Knowing God

In the next month or so we are going to be doing a study on God together. I havenít yet decided all that we will study about Him because I have so many choices. In fact, that which we can learn together about God is overwhelming in its scope. For example we could consider passages of scripture that touch upon: Godís sovereignty, his justice, his mercy, his love, his patience, his power, his wrath, his oneness, the Trinity, his foreknowledge, his goodness, his glory, his Fatherhood, his jealousy, his grace,etcÖ

One of my goals in this series is that your knowledge of God, of who He is, what Heís like, what Heís does, may be enhanced. In fact, some have contended that the highest of all studies is the name, nature, person, and work of God.

No doubt about it, each one of us needs to have an increased familiarity with who God is. If someone asks you "Whatís God like?" its good for us as His followers to be able to answer that question.

Q From where are we going to learn about God?

THE BIBLE because it is a revelation of God. He reveals who he is through his Word

WARNING: JUST BECAUSE YOU MIGHT BE BETTER INFORMED IN RESPECT TO WHO GOD IS DOESNíT MEAN THAT YOU KNOW HIM ANY BETTER.óin that respect my prayer is that we would each come away knowing Him better.

Theres a difference between knowing about someone and knowing that person personally.

Itís one thing to have the facts in your head about who God is. Itís another thing all together to know God or for the Christian: to know Him all the more.

AS WE BEGIN THIS SERIES WE MUST FIRST OF ALL ADDRESS WHAT IT MEANS TO KNOW GOD.

The Bible tells us that all people, everywhere, and in every age have known about God and yet only a few have known God or rather have had a relationship with God.

Knowing God or having a relationship with God is what we were created for

-consider why God created Adam and Eve and how he walked in the garden with them

The person who "knows" God has a relationship with Him

Makes sense. We understand that from our human relationships. You and I claim to know only those who we have met and related to. We donít claim to know a person who we have merely read about. Itís the same with God. If all you have is read or heard about God that doesnít mean you know him. You have to meet him and relate to God to say you know him.

Jesus is the way to knowing God/ having a relationship with God. Thatís why he came to earth: that we might have peace with God. Sin separated us..

In the book of John, Jesus tells his disciples that they know the Father because they know him. Meaning: a relationship with Jesus means a person has a relationship with God the Father because as Jesus attests they are one. "If you have seen me, you seen the Father," John 14

In John 17:3 Jesus in his prayer says "And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent."

A relationship with God is only had through a relationship with Jesus Christ. "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" John 14:6, Acts 4:12

Point: Can only know God through a relationship with Jesus Christ. Eternal life, peace with God, forgiveness of your sins. Only through Jesus

A relationship with God is by his invitation, or in other words "one gets to know God by his initiative alone"

Our human relationships help us to understand this truth. i.e John Cretien is our PM. Heís a very important man who has a very important job. Access to him is strictly regulated. You and I canít just decide one day that we are going to be his fishing buddy. Such a thing is preposterous for us to imagineóto think that we could take such an initiative. Now it would be a totally different thing if our PM said "Iíve had my eye on you and I want you to be my friend, lets spend time togetherÖ"

The Bible asserts that God in his mercy has chosen certain ones for the privilege of knowing Him in a personal, beneficial, and eternal way. Godís choosing incredibly enough took place long before you were born- in fact it took place before the world itself was createdónot based on merit but on the grace of God aloneófor all merit judgement and eternal damnation for by our sins and willfull rebellion against God we forfeited any claim upon his mercy and love. This calling is mediated by the word of God for as the scriptures say "Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God" or in II Tim. 3 "these scriptures are able to make you wise unto salvation)