From Salvation to Revelation: Growing in the knowledge of God

Paul is speaking to people who are already saved. He says, “I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and your love unto all the saints” (Ephesians 1:15). He recognised that they had faith and that their faith was producing love, but he did not see salvation as the end of their journey. Salvation is the beginning of a life of continual growth in Christ.

Jesus said, “If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed” (John 8:31). Peter also encouraged believers to “grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18)

There is therefore a difference between being saved and continuing to grow in the knowledge of the One who saved us.

Paul then says, “I cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers” (Ephesians 1:16). What a powerful prayer! Paul was not merely praying that they would be saved—they were already saved. He was praying that they would understand what salvation had given them.

This is important because we can belong to Christ and yet fail to understand the riches of what we have received through Him. Paul prayed for the believers because spiritual understanding does not come simply through human ability. Jesus said, “It is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 13:11). The Holy Spirit is our Teacher, for Jesus said, “He shall teach you all things” (John 14:26).

Then Paul gives us the content of his prayer: “That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him” (Ephesians 1:17). Notice that Paul does not pray merely for information about God; he prays for wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of God.

There is a difference between knowing about someone and knowing them personally. Jeremiah 9:24 says, “Let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me.” Proverbs 2:6 declares, “For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.” Colossians 1:9 gives us another beautiful prayer: “that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.”

Why is this revelation so important? Because God wants us to understand what He has already given us in Christ. Paul continues, “The eyes of your understanding being enlightened” (Ephesians 1:18). There are eyes that see physically, but there are also spiritual eyes that need to be opened. A person can read the Bible and still not understand the depth of what God is saying. Jesus opened the understanding of His disciples so that they could understand the Scriptures (Luke 24:45). The psalmist prayed, “Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law” (Psalm 119:18). Revelation allows us to see beyond the written words and begin to understand the spiritual reality behind them.

Paul wanted these believers to understand “the hope of his calling, and the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints” (Ephesians 1:18). God has called us for a purpose. We are not saved merely to exist until we die; we are called to walk in the purpose and good works God has prepared for us. Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” First Peter 2:9 reminds us that we are “a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people,” called to show forth the praises of God. The more we know Him, the more clearly we understand who we are in Him and what He has called us to do.

This is why grace does not stop at salvation. Grace saves us, but grace also teaches us, changes us, strengthens us, and causes us to grow. Titus 2:11–12 says, “The grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly.” God wants us to move from faith to deeper faith, from knowledge to revelation, and from revelation to spiritual maturity. Colossians 2:6–7 says,

“As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: rooted and built up in him.” So the prayer should be: “Lord, now that I am saved, open the eyes of my understanding. Give me wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of You. Help me understand my calling, my inheritance, Your power, and everything You have made available to me through Christ.” This is the journey of grace—being saved by Christ and continually growing until our lives increasingly reflect Him.