Our experiential knowledge of the Lord increases according to the degree of our growth in life.

[jidong xiao]

在八节彼得说到非闲懒或不结果子，“以致充分的认识我们的主耶稣基督。”那以属灵的美德为其成分的构成，是在许多的步骤中，向着对我们主耶稣基督的充足认识进展，目的是充分的领略三一神包罗万有的具体化身。这段话用了三个辞，说到生命经历与属灵认识的关系：二节的“因”，（直译，在…里面，）指认识的范围；三节的“藉着”，指认识的管道；和八节的“以致”，指以所期望的认识为目标。我们对主经历上的认识，乃是照着我们在生命里长大的程度而增加。

在九节彼得说，“那没有这几样的，就是眼瞎、近视，忘了他旧日的罪已经得了洁净。”如在八节者，“这几样”指五至七节所说的一切美德。那没有这几样的，就是眼瞎、近视。“近视”，原文字根意（由于强光）闭上眼睛，因此是近视。这样的近视就是属灵的眼瞎，不能看见在三一神的神圣生命与性情里那进一步的东西，就是分赐到信徒里面作他们全备供应的。

“忘了”，原文含有意忘记，指有意忘记他旧日的罪得洁净的经历。这洁净是要使他有分于神的性情，好在神圣的生命里往前，而达到成熟。这不是说他否认了在相信基督并浸入基督时忠信的表白，也不是说他失去了信而受浸时所得救恩的确据，乃是说他忽略了救恩的开端对他的意义。

In verse 8 Peter speaks of not being idle or unfruitful "unto the full knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ." The constitution with the spiritual virtues as its constituents advances in many steps toward the full knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, with a view to the full realization of the all-inclusive embodiment of the Triune God. In this section of the Word, three prepositions are used regarding the relationship of the experience of life to spiritual knowledge: in, in verse 2, referring to the sphere of the knowledge; through, in verse 3, referring to the channel of the knowledge; and unto, in verse 8, referring to the knowledge in view as a goal. Our experiential knowledge of the Lord increases according to the degree of our growth in life. 

In verse 9 Peter says, "For he in whom these things are not present is blind, being shortsighted, having forgotten the cleansing of his past sins." As in verse 8, "these things" refers to all the virtues covered in verses 5 through 7. The one in whom these things is not present is blind, being shortsighted. The Greek word rendered "short-sighted" comes from the root word that means to close the eyes due to strong light; hence, to be shortsighted. To be thus shortsighted is to be spiritually blind, unable to see something further in the divine life and divine nature of the Triune God dispensed into the believers as their bountiful supply. 

Literally, the Greek word rendered "having forgotten" means taking forgetfulness, that is, willing to forget the experience of the cleansing of past sins. That cleansing was for us to go on in the divine life by partaking of the divine nature to reach its maturity. For one to forget the cleansing of his past sins does not mean that he denies the faithful profession he made when he believed in Christ and was baptized into Him, nor does it mean that he loses the assurance of salvation which he received at that time.