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S. Michael Houdmann
Supporter
Within all of us there exists a strong desire to be known and to know others. More importantly, all people desire to know their Creator, even if they are not professed believers in God. Today we ar...
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Camelon Roberts
Supporter
The Bible says much about how we can know God. While we can know 'about God' simply from the things God created (Rom 1:20), we 'truly know' God only through Christ (I John 5:20, Heb 7:22-28). Without faith, we cannot know God.
- Faith It is from our faith in Christ that our relationship with God begins and grows. "And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God." I John 4:14-15 [Ask: Do I believe?]
- Understanding Christ has given us understanding, the "mind of Christ", so that we may know the Father. (I John 5:20) This is by the testimony of His death and resurrection, and by giving us the Holy Spirit. (I Cor 2). [Ask: Am I listening to the conviction of the Holy Spirit?]
- Living through Christ As we have given our lives to Christ, we 'live through Him' (I John 4:9), having died to self and having risen again as new creations through baptism (II Cor 5:17, I Pet 3:21, Rom 6:1-14.) This means we are no longer slaves to sin, and should no longer serve sin. Instead, we should walk by the Spirit and serve righteousness (Gal 4:8-11). Even though we are weak, God will give us the power to walk in Him (II Cor 13:4). [Ask: Am I seeking righteousness, or my own fleshly desires?]
- Love Those who love God are known by God and love others. (I Cor 8:3, I John 4:7-8). It does not matter if we have just met them, if they are rude, if they are an enemy, or if we find them uncomfortable to be around. God loves us and reached out to us even with all our flaws, we should do the same to others. (Luke 7:47, I Thess 4:9, John 13:23-34, Rom 13:8, I John 3:11, I Jn 4:11) "A new command I give you: love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another." John 13:34 [Ask: Am I loving others, or only those I deem qualified?]
- Forgiveness As we have been forgiven by God of all our debts and sins, we should forgive others when they harm us or incur debts. (Matt 6:12, Luke 11:4) [Ask: Am I ready to forgive, or do I try to discipline others or ask them to make amends instead?]
- Obedience "We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands. Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person. But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did." I John 2:3-6 [Ask: Do I obey, or do I go my own way?]
- Self-Control It is God's will that we be sanctified - set apart as holy for His service. As such, we should learn self-control and seek to act uprightly. This sets us apart from the 'pagans who do not know God' (I Thess 4:3-6), and shows the world that we are not slaves to sin or empty rituals (Gal 4:8-9). [Ask: Does my life and conduct look just like unbelievers of the world, or is there a distinct difference?]
- Spiritual Growth As we add to our faith virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, devoutness, affection for fellow believers, and love, we will likewise grow in our personal relationship with Christ. (II Pet 1:3-11) It may seem like a slow process as maturing can take time, but even a little growth helps us gain in knowledge of the character and will of God. [Ask: Am I growing in Christ? Am I bearing fruit over the years?]
- Serve God alone Idols, whether of stone or stuff, can keep us from whole-heartedly serving God or even paying attention to what God wants. Idols give us nothing eternal, nor do they know anything. (I Cor 8:4, Is 44:12-20) "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. This is the true God and eternal life. Little children, guard yourselves from idols.'" I John 5:20-21 [Ask: Is God sovereign of my life?]
William Silva
Supporter
I believe that the only way to know God is by communion with God. You can not talk about someone you do not know. Jesus didn't just come to save sinners, but He also came to reveal the Father (God) to us.(John 17:3.) And that will only come through revelation in the word of God. In summary, God can not be explain. He must be revealed to you, but that will never happen unless you decide to start a relationship with Him. You can know God in a very intimate relationship, and He is longing for our attention. He says in Isaiah 55:6 Seek the Lord while He may be found, call on Him while He is near.
Roger Congdon
Supporter
Another question was merged with this one: "Is is possible to know God?" Yes, it is possible, but only because God has chosen to reveal Himself. In fact, not only has He chosen to reveal Himself, but He desires to have a relationship with us. We were created for relationship with Him. Romans 1:19-20 shows how God has revealed himself to all in his created order. Hebrews 1:1-2 is an overview of God speaking in history, first through the prophets, and then finally and ultimately through His Son, Jesus Christ. We can know God only through a relationship with His son, Jesus (John 14:6; Acts 4:12). Is it possible to know God? Yes! Jeremiah 33:3; Jeremiah 29:12-13; Revelation 3:20; John 3:16. We come to know God as we know others: through relationship and communication. God speaks to us in his word (the Bible). We talk to him in prayer.
Sugih Wanasuria
Supporter
I believe that the absolute key requirement to knowing God is first of all to be born again (John 3:3 and 3:6; Romans 10:9-10). This would enable us in the first place to start our journey to know Him personally by daily meditating on His Word (in particular the Gospel and other books of the NT) and by obeying His commands all along the journey (our life) passionately. I see 1 John 1:3-4 as one critical principle governing the degree of how intimately we know our Lord Jesus Christ and and 1 John 1:5-6 as a test criteria whether we know Him at all: 1 John 3 We know that we have come to know Him if we keep His commands. 4 Whoever says, ‘I know Him,’ but does not do what He commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person. 5 But if anyone obeys His word, the love for God is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in Him: 6 whoever claims to live in Him must live as Jesus did. And His fundamental commands are in 1 John 3:23; And this is His command: to believe in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as He commanded us.
Grant Abbott
Supporter
In my view there are 4 keys to truly knowing God: 1. Having a personal relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ. 2. Having a thorough knowledge of the Bible, God's written word and revelation to us. 3. Having intimate personal conversations with God through prayer every day. 4. Having the Holy Spirit lead and guide us as we walk through life. Previous answers have well explained how to begin this relationship with God through faith in what Jesus Christ has done for us. Once we begin this relationship we have this amazing truth from 2 Pet 1:3-4 "His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. Everything that God wants human beings to know about himself - his nature, character and his plans and purposes for this world - is contained in the bible and only understood by revelation from God. When we diligently seek to know God by reading, studying, meditating and memorising his word, God is pleased to reveal more and more about himself beyond what we have evern begun to ask or imagine. As Mark 4:22-25 declares "For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open. If anyone has ears to hear, let them hear. Consider carefully what you hear. With the measure you use, it will be measured to you - and even more. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken away from them." In human life we get to know someone by spending time with them. We have conversations together about all kinds of thoughts, feelings, desires, plans, etc. We do things together, we go on adventures together. This is exactly the kind of relationship that God wants to have with each one of us. When we choose to spend time with him in conversation every day, we get to know him much better. When we walk with the Holy Spirit doing the things that God has called us to do, we come to understand how the kingdom of God works in the world and how it grows everywhere that the seeds are planted. We truly come to understand God's great and precious promises to us when we walk by faith with the Holy Spirit. When we allow him to lead and guide us we will encounter circumstances and situations in life where God will reveal his divine power and his glory and goodness to us. These revelations and understanding only comes when we walk with God everyday. As we do these things above, Christ is formed in us. We develop the mind of Christ. His character is shaped and developed in us. We feel his love and compassion for a lost and dying world. Our triune God - Father, Son and Holy Spirit exist in a perfect personal relationship and complete oneness of knowledge and purpose. Jesus prayer in John 17 is asking the Father to develop the same kind of oneness in our relationship with him as Jesus has with his Father. I believe Jesus pray is being answered for every believer who wants to pursue that kind of relationship with God.
Kevin Carlson
Supporter
Pray to the Lord for discernment. Read the New Testament to start with. Start with the Gospel of John and find who Christ really is then the rest of it.
ainsley chalmers
Supporter
I came to know the Lord 40 years ago after being an alcohol soaked, unfaithful husband absolutely cynical of Christianity or any religion for that matter. A Christian minister met me through my Christian wife and told me I was a tormented human soul. He was right but prideful me would never have admitted it. For some reason, maybe guilt, I allowed him to pray for me. In the pray he asked me to accept Jesus as my Lord and Savior and reject Satan and his works (I played Ouija board weekly, had entered a Hindu temple service). At that time, a rather strange prayer I thought. Then he laid his hand on my head and prayed for the infilling of the Holy Spirit. Yet another strange prayer. However I felt a rush of peace enter my tormented soul and for the first time in my life felt tearful. In short I had been touched by the Holy Spirit and the Bible became so real and, as a result of reading it, so did my relationship with Jesus Christ. To conclude, despite many life lumps and bumps, I have been on fire for Christ for over 40 years now and am so very grateful that He came into my life. I give all the honor and praise to Almighty God and take no credit as He did all for me.
Janet Austin
Supporter
If you really want to know God, pray to God and confess your sins with a repentant and submissive heart. Once you've done that, pray for God's Spirit to move you; He will. I promise you, if you intend to be ONE with God, He will make His desires yours. Everything becomes new at that point… and one day you will see that what you really wanted, has come to be. I have experienced this firsthand, and it is what the Bible promises. God gives you a new heart (Ezekiel 36:26) and your greatest desire, to know and have a relationship with God, will last forever.
mark albright
Supporter
Dr. J. I. Packer wrote a book Knowing God, a classic. Billy Graham and RC Sproul both describe it as one of the best books ever written. I have reread it every June for 30 years. It describes God's love, but takes it down 3 levels. For example, God loved me knowing every sin I would ever commit, my rebel heart and selfishness. God's wisdom, taken down 3 levels. Very deep and the best book to truly know the God who is.
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