Is it possible to know God?
A very logical question to ask. How can anyone KNOW a being he or she has never seen or spoken to face to face. It seems strange and obscure. I am reminded in a prayer Jesus had with His Father in John 17:25 “O righteous Father, although the world has not known You, yet I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me; and I have made Your name known to them, and will make it known, so that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.” This thought brings such warmth to my heart. We can know an infinite, powerful God through Jesus His beloved Son. And he is not some obscure creature in the heavens. It states in that verse that God wants people to know that He loves them. That is why He sent Jesus, His only and dearly beloved Son, to earth.
Is it possible to know Jesus?
This would be the next logical question in my mind. Jesus lived and died thousands of years ago. How can I have a relationship with Him? Really, it is impossible to have a relationship with a dead man. However, the point is that Jesus is not dead. My faith is rooted in the fact that Jesus is alive. Acts 10:39-43 states that “They also put Him to death by hanging Him on a cross. God raised Him up on the third day and granted that He become visible, not to all the people, but to witnesses who were chosen beforehand by God, that is, to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead. And He ordered us to preach to the people, and solemnly to testify that this is the One who has been appointed by God as Judge of the living and the dead. Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins.” My relationship with Christ is based in faith. I have never touched Him, or seen Him in person, but I KNOW He is with me. He speaks to my heart through Scripture and I learn more about Him by reading the precious Letter (the Bible) He has left for me.
Why do I want to know God?
THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE;
THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS,
THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD;
ALL HAVE TURNED ASIDE, TOGETHER THEY HAVE BECOME USELESS;
THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD,
THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE.
THEIR THROAT IS AN OPEN GRAVE,
WITH THEIR TONGUES THEY KEEP DECEIVING,
THE POISON OF ASPS IS UNDER THEIR LIPS;
WHOSE MOUTH IS FULL OF CURSING AND BITTERNESS;
THEIR FEET ARE SWIFT TO SHED BLOOD,
DESTRUCTION AND MISERY ARE IN THEIR PATHS,
AND THE PATH OF PEACE THEY HAVE NOT KNOWN.
THERE IS NO FEAR OF GOD BEFORE THEIR EYES.”
In essence all man does is sin-the greatest being that man does not seek God. Romans 3:23 "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God".
So why do I want to know God? Because He alone offers me freedom from the chains of sin. Through Him I can be pure and holy, which allows me to have a relationship with Him as well as have the promise of spending eternity in heaven with Him. Yes, I said a secure eternal future-life after death. Scripture promises that sinners will die and their souls sent to hell for eternity, but those who have been forgiven and know God there is the promise of eternal life. Romans 6:22-23 "But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS,
THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD;
ALL HAVE TURNED ASIDE, TOGETHER THEY HAVE BECOME USELESS;
THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD,
THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE.
THEIR THROAT IS AN OPEN GRAVE,
WITH THEIR TONGUES THEY KEEP DECEIVING,
THE POISON OF ASPS IS UNDER THEIR LIPS;
WHOSE MOUTH IS FULL OF CURSING AND BITTERNESS;
THEIR FEET ARE SWIFT TO SHED BLOOD,
DESTRUCTION AND MISERY ARE IN THEIR PATHS,
AND THE PATH OF PEACE THEY HAVE NOT KNOWN.
THERE IS NO FEAR OF GOD BEFORE THEIR EYES.”
In essence all man does is sin-the greatest being that man does not seek God. Romans 3:23 "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God".
So why do I want to know God? Because He alone offers me freedom from the chains of sin. Through Him I can be pure and holy, which allows me to have a relationship with Him as well as have the promise of spending eternity in heaven with Him. Yes, I said a secure eternal future-life after death. Scripture promises that sinners will die and their souls sent to hell for eternity, but those who have been forgiven and know God there is the promise of eternal life. Romans 6:22-23 "But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
I want to know God
1. Because He wants to know me
2. Because He forgave my sins
3. Because He makes me more like Him
4. Because He promises eternal life
5. Most of all-because He loved/loves me unconditionally-anyone like that is worth knowing
How can I know God?
There is no magic potion, no special prayer, no ritual-in fact there is absolutly NOTHING anyone can do to obtain this wonderful relationship with God. Ephesians 2:8 states that works have no part in our salvation. "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast." I like the story in the Bible where Paul and Silas were beaten and dragged into prison for telling people how to be free from sin through Jesus. While they were in prison, they began to sing. After a time, there was a huge earthquake and all the prison doors fell open and the shackles broke off the prisoners. The jailer rushed into the prison expecting all the prisoners had escaped and was about to kill himself. Paul stopped him, explaining that no one had left the prison. Astonished and amazed at Paul and Silas' faith in Christ, the jailor asked “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household” Acts 16:30-31. Paul and Silas stated that ANYONE who relies on Jesus to completely forgive his or her sins will be saved-from a prison jailer to anyone in his home-anyone. Just like the jailer, anyone who is sick of his or her sin and wants to be set free from sin can be saved. All one has to do is believe that Jesus can, will, and has forgiven. And that is just the beginning of how a person can know God.
John 3:16-17
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. “For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. “He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
Romans 5:1-11
"Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation."
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