Is it Possible to Actually Know GOD?
Do you know GOD, really know Him? Do you know who He is, what He has done for you and what He is going to do? Do you know His SON JESUS CHRIST? JESUS prayed the day before His crucifixion: “Now this is eternal life that they may know You, the one true GOD and JESUS CHRIST whom You have sent.” John 17:3.
GOD is not an idea, nor a philosophical or theological concept that we can just toss around in our minds and manipulate to fit our personal desires or plans. GOD is a person. A real being who has created us in His personal image. A person is not just an energy force nor some mystical substance that permeates our universe. A person has identity, a personality and characteristics that reveal who they are. A person is someone that we can know.
A person can live in a relationship with other persons. In fact, the only way of really knowing other persons is to engage in a relationship with them. We can know all kinds of statistics, data or information about another person, without really knowing them. This is true for the people that we may read about, see or hear in the media, or people that we happen to meet in other settings. We may know, or think we know them, but of course we cannot really know them unless we have an extended personal relationship with them. If we really knew them personally on a daily basis in their private lives, we may discover that they are not who we really thought they were. They may be very different from their outward persona that they project to others, or that the media deceptively portrays them as. To really know someone, we need to know them personally at a deep level, not superficially.
The Hebrew word “yaw-dah” is used over eight hundred times from beginning to the end of the Old Testament. It means “to know” something, to have real personal knowledge of something or someone. It is used in reference to the intimate relationship between a husband and a wife (Genesis 4:1), of GOD’S knowledge of us (Psalm 139:1-3) and of GOD’S will that we should know Him (Psalm 46:10).
A lot of people think they know many truths about GOD or have heard ideas about Him from other people who claim to know Him, but they do not have any real personal knowledge through a living relationship with GOD. Their knowledge of GOD is very superficial. Much of what most people think they know about GOD is based on Satan’s and the world’s deceptive ideas about GOD. Tragically a great deal of the false information about the LORD is being spread through religions, including many false prophets in churches. Satan is a deceiver who has sown all manner of false notions about GOD to confuse people, to keep them from trusting and loving GOD (Matthew 13:24-30,36-43).
Is it even possible then for anyone to really come to know the one true GOD and engage in a relationship with Him, when there are so many misconceptions about Him being passed around? Can we really have a personal – one to one – relationship with our Creator GOD? It wouldn’t be possible if GOD didn’t want us to know Him and live in a relationship with Him. However, from the beginning to the end of His Word, the Bible, He tells us repeatedly that He wants us to know Him and to live in a relationship of love and trust with Him. It is written: “Be still and know that I am GOD” Psalms 46:10.
The LORD GOD is the ultimate awesome person who is eternal, almighty, holy, just, loving, merciful, forgiving and patient. He speak and listens. He watches and knows all people, and everyone who trusts in Him knows that He is always with them, even in the valleys of suffering and death. Further we have His faithful promise of living with Him forever in the new Heaven and Earth which will be far more incredible than our present universe and world.
A big part of the revelation in GOD’S Word reveals the accounts of numerous people, who at one time didn’t real know GOD, but came to know, trust in and love Him. The greatest commandment that GOD gave us was not just to know about GOD but to come into a living relationship of love with GOD, to know that He loves us and we love Him (Matthew 22:37). The only way of really knowing GOD is to enter into a loving relationship with Him. The second greatest commandment the LORD gives us is to love other people as ourselves, or to love others as He loves them (Matthew 22:39; John 13:34). It is written: “GOD is love” I John 4:16. Since we are created in GOD’S image, we are created to love GOD and one another.
So how can you and I come to know and love the one true GOD? Can we come to know GOD through His creation? Yes, and no. GOD’S SPIRIT of Truth testifies that all of creation reveals the power, wisdom and glory of GOD. It is written:
“What may be known about GOD is plain to them, because GOD has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world GOD’S invisible qualities—His eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.” Romans 1:190
Our universe and world are an amazing display of the glory of GOD and through them we can come to understand the incredible power and wisdom of GOD. The realities of our mindboggling cosmos and everything in it should be enough to cause all of us to seek to come to know this eternal almighty and all-knowing GOD in a personal way. Afterall, He is our Creator. Tragically most people don’t want to come to know Him or worship Him, so they rationalize their unbelief by pretending that He isn’t real and instead choose to live their lives worshipping themselves, other people, or other aspects of our created universe and world. Although we can know many truths about GOD through our created universe, because of the reality of our sin, we cannot come into a living, trusting and loving relationship with GOD as our FATHER by observing His glory in the created universe. Therefore, we need JESUS.
In His own testimony JESUS said to His followers: “I am the Way and the Truth and the Life, no one comes to the FATHER except through Me.” John 14:6
The Apostle John testified:
“We know also that the SON of GOD has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know Him who is true. We are in Him who is true—even in His Son JESUS CHRIST. He is the true GOD and eternal life.” 1 John 5:20
JESUS, GOD’S SON came into our fallen, confused, decaying world of ours to reveal GOD as our FATHER and the reality of His eternal Kingdom of Heaven. He came not only to preach and teach about GOD, but to live and give His life as an example of the love, grace and truth of GOD. Through His voluntary death He came to offer us GOD’S forgiveness for all our sin so that we could be holy and live with GOD in a personal relationship of love with Him.
Since we can’t see JESUS, and walk and talk with Him the way His first followers did, how is it possible for us to have a daily relationship with Him? This is where the HOLY SPIRIT of GOD enters. GOD gives His HOLY SPIRIT, the SPIRIT of His HOLY SON, to live in and with everyone who will believe in and receive JESUS into their life. JESUS said: “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” John 20:29. CHRIST taught His disciples a great deal about His presence with them through His HOLY SPIRIT (John 14-16).
Through the testimony of the HOLY SPIRIT in the Old Testament prophets and the New Testament apostles witness to His life, death, resurrection, ascension and coming return, everyone can come to know JESUS not just as a man who lived 2000 years ago but as the SON OF GOD, united with the FATHER in perfect unity. As His HOLY SPIRIT ministers to us: teaching, rebuking, correcting, training, encouraging and comforting us through His Word, we grow into a personal intimate relationship with JESUS and our Heavenly FATHER. He is everything that He has revealed Himself to be in His Word.
In the Bible those who knew the LORD walked and talked with Him. They knew that GOD was a person that they could have a loving relationship with. They knew of His mercies and forgiveness for all of their sins and failures (Psalm 32). The LORD was someone they could trust in every situation they faced because of His unfailing love. They lived their life in this world listening to the voice of GOD’S HOLY SPIRIT and pouring out everything in their hearts and minds to the LORD in prayer. They knew that the LORD was with them and was watching over them.
During our life here in this world, JESUS calls us to be His students and learn from Him. He helps us to grow in His amazing grace, love, and in our knowledge of Him and His eternal Kingdom. He sends us to share His amazing love and the powerful truth of His Word so that others can come to know and love Him as well. He will return to fulfill all His promises when the mission of His eternal Kingdom is completed.
If you don’t know the LORD in a personal way yet, you can begin by confessing your sins to the LORD (He already knows about them, so you aren’t telling Him anything new). Day after day in each changing circumstance of your life pour out your heart to Him in praise and thanks for His many blessings to you, and don’t hesitate to bring your sins, burdens, and needs to Him. Trust His amazing love, forgiveness and eternal hope in the mountains and valleys of your life. Make time each day to read, listen and absorb the wisdom of His SPIRIT in His Word of Truth. He desires to lead and guide you in paths of love and righteousness through your earthly life and into His glorious eternal new Heaven and Earth.
JESUS said: “Come to Me all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am humble and lowly of heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30
Amen, come LORD JESUS.