Knowing God
When it comes to God, too many people, including Christians, are like an individual who thinks they know the president of the United States since he greeted them during a White House tour. In other words, “I know God. I know about God. After all, I have gone to church.”
Yet, the true knowledge of God is so much more important than merely knowing Him in a surface way or knowing something about Him. Consider the significance the Bible gives to this.
True eternal life is knowing the Father and the Son. John 17:3 reads: “And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.”
Knowing the true God is more than knowing some things about Him or merely being outwardly religious. Rather, it includes being transformed internally by God. Jeremiah 9:25, in the context of knowing God, makes this point: “‘A time is coming,’ says the LORD, “when I will punish all those who are circumcised in body but not in spirit…” (NLT).
God delights in people knowing Him. Jeremiah 9:23-24 captures this: “Thus says the Lord: ‘Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, 24 but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.’”
The knowledge of God is crucial to navigating intense suffering, as we see in the book of Job: “I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you; 6 therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes.” (Job 42:5-6)
Israel was destroyed for their lack of knowledge of God, as Hosea 4:6 affirms: “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from being a priest to me. And since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.”
Finally, as we discover in the Psalms (Psalms 34; 46; 86; 96; and 100 are good examples), it is difficult to trust in, depend upon, bring our needs in prayer to, and/or worship God, unless we know Him and know what He is like. Here is how David prays to and worships God in Psalm 86:1-15:
Incline your ear, O LORD, and answer me, for I am poor and needy. 2 Preserve my life, for I am godly; save your servant, who trusts in you—you are my God. 3 Be gracious to me, O Lord for to you do I cry all the day. 4 Gladden the soul of your servant, for to you, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. 5 For you, O LORD, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you. 6 Give ear, O LORD, to my prayer; listen to my plea for grace. 7 In the day of my trouble I call upon you, for you answer me. 8 There is none like you among the gods, O Lord, nor are there any works like yours. 9 All the nations you have made shall come and worship before you, O Lord, and shall glorify your name. 10 For you are great and do wondrous things; you alone are God…. 12 I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever. 13 For great is your steadfast love toward me; you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol…. 15 But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.
Nothing will help us anymore to know God than to know what He is and what He is like. This is why The New City Catechism places early on in its questions (number two), “What is God?” It follows the Westminster Catechism, which placed the same question as number four. The answer given to the second question of The New City Catechism is this: “God is the creator and sustainer of everyone and everything. He is eternal, infinite, and unchangeable in His power and perfection, goodness and glory, wisdom, justice, and truth. Nothing happens except through Him and by His will.” The supporting Scripture is Psalm 86:8-10, 15 (see above).
If you would like to grow in your knowledge of God, to strengthen your trust in, dependence upon, prayer to, and/or worship of Him, I would encourage you not only to study Psalm 86:5-10, 15 more carefully, but also to memorize this second question and answer in The New City Catechism.
Few things will bring you greater joy.
Your Joyful Catechizing Pastor,
Tom
Yet, the true knowledge of God is so much more important than merely knowing Him in a surface way or knowing something about Him. Consider the significance the Bible gives to this.
True eternal life is knowing the Father and the Son. John 17:3 reads: “And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.”
Knowing the true God is more than knowing some things about Him or merely being outwardly religious. Rather, it includes being transformed internally by God. Jeremiah 9:25, in the context of knowing God, makes this point: “‘A time is coming,’ says the LORD, “when I will punish all those who are circumcised in body but not in spirit…” (NLT).
God delights in people knowing Him. Jeremiah 9:23-24 captures this: “Thus says the Lord: ‘Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, 24 but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.’”
The knowledge of God is crucial to navigating intense suffering, as we see in the book of Job: “I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you; 6 therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes.” (Job 42:5-6)
Israel was destroyed for their lack of knowledge of God, as Hosea 4:6 affirms: “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from being a priest to me. And since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.”
Finally, as we discover in the Psalms (Psalms 34; 46; 86; 96; and 100 are good examples), it is difficult to trust in, depend upon, bring our needs in prayer to, and/or worship God, unless we know Him and know what He is like. Here is how David prays to and worships God in Psalm 86:1-15:
Incline your ear, O LORD, and answer me, for I am poor and needy. 2 Preserve my life, for I am godly; save your servant, who trusts in you—you are my God. 3 Be gracious to me, O Lord for to you do I cry all the day. 4 Gladden the soul of your servant, for to you, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. 5 For you, O LORD, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you. 6 Give ear, O LORD, to my prayer; listen to my plea for grace. 7 In the day of my trouble I call upon you, for you answer me. 8 There is none like you among the gods, O Lord, nor are there any works like yours. 9 All the nations you have made shall come and worship before you, O Lord, and shall glorify your name. 10 For you are great and do wondrous things; you alone are God…. 12 I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever. 13 For great is your steadfast love toward me; you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol…. 15 But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.
Nothing will help us anymore to know God than to know what He is and what He is like. This is why The New City Catechism places early on in its questions (number two), “What is God?” It follows the Westminster Catechism, which placed the same question as number four. The answer given to the second question of The New City Catechism is this: “God is the creator and sustainer of everyone and everything. He is eternal, infinite, and unchangeable in His power and perfection, goodness and glory, wisdom, justice, and truth. Nothing happens except through Him and by His will.” The supporting Scripture is Psalm 86:8-10, 15 (see above).
If you would like to grow in your knowledge of God, to strengthen your trust in, dependence upon, prayer to, and/or worship of Him, I would encourage you not only to study Psalm 86:5-10, 15 more carefully, but also to memorize this second question and answer in The New City Catechism.
Few things will bring you greater joy.
Your Joyful Catechizing Pastor,
Tom
Posted in Shepherding From a Joyful Pastor
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