Articles
Do You Know God?
Someone asked me the other day if I knew a certain preacher. I answered, “Yeah, I know him.” I then went on to explain that I didn’t know him that well. I had met him on one occasion and heard him speak.
I wonder sometimes if that is the extent of some folks’ relationship with God. They know God in the following sense: (1) they believe in God, (2) they believe the Bible is the Word of God, (3) they have learned about Him from sermons or limited Bible reading, (4) they have offered worship to Him, (5) they have talked to Him some through prayers, (6) they are involved in some ministry at their church, and (7) do good works for others. So they conclude, “yes, I know God.”
But is it possible to believe and do all the above things and still not know God? The Bible answer is a resounding “YES!”
The apostle John wrote: “Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, ‘I know Him,’ and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him” (I John 2:3-5).
You see, John clearly points out we can claim to know God all we want, but one of the key pieces of evidence to substantiate such a claim is that we actually keep His commandments. Just saying I know God or the Lord doesn’t make it so (Luke 13:23-30). John later wrote in this same epistle that we only truly love God when we keep His commandments (I John 5:3).
To really know God is to know Him through His revealed Word (I Cor. 2:9-13). To really know God and to love God is to obey God in all things (Matt. 28:18-20). Such is necessary if we are to have a genuine relationship with our Father (John 6:44-45; 17:17).
Jesus warned: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” (Matt. 7:21-23).
Are you sure you know God? Does He know you? Since the eternal destiny of your soul depends on it, you better make sure! “…in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who DO NOT KNOW GOD, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power” (2 Thess. 1:8-9).
