The second aspect to living a life from the knowledge of God’s will that pleases him in every way, that Paul talks about in Colossians 1 is, “Growing in the knowledge of God”.
In 2 Peter 1:5-9 he says,
“For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.”
These qualities are something that we grow in. They are attitudes, perspectives, mentalities, ways of living that spring from the knowledge of God. These qualities are the way of life in the kingdom of heaven. As we live and grow in them, they keep us from being ineffective and unproductive in our knowledge of God.
Peter says, “But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.” Living from a place of fear, doubt, guilt and shame causes attitudes, perspectives and mentalities that are in direct conflict with the truth.
Paul says in Colossians 3:5-14
“Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.”
Growing in the Knowledge of God consists of learning the ways of God so that you can walk in them. Paul said, “Since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.”
Our new self functions differently then the old self. We think, feel and act from a place of righteousness, peace and joy. The only way to continue to grow in the knowledge of God is to focus on who he really is. Which is why Paul says in 2 Corinthians 3:18,
“And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”
You become what you behold. So behold what you want to become. When you behold the glory of God you are being conformed and transformed into his image. The more time you spend with someone the more you get to know them.