Relationship
1 Corinthians 8:2. And if anyone thinks that he knows anything, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know.
- 3. But if any man love God, the same is known of him.
The Word is saying that if you love God, you are known of God. To know God is truly the most incredible privilege any one could have. It’s talking about relationship. To know God and to be known of God, to actually become a child of God. Not just in word but in actuality. How many of the worlds religions can say that you can have a relationship with God, and know and be known of Him? Christianity is the only one, none of the rest of them can claim that.
Christianity was never meant to be a religion, it is a relationship. It is God’s life being imparted to you, it is receiving His life and becoming His child.
Jesus said in Johns Gospel;
John 17:2. 2. "as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him.
- "And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.
Jesus is saying that eternal life is knowing God. I want to ask you a question. Do you know God? Life eternal is knowing God. It is not going to Sunday school, not paying your tithes, not going to church , or visiting the sick, or feeding the hungry, or helping the poor, although we should all want to do these things. These things are good, and you should be involved in your church to be sure, these things are all founded on Scripture. However these things in themselves will not give you eternal life.
And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. If you do not know Him, you do not have life eternal! You must come into a relationship with Him, you must receive His life.
The Word life eternal in John 17:3. is zoopoieo in the Gk. Meaning, - "to make alive, cause to live, quicken" (from Zoë, "life," and poieo, "to make"), in other words to cause to have Zoë. Zoë meaning - life in the absolute sense, life as God has it, that which the Father has in Himself, and which He gave to the Incarnate Son to have in Himself. I don’t want to get bogged down in definitions, but it is important to understand the importance of what is being said, the very life that God has, will be imparted to you. God will make you alive with His life, and you will become a child of God. Once you have come into this life and have become a child of God, you can have communion with Him, you can get to know Him on a personal level.
2 Ti.1:12. For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed,
for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.
Paul is saying that he knows in whom he believes. Not in what.
Jesus said, this is life eternal, that you would know God. You can not receive eternal life by doing things, eternal life is a free gift, but you have to receive it by faith.
John 1:12. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name:
- 13. Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
It starts with being born of God, this is His will. The will of God is for us to be born of Him, for us to have his life, and then he gives us the right to become His children. This is not religion, this is life eternal!
Do you want to know God and be known of God, and have actual fellowship with Him. So many people go to church and don’t even know the one true God. What a terrible shame, and many others have come into relationship, yet hardly know Him at all, much like an estranged child or spouse. This is not what he wants for His family! But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name: God doesn’t want an estranged family. He wants to get to know you, and for you to get to know Him. He wants to reveal Himself to you. His Word is a written revelation, but he also wants us to have a living revelation, a living fellowship, to know you and for you to know Him. Jesus told the Pharisees, (They were the elite religious leaders of that day.)
Jn.5:37. "And the Father Himself, who sent Me, has testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His form.
- 38. "But you do not have His word abiding in you, because whom He sent, Him you do not believe.
- 39. "You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me.
- 40. "But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.
- 41. "I do not receive honor from men.
- 42. "But I know you, that you do not have the love of God in you.
The elite religious leaders thought they had eternal life because they searched the scriptures, they knew the Bible or the Old Covenant better than anybody. Yet, they did not know God. If they knew God they would have recognized Jesus, because those very scriptures testified of Him. He was standing right in front of them, and they didn’t even recognize Him for who He was. They did not know Him.
There is a huge difference between knowledge and faith.
1 Corinthians 8:1. Now concerning things offered to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies.
- 2. And if anyone thinks that he knows anything, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know.
- But if anyone loves God, this one is known by Him.
Knowledge puffs up or makes arrogant, Love builds up.
Knowledge is knowing something. Relationship is knowing Someone.
If you think you know something, you know nothing, but if you love God, you are known by Him. You not only know Him, He knows you.
If you want to have a real relationship with God, you must come to Him on His terms.
His terms are through Jesus Christ. After that, you can know Him and be known of Him.
1 John 5:14. Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.
- 15. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.
We only know in part, as Paul said, we don’t have all knowledge on this earth. We have to walk by faith; if we had all knowledge and all wisdom, we wouldn’t have to walk by faith would we? Knowledge puffs up. Love edifies. If you know God, He knows you, and the faith that you have. Remember what Paul said; I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.
Would you like to have that much confidence in what you believe? You can’t have faith in God beyond the degree that you personally know Him. If you don’t know Him you can receive Him and with Him eternal life right now.
If you want to know Jesus as your Lord and Savior and desire to be a joint heir with Christ,
then I urge you to earnestly pray the following prayer. The relationship will begin right now. God’s life will be imparted to you right now.
Dear Heavenly Father, I come to you in the name of Jesus. Your word says, “…and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out.” (Jn.6:37),
So I know You won’t cast me out, but You take me in, And I thank you for it. You said in your Word, "whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.'' (Ro. 10:13).
I am calling on Your name, So I know You have saved me now, You also said, “…that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes to righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made to salvation.” (Ro.10:9,10).
I believe in my heart that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. I believe He was raised from the dead for my justification. And I confess Him now as my Lord, Because Your Word says, “… with the heart one believes to righteousness…” and I do believe with my heart, I have now become the righteousness of God in Christ. (2 Cor. 5:21),
And I am saved! Thank You, Lord!
I can now truthfully say, I see myself as a born again child of God!
Glory to God!!!! Amen.