Knowing God

Last night’s group study topic was the prayer of Jesus that begins:

When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. (John 17:1–3)

Our study leader asked about this definition of eternal life that Jesus describes. We agreed that Jesus described a relationship. It is not the same as knowing about Him, or even knowing that He is God who came in the form of a man, or even believing in one God, or perhaps that He is three in one because the Bible also says:

You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! (James 2:19)

Knowledge of facts about God and accepting those facts as true does not necessarily result in trust or an intimate relationship. In this context and in considering all that the Bible says about faith in Christ, it is deeper. Jesus used the Greek word ginōskō that means to know, recognize, discern, understand; conclude, but is also a euphemism for the intimacy of sexual relations. In other words, while this verb can refer to knowledge of facts or information, it is used more often to refer to a deeper knowledge that involves intimacy.

Intimacy of relationship involves love but also self-revelation, an openness that includes inner thoughts revealed by transparent and truth-filled interaction and conversation. Not only that, this prayer seems more of a description of what eternal life is like rather than how it is obtained. By knowing Jesus as Lord, Savior, best friend forever, we have a relationship of mutual confiding, of intimate knowledge as Jesus reveals Himself to us.

Before Jesus came into my life, I knew about Him, about His life and the importance of trusting Him (but not how to do it) but I did not have that relationship. However, He came to me without a formal introduction, and I knew instantly who He is and that He was offering me His life and all He could do for me. There was no doubt about His identity or His worth. Rejecting Him never entered my mind. Life events and the Holy Spirit had already made the point: I needed Jesus.

Most Christian’s testify how they came to a point of need through life’s circumstances. For me, it was a sense of failure. For some it is deep guilt, or rejection. Others feel surprised by Jesus and later realized they were ready to say yes when He called them.

While some talk about needing to “accept” Him vs. the ability to reject Jesus, that can only be prior to hearing His call to relationship. People will reject church, or what seems like law and rules, or say they don’t need religion, or bristle at the idea of being a sinner. The Holy Spirit’s role is to use various means to remove any barriers and soften hearts to the point that sinners are ready to trust His power and say yes to His invitation.

PRAY: Jesus, You never force anyone to trust You, nor are You are helpless to draw sinners to Yourself. Your love and Your ability to reveal Yourself as desirable is unlimited. You are the grace of God reaching out and revealing God to those being called. You overwhelm me with Your goodness and mercy. The more I know You, the more I know what God the Father is like, and what eternal life is like. Since You are beyond all description and human imagination, eternity will be filled with discovery — forever knowing more and more about You. This is a marvelous reality given to me because that is what You do.

Shocking Theology

 

Sometimes I read books with a dictionary close at hand. Words are important to me. Not only do I look for precise meanings but accurate use. This morning I read this statement and was appalled: “If you are an uncomfortable Christian, the only thing to give you a thoroughly comfortable religious life is to know God.”

I know the meanings of these words without a dictionary, but went to the Internet anyway. The word “Christian” means anyone, man, woman, or child, who trusts in Jesus Christ as his or her Savior and Lord and who strives to follow Him in every area of life... the stress is on the importance of an individual's personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

The primary shock in the statement read and quoted above is that assuming anyone who does not know God can be called a Christian. Does this mean church goers? If that is being defined, another quote says that standing in a garage does not make me a car. Christianity is a faith system based on what Jesus said:

This is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. (John 17:3)

Knowing God is not only a given, it is necessary. How could anyone believe in Someone that they do not know?
The next thing about this statement is that knowing God will “give you a thoroughly comfortable religious life.” What Bible is this person reading? Jesus said:

Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you... (John 15:20)

Paul also wrote of the things he suffered because of his Christian faith. He experienced joy in his suffering, but to say his life was thoroughly comfortable is not true. I cannot say that of my own life, and I’m not the firebrand he was, or even close. Besides that, the goal of living for Christ is not a comfortable life, but to obey God and glorify Him no matter what. The NT says I will experience trials and unpleasant circumstances. It promises joy in them, or after they cease, but thoroughly comfortable is not in the mix.

Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance... (Romans 5:3)
And if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. (Romans 8:17)
For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake... (Philippians 1:29)
For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. (1 Peter 2:19–21)
For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil. (1 Peter 3:17)

The “name it and claim it” preachers are living in a fantasy. God may shield them from suffering but it is not biblical to say that the Christian life will be thoroughly comfortable, nor is it truthful to tell others that if they have faith, they will experience a comfortable life. Joyful? Yes, but joy is from the Holy Spirit – promises of no discomfort are from the Liar.

PRAY: Jesus, some genuine Christians are miserable because they seek this false promise and are confused when trials come. When I’m focused on my comfort, I’m walking in the flesh and need to confess it. You give joy in trials, and I’d like to avoid them, but Your joy is so amazing, just as knowing You is amazing. My prayers today are also for those who are confused to think that a person that does not know You can be called a Christian. That is so far from truth that it makes me weep. Please clarify the hearts and minds of those whose eternity is at risk because of such lies.

Knowing God goes beyond saying His name . . .

 

Name-dropping is the practice of casually mentioning the names of famous people as if they are friends, done usually to impress others. It is considered snobbish or a pathetic attempt to be seen and admired. If I tried to do that with the Lord, I would be breaking the second of the ten commandments:

You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain. (Exodus 20:7)

Not only that, it would reveal that I do not know Him at all. This is a total violation of Bible teaching that God’s purpose is that we really know Him, not know of Him, not think of Him as a casual friend, or as a genie in the heavens to grant our wishes, or an angry being with a big club of judgment. Truly knowing Him dispels all rumors and lies about His nature and character:

And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. (John 17:3)

I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me. (John 10:14)

And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. (1 John 5:20)

As MacArthur writes, my desire to know God should motivate me in fervent prayer like it did these men of God:

Now therefore, if I (Moses) have found favor in your sight, please show me now your ways, that I may know you in order to find favor in your sight . . . . (Exodus 33:13)

Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve him with a whole heart and with a willing mind . . . . (1 Chronicles 28:9)

Indeed, I (Paul) count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith — that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death . . . . (Philippians 3:8–10)

This passion to know God is the driving force behind prayer. Those who know God pray most often and most fervently because the more that He is known, the greater our confidence to ask great things and serve in increasing devotion.

The passage about spiritual armor adds prayer as the result of wearing it. I will be “praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication . . . keeping alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints” (Ephesians 6:18) because my knowledge of God is vital. Knowing each piece of armor reveals knowledge of His character, what He has done, and what His will is for this world and those He has created.

This is similar to knowing other people. When I do, I know their history, their values, their likes and dislikes, even their secrets. The difference is that knowing people includes knowing their weaknesses and failures, but when it comes to knowing God, there is none of those! He is all powerful and nothing can thwart His ability or determination to do whatever He desires.

His desire is that “none should perish” and knowing that ought to fill me with the same desire so that I will pray for those who do not know His saving power and be ready to share the Gospel with them as God gives opportunity. Knowing God means living for what is important to Him.

PRAY: Jesus, grant me a greater desire to know You, and a deeper desire to be like You, desires that make a difference in my prayer life.

PONDER: The importance of knowing God intimately, and practicing all the biblical ways of seeking Him.