roadrunner570
July 17th, 2006, 09:39 PM
Knowing God
In modern evangelism, there is often a lot of talk about making “a decision for Christ”, getting “conversions” or getting people to say “the sinners prayer”. Well, what does all that mean? Does that mean to get to know God, to have a personal relationship with Christ, that we just have to say a certain prayer, or make some choice.
In our 21st Century, western culture, we seem to view our faith as some sort of business transaction. We say this prayer, or we do follow these rules, or do this or that. But what does it really mean to know God? What does a personal relationship with Christ really mean? This is something I really feel the church has lost sight of.
If we look at the Bible, both Old and New Testaments, we’ll see that there is a bit more to it than we may realize.
Ex 33:9 As Moses went into the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and stay at the entrance, while the LORD spoke with Moses.
Ex 33:10 Whenever the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance to the tent, they all stood and worshiped, each at the entrance to his tent.
Ex 33:11 The LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young aide Joshua son of Nun did not leave the tent.
Look at that bolded and underlined section. Isn’t that amazing? I get goose bumps whenever I read that. Can you imagine. The Lord God Almighty casually talking to you face to face. Well, he still does today. Maybe not the same way he did with Moses, but the Holy Spirit dwells within all believers. What better way to know him?
So how did Moses look at this? Did he just say, “Okay God, you anointed me, called up on me, etc....so now I’ll just do this thing you told me and we’ll leave it at that.” Or was there something more? Lets take a look:
Ex 33:12 Moses said to the LORD, “You have been telling me, ‘Lead these people,’ but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. You have said, ‘I know you by name and you have found favor with me.’
Ex 33:13 If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people.”
Lets look at this bolded part. “Teach me your ways, so I may know you and continue to find favor with you.”
Moses didn’t want to just do what God said, or follow his rules. Moses wanted to find favor with God. He wanted to know him, he wanted to know God’s ways.
Jesus taught us this same thing. Only through Jesus, he drew us even closer to God.
Jn 10:14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—
Jesus walked the earth, though he was God in the flesh. We are his sheep. Through Jesus, we may know the father. Jesus leads us to the father and he knows us, and we know him. We don’t just say a one-time prayer to him. We don’t just ask him which rules we are to follow. We know him, personally, intimately. Our love for him is evidenced in anything we do.
Now, I’m sure I’ll get into a bit of trouble with some folks on this next part, but here it goes. This is what Jesus said about knowing him. How do we know him? Jesus made that rather simple to understand, but harder to actually do:
Mt 10:38 and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.
Mt 10:39 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
Now that is a tall order. Taking up your cross and following him, losing your life for his sake, those are not easy things. Now, I don’t believe Jesus was ONLY talking about being killed for his sake as a martyr. Here in the U.S., that is often not a concern. However, we can lose the old things of this world. I know when I came to Christ, I gave up a lot of worldly pleasures I was into. I began a new life, I lost my life for him, my old life. I think he’s referring to both here.
He has harsh warnings for those who think that we can just claim “Yeah, sure, I like Jesus” but who don’t take up their cross and follow him–don’t KNOW him.
Mt 7:21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
Mt 7:22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’
Mt 7:23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
Now this above passage I feel is often misused. In light of everything else the Bible says about knowing God, about taking up your cross and about losing your life for him, in that context, this passage appears to be referring to those who have NOT done these things, but claim to be followers of Christ.
I’m sure we all know people like this. Some of us may fall into this category ourselves. Maybe we go to church once a week, or even put a few bucks in the offering. We might go ALL through the motions, but we don’t KNOW Christ. This is part of being lukewarm. What did Jesus say about lukewarmness?
Rev 3:15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other!
Rev 3:16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.
These seem like pretty harsh words. Looking at who they are coming from, the resurrected Jesus Christ, I’d say they were downright frightening words. One thing is for sure, Jesus does not care for fence-sitters. If you read the rest of Revelation, you’ll see there is only one winning side. To be part of that winning team, we must KNOW the King.
Tim Miller 2006
In modern evangelism, there is often a lot of talk about making “a decision for Christ”, getting “conversions” or getting people to say “the sinners prayer”. Well, what does all that mean? Does that mean to get to know God, to have a personal relationship with Christ, that we just have to say a certain prayer, or make some choice.
In our 21st Century, western culture, we seem to view our faith as some sort of business transaction. We say this prayer, or we do follow these rules, or do this or that. But what does it really mean to know God? What does a personal relationship with Christ really mean? This is something I really feel the church has lost sight of.
If we look at the Bible, both Old and New Testaments, we’ll see that there is a bit more to it than we may realize.
Ex 33:9 As Moses went into the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and stay at the entrance, while the LORD spoke with Moses.
Ex 33:10 Whenever the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance to the tent, they all stood and worshiped, each at the entrance to his tent.
Ex 33:11 The LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young aide Joshua son of Nun did not leave the tent.
Look at that bolded and underlined section. Isn’t that amazing? I get goose bumps whenever I read that. Can you imagine. The Lord God Almighty casually talking to you face to face. Well, he still does today. Maybe not the same way he did with Moses, but the Holy Spirit dwells within all believers. What better way to know him?
So how did Moses look at this? Did he just say, “Okay God, you anointed me, called up on me, etc....so now I’ll just do this thing you told me and we’ll leave it at that.” Or was there something more? Lets take a look:
Ex 33:12 Moses said to the LORD, “You have been telling me, ‘Lead these people,’ but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. You have said, ‘I know you by name and you have found favor with me.’
Ex 33:13 If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people.”
Lets look at this bolded part. “Teach me your ways, so I may know you and continue to find favor with you.”
Moses didn’t want to just do what God said, or follow his rules. Moses wanted to find favor with God. He wanted to know him, he wanted to know God’s ways.
Jesus taught us this same thing. Only through Jesus, he drew us even closer to God.
Jn 10:14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—
Jesus walked the earth, though he was God in the flesh. We are his sheep. Through Jesus, we may know the father. Jesus leads us to the father and he knows us, and we know him. We don’t just say a one-time prayer to him. We don’t just ask him which rules we are to follow. We know him, personally, intimately. Our love for him is evidenced in anything we do.
Now, I’m sure I’ll get into a bit of trouble with some folks on this next part, but here it goes. This is what Jesus said about knowing him. How do we know him? Jesus made that rather simple to understand, but harder to actually do:
Mt 10:38 and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.
Mt 10:39 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
Now that is a tall order. Taking up your cross and following him, losing your life for his sake, those are not easy things. Now, I don’t believe Jesus was ONLY talking about being killed for his sake as a martyr. Here in the U.S., that is often not a concern. However, we can lose the old things of this world. I know when I came to Christ, I gave up a lot of worldly pleasures I was into. I began a new life, I lost my life for him, my old life. I think he’s referring to both here.
He has harsh warnings for those who think that we can just claim “Yeah, sure, I like Jesus” but who don’t take up their cross and follow him–don’t KNOW him.
Mt 7:21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
Mt 7:22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’
Mt 7:23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
Now this above passage I feel is often misused. In light of everything else the Bible says about knowing God, about taking up your cross and about losing your life for him, in that context, this passage appears to be referring to those who have NOT done these things, but claim to be followers of Christ.
I’m sure we all know people like this. Some of us may fall into this category ourselves. Maybe we go to church once a week, or even put a few bucks in the offering. We might go ALL through the motions, but we don’t KNOW Christ. This is part of being lukewarm. What did Jesus say about lukewarmness?
Rev 3:15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other!
Rev 3:16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.
These seem like pretty harsh words. Looking at who they are coming from, the resurrected Jesus Christ, I’d say they were downright frightening words. One thing is for sure, Jesus does not care for fence-sitters. If you read the rest of Revelation, you’ll see there is only one winning side. To be part of that winning team, we must KNOW the King.
Tim Miller 2006