dispensational truth, age purpose and promises, all find their goal, their

assurance, their centre in the Son of God.  These are the facets of truth

illuminated by the apostle Paul.  There is, however, a vast field in the Gospels

and the Acts, where Messianic prophecies, the kingship of Israel, aionion life,

the raising of the dead, and other themes are found associated with this same

title.  It will be seen that the unity of the faith is a mighty comprehension.

The four passages of Paul's writings which definitely use the title Son of God

speak of:

Life now being by faith of --

Promises being Yea and Amen in --

Resurrection declaring with power --

The Son Of God

Unity of the faith being the knowledge of ­

and these may well be taken as heads, dividing the revelation concerning Him

into their various departments.

The knowledge of the Son of God is really `full knowledge' (epignosis).

Delitzsch says, `We cannot speak of a false epignosis, for epignosis seems to

suggest that the knowledge gained acts powerfully upon the person'.  In

Colossians 3:10 it appears that this epignosis is not so much the gradual and

mental attainment; it is associated with `renewal' and is according to the

`image' of the Creator.  In Colossians 2:2 the epignosis of the Mystery of God

is approached by close fellowship in love and in all the riches and the full

assurance of understanding, and here the Mystery of God is Christ, the Vatican

MS. reading being `the secret of God, Christ, in Whom are hid'.  The full

knowledge of the will of God is necessary if we would walk worthy of the Lord,

pleasing Him in all things (Col. 1:9,10).  Epignosis and epiginosko include the

idea of `acknowledging' as in Ephesians 1:17, and in the practical outworking of

our calling (Eph. 4 to 6) the `acknowledgment of the Son of God' must be

included in all comprehensive knowledge of Him, otherwise we shall have a body

of truth without the spirit which alone makes it live.

Finally, this full knowledge and acknowledgment must be sought by prayer.

Ephesians 1:17 shows that it is the outcome of the gift of the spirit of wisdom

and revelation.  It is this full knowledge of the Son of God that constitutes

the unity of the faith.  While the faith rests upon historic fact, it will be

realized that in this word we have something deeper than acquaintance with

prophecy and fulfilment.  The chief priests and scribes, who so readily referred

Herod to the prophet's utterance that the Messiah should be born in Bethlehem of

Judaea, had gnosis, but they had not epignosis, for if they had they would have

anticipated the wise men with their gifts and their homage.  They had knowledge

but through ignorance, fear, traditional views and other things they failed to

`acknowledge'.  Old Simeon and Anna show this heart knowledge which seems to be

contained in epignosis.

Looking at the passage once more we observe that it suggests a threefold

`Until we all should

Unto (eis) the

unity of the faith, even the full knowledge of the

Son of God.

Unto (eis) a perfect

(mature) man.

Unto (eis) the

measure of the stature of the fulness of the Christ'

(Eph. 4:13).