Why is this so important? See what He said in His intercessory prayer in JOH 17:3, "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent."

As you grow in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ, and his love in giving Himself as a ransom for our souls, you grow in the knowledge of the exceedingly sinful nature of sin. Seek an intimate relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ in a childlike spirit.

Our Saviour tells us in MAT 18:3-4, "Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven."

May God the Holy Spirit enable you to "grow in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ." Amen.