Epistemology is the study of knowledge itself: What is it to know a thing? How do we know what we know? What makes a belief true, and what right have we to be sure of it? Every university on earth must answer those questions before it teaches anything else — usually without admitting it has. Grace Team University answers them out loud, from the Bible: all true knowledge begins with God, and the fear of the LORD is its foundation stone. This page is the door of the study; the full course of lessons is in preparation, and its outline stands at the foot of this page.

I. The Beginning of Knowledge

Solomon does not say the fear of the LORD is the beginning of religion, or of morality — he says it is the beginning of knowledge. A man who will not bow to God starts his thinking with the one fact left out that explains all the others, and the Book calls the alternative by its name in the same verse:

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” — Proverbs 1:7 (KJV)

“For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.” — Proverbs 2:6 (KJV)

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.” — Proverbs 9:10 (KJV)

Knowledge is not manufactured by man; it is given — out of the mouth of the LORD cometh knowledge and understanding. The first lesson of epistemology is humility: the creature receives truth; he does not invent it.

II. Revelation — The Foundation of Knowing

God has spoken twice over: in the world He made, and in the Word He gave. The heavens preach without a tongue:

“The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.” — Psalm 19:1 (KJV)

“Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:” — Romans 1:19–20 (KJV)

But creation tells us that God is, and how great He is — not how a sinner may be saved. For that, God gave special revelation, breathed out and written down:

“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:” — 2 Timothy 3:16 (KJV)

“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” — Psalm 119:105 (KJV)

“God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;” — Hebrews 1:1–2 (KJV)

So the Christian theory of knowledge is simple and strong: God knows all things; God has revealed what we need; therefore man can truly know. We do not grope toward truth as toward a rumor — we receive it from the mouth of the One who cannot lie (Titus 1:2).

III. Knowing by Faith, Understanding by the Spirit

Faith is not the enemy of knowledge in the Bible — it is one of its instruments:

“Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.” — Hebrews 11:3 (KJV)

“And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” — John 8:32 (KJV)

“Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.” — John 16:13 (KJV)

And God is not afraid of our questions; He invites reason onto ground He Himself has laid:

“Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” — Isaiah 1:18 (KJV)

Yet the natural man, for all his learning, has a ceiling he cannot think his way through:

“But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” — 1 Corinthians 2:14 (KJV)

“Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.” — 1 Corinthians 1:20–21 (KJV)

“Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.” — Colossians 2:8 (KJV)

The mind must be renewed, not merely stocked (Romans 12:2); and what God gives His people is not a fog of maybe, but knowledge they can stand on: “these things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life” (1 John 5:13). Certainty is a Bible word.

IV. The Study — Outline of the Full Course

The full Epistemology study is being prepared as a Grace Team University course. Its lessons, each taught verse by verse from the King James Bible:

1. What Is Knowledge? — knowing, believing, and being sure (1 John 5:13; Luke 1:1–4)
2. The Fear of the LORD — the foundation stone (Proverbs 1:7; 9:10; Job 28:28)
3. General Revelation — what creation teaches, and its limits (Psalm 19; Romans 1:18–25)
4. Special Revelation — God has spoken in Scripture (2 Timothy 3:16–17; 2 Peter 1:19–21)
5. Faith and Reason — understanding by faith (Hebrews 11:3; Isaiah 1:18)
6. The Spirit, the Teacher — guided into all truth (John 16:13; 1 Corinthians 2:9–16)
7. The Wisdom of This World — where human philosophy fails (1 Corinthians 1:18–25; Colossians 2:8)
8. Certainty — that ye may know (1 John 5; John 20:31)

The framing above is complete and stands as the study’s foundation; the eight lessons are in preparation and will open here as they are finished.