The apostle Paul wrote to the Colossians: "For this reason also since the day we heard of it [i.e., their faith], we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God" (Colossians 1:9, 10).
Christianity is a religion of knowledge. Jesus said, "You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" (John 8:32). In his prayer in John 17, Jesus makes the statement that God's word is truth (John 17:17). One who comes to God must come to know what the will of the Lord is. He must hear it (Romans 10:17), believe it (Romans 10:9, 10), and act upon it (Matthew 7:21; Acts 2:38) in order to become a child of God and be saved (John 1:12; Hebrews 5:8, 9).
As children of God, we are to "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 3:18). Our knowledge of the word of God is our only prevention against being led astray by false teachers: "we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves, and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him, who is the head, even Christ" (Ephesians 4:14, 15).
Our winning of our souls and the souls of others for Christ is dependent upon our knowledge of the scriptures. The Ethiopian eunuch had the opportunity to obey the gospel because Philip was able to explain to him what he was reading in the Bible (see Acts 8:26-40). In Romans 10:14, Paul points out that people will not call upon God unless they hear of him, and will not hear unless someone tells them. Jesus commands us to go into all the world and teach (Matthew 28:19-20). We cannot fulfill this duty unless we know the scriptures.
We are called upon to defend the gospel--whenever and against whomever: "sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence" (1 Peter 3:15). A thorough knowledge of the word of God is the basis for "always being ready."
Knowing the word of God can only accomplished by spending time in it--reading it, studying it, meditating on it, sharing it, living it. Only with an investment of effort and time on our part will the word of Christ richly dwell within us (Colossians 3:16). Only then will King David's words ring true for us: "Thy word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path" (Psalm 119:105).