1/16/2025 0 Comments The search for GodCan You Truly Know God? Exploring a Deeper Relationship Beyond Knowledge The other day, I found myself in a heated debate with a friend over the best pizza place in America. My friend dropped a line that stuck with me: “You can’t have an opinion unless you’ve actually been there.” It struck me how often this principle applies to life—and, more profoundly, to faith. Knowing about a great pizza spot isn’t the same as experiencing it firsthand. In much the same way, knowing about God is vastly different from truly knowing Him. Knowing About God vs. Knowing Of God It’s easy to gather facts about God—reading theology books, memorizing Scripture, or even attending church weekly. But as A.W. Tozer once said, “To truly know God, we must long for Him with no other motive than reaching God Himself.” A true relationship with God is not built on secondhand knowledge but on personal encounter and intimacy with Him. Simon Peter captures this beautifully in 2 Peter 1:1-4, where he writes about receiving “everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of Him.” This isn’t mere intellectual knowledge; it’s transformative. Knowing God means participating in His divine nature, escaping the corruption of the world, and experiencing the promises of grace, peace, and righteousness. The God Who Can Be Known One of the most remarkable truths of the Christian faith is that God can indeed be known. He isn’t a distant Creator, indifferent to the world He made. Instead, He reveals Himself to us in creation, Scripture, and ultimately through Jesus Christ. Paul reminds us in Romans 1:20 that God’s eternal power and divine nature are “clearly seen” in creation, leaving humanity “without excuse.” Genesis 1:27 goes further, telling us we were made in God’s image—a reflection of His glory and character. But the most vivid revelation of God comes through Jesus, who said in John 17:3, “Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” Jesus is not just the key to understanding God; He is the key to knowing Him personally. Through His life, death, and resurrection, Jesus bridges the gap between Creator and creation, offering us the opportunity to enter into a personal relationship with the living God. From Inference to Reality Many people infer God’s existence from the evidence around them but stop short of seeking a relationship. However, as Jesus said in John 6:44, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them.” Knowing God personally begins with His initiative, but it requires our response—a step of faith to move from knowledge about God to an encounter with Him. As J.I. Packer wisely observed, “What matters supremely is not, in the last analysis, the fact that I know God, but the larger fact which underlies it—the fact that He knows me.” True knowledge of God is experiential, intimate, and life-changing. It’s an invitation to go beyond facts and discover the joy of being fully known and loved by the Creator of the universe. So, just like tasting the pizza before forming an opinion, don’t settle for secondhand faith. Take the step to truly know God—not just about Him, but of Him. Categories
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AuthorMitchell Shiver Archives
January 2025
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