Knowing God is eternal life
Jesus revealed to us in John chapter 3 that He came to the earth to give Himself up so that we might not perish, but instead have eternal life.
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)
It’s a beautiful scripture and it is one that many of us can probably quote. But sometimes I think we can get so familiar with verses of the Bible that we don’t really know what they are trying to communicate. Let’s look at that last part very closely.
Jesus said that those who believe in Him will not perish but they will have (present tense) everlasting life.
You see when we believe in Jesus we are not going to have eternal life someday. No, we have everlasting life the moment that we put our faith in Him. It is a present-tense, immediate reality that takes place as soon as we exercise faith in Jesus.
So now the question is, what is eternal life?
Because as soon as you say, “eternal life is something we can have now” it completely goes against what many people view eternal life to be. Most people think that eternal life means going to Heaven. And of course, that is a part of it, but it is not the whole definition of eternal life, but a small fraction.
Luckily for us, Jesus defines what eternal life is in John 17:3.
“And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” (John 17:3)
Eternal life is knowing God and the Son!
Having a personal relationship with the God of the universe is the definition that the Son of God gave us on eternal life.
When you come into a relationship with God and you are actively involved in getting to know Him, you have entered into eternal life. Why?
Because to know God is to become unified with God. The more you know Him, the stronger that unity becomes, and oneness with Him is automatic.
This is why it is called eternal life; because you become one with the Eternal One.
What is the importance of knowing God?
Knowing God personally is Christianity. You cannot call yourself a Christian and not engage in a relationship with God. Everything from becoming a follower of Christ to growing in Christ to living for eternity in Heaven is founded on knowing God.
Here is a scripture I want to share with you that will reveal the importance of knowing God.
“Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue.” (2 Peter 1:2-3)
Notice, the apostle Peter says that grace (God’s applied mercy and enablement) and peace (emotional stability) are multiplied to us through the knowledge of God and of His Son, Jesus.
That means that God’s grace and peace can only come as we get to know God.
And Peter doesn’t stop there, He goes even further than that in the very next verse.
He says that God’s power that was given to us, was given to us believers for the sake of all things that pertain to life and godliness.
Now think about this with me. What is it that we experience on this earth or on the next one, that doesn’t pertain to life and godliness? The answer is nothing. Everything pertains to life and godliness!
Love, joy, peace, wisdom, understanding, monetary provision, work ethic, patience, kindness, endurance, gifts of the Spirit, healthy bodies, strong relationships, etc. They all fall into the categories of life and godliness.
So, how do we access this power?
Peter answers that question in the latter part of these verses, “through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue.”
Only through knowing Him can we access everything that we need to become like Christ on this earth. So the more you know Him, the more you look like Him in every area of your life.
This is why the apostle John said, “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” (1 John 4:7-8)
John essentially says in this verse that God is love therefore, whoever knows God becomes that same love. If you don’t love, then you don’t know God, but if you do love then it is clear that you know God and that you are born of Him (meaning you are His child).
[Related articles: How to Walk in Love According to the Bible & What Does “Faith Work By Love” Mean (Galatians 5:6 Meaning)?].
Peter and John are referring to the same truth. Knowing God brings access to the divine power that was given to you and me through the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit, and the more we get to know God personally the more Holy Spirit manifests Himself through our lives. Whether that is through love, peace, joy, wisdom, etc.
Now we can finally understand what Paul meant by walking in the Spirit.
“I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh… But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.” (Galatians 5:16 & 22-23)
This principle is a truth found throughout the entire Bible because it is the essence of Christianity. [Related article: How To Walk/Live in the Spirit (Complete Guide)].
Knowing God vs. knowing about God
There is a vast difference between knowing God personally and having a head knowledge about the things of God.
Too many “believers” have knowledge about who God is without ever engaging with Him and entering into a relationship with Him.
To explain this further, let’s go back to the first verse I quoted at the beginning of this article.
“And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” (John 17:3)
The word “know” in this verse is the Greek word ginosko and it is the same word that often refers to a husband “knowing” his wife through intercourse.
A perfect example of this is Mary and Joseph.
“Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name Jesus.” (Matthew 1:24-25)
Now of course, we don’t know God through intercourse. That would be completely blasphemous to make that claim.
But I do believe Jesus was trying to make a point here. His point is we are called to be unified with God through intimacy. The relationship every believer is called to is oneness with God. That is why He gave us His Spirit. The fact that Holy Spirit dwells in us is not an accident. God wants us to be one with Him through close fellowship.
[Related article: Bible Study on Fellowship (Complete Lesson & Teaching)].
How to get to know God
Getting to know God is one of the simplest things that you can do and there is only one way to do it. You get to know God just like you get to know everyone else; by engaging with Him by talking to Him.
Jesus said this about knowing God; “But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.” (Matthew 6:6)
So get alone with God to talk to Him through prayer and read His word. Commune with Him and fellowship with Him about what you are reading. Thank Him for things in your life, ask Him for help in other areas, sing to Him, ask Him questions, get personal.
Schedule a time throughout your day when you can block off and just get alone with God. Whether that is before the kids wake up or before work, or maybe it’s during lunchtime or at night. Find a time and dedicate yourself to it.
And when you come before God, don’t get self-conscience. You’re there because you believe that He’s there, and if He’s there then that means that you can truly know Him because He wants to be known by you.
If you find yourself out of words to say, vocalize that to the Lord (He knows what your thinking anyway). Once you have done that go back to either worship or reading the Word.
This doesn’t have to be complicated. God’s arms aren’t folded when you pray. He’s glad you’ve come to meet with Him. That’s why Jesus says He’s willing to reward you for being with Him.
Get alone. Take the time. Commune with God through prayer and His word. And watch your life transform.
I hope you enjoyed this article and that it blessed you guys. Below are some more articles I wrote on knowing God. Enjoy!
How to Start Knowing God (Step by Step)
