The Bible says:
“Thus saith the Lord, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: but let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord which exerciseth lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the Lord.”
— Jeremiah 9: 23, 24
“And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.”
— John 17: 3
Humanity can know and understand God. Though God is so majestic, wonderful, mighty, mysterious, and His ways past finding out, we can still know and understand God.
We can know Him to such a degree we can know His perfect will and walk in His fellowship, and share Him with others in a way they can know and understand Him, too. Paul after his conversion wanted more than anything else to know God. He was willing to give up everything to have the knowledge of God.
“But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ.”
— Philippians. 3: 7, 8
What Paul meant by knowing God was “knowing Him by experience, consciously and personally, Spirit touching spirit, heart touching heart.”
Paul knew that God was knowable and that He could be understood. He knew that God had revealed Himself through general, and special revelation (Psalm 19) and through His Son Jesus Christ (Colossians 1: 15; Hebrews 1: 3) in such a way that the searching heart could know Him.
But for such knowledge and understanding there was a very high price to pay.
For Paul it meant losing everything.
All the power, prestige, position, and possessions he acquired while being a member of the sect of Pharisees he counted as “dung” in order to know God as much as a redeemed soul could.
Wise men make sacrifices to become wise, and mighty men to become mighty, and rich men to become rich. And Christians must make sacrifices if they would truly know God.
While these other men gathered up, strengthened themselves, and became proud of themselves and their accomplishments, the Christian in order to know God has to lose, and give up, and become weak, and humble, and empty himself.
Though these others, with a pride God hates, glory or boasts in their wisdom or political sagacity, power and wealth, the one who knows God glories or boasts in a right relationship with the sovereign God of grace, justice and righteousness. “Blessed is the one who understands the Lord so as to delight in what He delights in.”
We might boast in personally knowing some very famous men. But do we know God personally? There is more information available to us about God than there is of any other person.
As we get to know others by spending time with them we also get to know God by spending time with Him in prayer and Bible study. We know as much about God as we want to know.
We’re as holy and as close to God as we choose to be and not on bit more. It’s very obvious that very few today personally know God and have a relationship with Him that is so telling that others know they know Him.
The Christian today has no time to spend getting to know God because they’re too occupied with trying to meet the world’s standard for success. Successful Christianity is found in knowing God personally.
James H. Cagle is a Ray City resident who pastored several churches for a total of 11 years. Email him at pastorjameshcagle@ yahoo.c
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