The Knowledge of God

People know that there is a God because he has revealed himself in creation and 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, 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 draw you. In that process he will show you how to know him. It really is 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 in which he was born (alienated from God). Once we know God (by being born again) we can start to understand the spiritual things of God because the Spirit of God, who has come to dwell within us, 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

God wants every one of his children to grow in the knowledge of him:

“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

If we want the knowledge of God we must become good students. What makes a good student? What does a good student do? How does he act? How does he think?

1. A good student cries out to God for knowledge and searches for it diligently:

“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. A good student loves God’s word passionately and meditates upon it faithfully:

“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. A good student despises and rejects those things that are opposed to the knowledge of God and even gives up all rights to his own ways of thinking:

“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. A good student honors his Teacher by obeying his 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