The Knowledge of God

People know that there is a God because he has revealed himself outwardly (in creation) and inwardly (in our conscience). But knowing that there is a God is not the same as knowing God. If you don’t know God but want to know him, then ask him to reveal himself to you. He wants you to know him more than you want to know him. He will begin to draw you to him (through circumstances, creation, the Bible, other people, or whatever means he chooses). You may not always recognize how he is drawing you but if you really want to know him, he will make a way for you to do so. He will show you how to know him. It’s really that simple.

We cannot obtain the knowledge of God without first knowing him:

“But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”

I Corinthians 2:14

The “natural man” in the verse above is the man who is in the same spiritual condition that he was in when he was born and has not been born again. Once we know him (by being born again) we can start to understand the spiritual things of God because his Spirit will teach us those things:

“Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.”

John 16:13

It is God’s will that every child of his know his will and increase in this knowledge:

“For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;”

Colossians 1:9

We need to be “good students” in order for God to be able to teach us things. What traits does a good student of God have?

1. He desires the knowledge of God:

“Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.”

Proverbs 2:3-5

2. He loves God’s word and meditates upon it:

“O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day. Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies: for they are ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation.”

Psalm 119:97-100

3. He throws those things in his life that are opposed to the knowledge of God away and submits his thoughts to God’s ways:

“Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;”

II Corinthians 10:5

4. He keeps God’s word:

“I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts.”

Psalm 119:100

“Grace and peace be multiplied unto you

through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,”

II Peter 1:2