Question
In what aspects, and how, can we truly come to know God?
Answer
Before examining how we can come to know God (His character and His purpose for us), there are at least two popular ways that people have sought to know God. These are through inward meditation and communing “in” or “with” nature. Although popular, neither one of these will lead us to God.
First, inward meditation only leads us to focus on our selves and our feelings. Feelings. although stimulating, seldom lead to truth but often are deceiving.
JER 10:23 ¶ I know, O Lord, that a man’s way is not in himself; Nor is it in a man who walks to direct his steps.
PRO 14:12 There is a way which seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.
Then, being out in nature might be pleasing to the senses, but it will now lead us to know the specific will of God for our lives, why are we here, how should we live and where are we going. However, nature does get us a step closer to God, for by observing it, His power and character can be known to a degree.
ROM 1:18 ¶ For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,
ROM 1:19 because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them.
ROM 1:20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.
However, still, we are left to wonder about what He demands of Us and how we should behave in order to please Him. Nature cannot tell us these things.
Then, how are we to know God (hopefully that section of this site will be constructed soon to deal with this subject)? Looking within or without, we come to dead ends. But, if we look in the bible, we will find all the knowledge that has been given to us to know of His character and His will for us.
Paul wrote that the “gospel” (revealed truth about the good news) is the power of God to save humanity. This indicates that in order for us to be saved we must have knowledge of His will. And, we gain this knowledge only by reading or hearing what has been revealed to us in the Bible, especially the New Testament. Not having this knowledge will lead us into idolatry and immorality.
ROM 1:16 ¶ For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
ROM 1:17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “But the righteous man shall live by faith.”
ROM 1:21 For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God, or give thanks; but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
ROM 1:22 Professing to be wise, they became fools,
ROM 1:23 and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures.
ROM 1:24 ¶ Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, that their bodies might be dishonored among them.
ROM 1:25 For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
As we read, we come to know what God has done for us through Jesus and what we must do to be saved. These things have been written so that we may know them and act upon them.
JOH 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me.
JOH 16:13 “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.
JOH 20:30 ¶ Many other signs therefore Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book;
JOH 20:31 but these have been written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.
ACT 2:1 And when the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place.
ACT 2:2 And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent, rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.
ACT 2:3 And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them.
ACT 2:4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance.
ACT 2:5 ¶ Now there were Jews living in Jerusalem, devout men, from every nation under heaven.
ACT 2:6 And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were bewildered, because they were each one hearing them speak in his own language.
ACT 2:22 ¶ “Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know– ACT 2:23 this Man, delivered up by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death.
ACT 2:24 “And God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power.
ACT 2:36 “Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ– this Jesus whom you crucified.”
ACT 2:37 ¶ Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brethren, what shall we do?” ACT 2:38 And Peter said to them, “Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Although God could have chosen any way He wanted to reveal His will to us, He chose the written word so that we might know, understand and obey His word.
EPH 3:1 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles–
EPH 3:2 if indeed you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace which was given to me for you;
EPH 3:3 that by revelation there was made known to me the mystery, as I wrote before in brief.
EPH 3:4 And by referring to this, when you read you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ,
EPH 3:5 which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit;
EPH 3:6 to be specific, that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel,
EPH 3:7 of which I was made a minister, according to the gift of God’s grace which was given to me according to the working of His power.
By Gary Hunt
