To make us His own sons and daughters is the purpose and plan of God in a nutshell. A dead person cannot raise himself to life in order to come to know anyone. Principle Four: We must individually accept Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. The better we get to know a person, the more acquainted we become with his or her desires. But how do we come to know God better? Paul writes, encouraging everyone: “I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received” . In this age God is giving the opportunity to know Him to only a few, rather than all of humanity. (Read more about firstfruits, the harvest analogy and God’s calling in our articles “Biblical Festivals: Does God Want Us to Celebrate Them? As humans, we show kindness, justice, intelligence and other noble attributes. The Bible says He is Jehovah Jireh, which means “Your Provider.” Therefore, the spirit of God’s laws reveals how God wants us to be, not just what we do. However, a close relationship requires more than just time. To understand what is needed to have access to God’s Holy Spirit, please read the booklet Change Your Life! God indeed doesn’t want us to steal from our neighbor. They came from God’s mind. Therefore, if we are going to come to know God―learn His values―understand how He thinks, we need to study and meditate on (think deeply about) His commandments, which reveal His mind. Then there is the spirit of the law. It’s a hearing that brings response. Only if we have access to God’s Holy Spirit can we come to really know the true God. Through Him we can know and experience God's love and plan for our lives. The Bible says, “Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” 9. They married a few days following his graduation. The first four of God’s 10 Commandments reveal how we show love toward God. God truly wants us to come to know Him. There is the letter of the law. God, however, came to earth to reveal Himself so that we could have a personal relationship with Him. This is exactly what the apostle John said to do in some fairly strong terms: “Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. You need to develop a relationship with Him. God wants to build a relationship with us. They are not just arbitrary ideas that He devised or thought up. No matter where you are on the journey, there is a plan and a purpose to what you experience. Get the latest blog posts from Life, Hope & Truth straight to your inbox. How do we learn His values, convictions and motivations―in other words, how He thinks? Jesus came and revealed the spirit of the law. I’ve been sick for 4 1/2 years & been to alot of doctors & we are waiting on God’s will for my life whether He wants me to be well or not. Do you have a desire for spiritual insight and godly wisdom? Originally published July 19, 2017. Those who know God show great boldness for God. “God is love” (1 John 4:8, 16). Jesus prayed (John 17:3), “This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” If you have eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ, you have come to know God. Coming to truly know others requires that we learn how they think, what values they hold dear, what motivates their actions and what convictions they embrace. The resurrection cuts to the chase, because if Jesus Christ is who he said he was, then there is a God. Keeping the spirit of the law takes place in the mind. The Bible says, “You believe that God is one; you do well. Therefore, the letter of the law describes what we should do or not do. Offering humankind the opportunity to become God’s own children is the central theme of the Bible. This age—from the days of Adam and Eve until the return of Jesus Christ to restore God’s rule to this earth—is the age of firstfruits. Please read Matthew 22:35-40. This is what God has said he would most surely do. What does the spirit of that law reveal about God’s mind? What is necessary is that we have a renewed mind, that is so shaped and so governed by the revealed will of God in the Bible, that we see and assess all relevant factors with the mind of Christ, and discern what God is calling us to do. Copyright 2011-2021 Got Questions Ministries - All Rights Reserved. Only one God has the ability to foretell events in the distant future, as evidence of His existence and the reliability of His Word! This is very different from constantly trying to hear God’s voice saying do this and do that. We can provide philosophical arguments and even some scientific indications too. Often, we want God to give us specifics—where to work, where to live, whom to marry, what car to buy, etc. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. We learn about God through the agencies of the church, the Sunday school, the youth activities, the worship services. When we read the Bible, we understand more who God is and what His plans are. • Know His Word. I could run, but I couldn’t hide from that call. One way is, of course, through the Bible. He Died in Our Place “God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). His name was Nicodemus, and he was a Pharisee, a ruler of the Jews. God said, “You shall not steal.” Why? Video: How Do We Know the Christian God is True? How do you know if you’ve been called by God? The apostle Paul was inspired by God to record this incredible purpose in 2 Corinthians 6:17-18: “Therefore ‘Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. If we are seeking to come to know God, the spirit of the law reveals how He thinks. Those who know God have great contentment in God. God created us on this earth because He wants a family relationship with us. Where did the 10 Commandments originate? Ask Him to fulfill your longing to know Him better and to help you be interested in the things that concern Him. First, a disclaimer. The spirit of the law reflects and reveals some aspect of God’s mind of love. We know much about God through nature (Romans 1:20) and the things we observe on the earth. Why?” and “God Calling!”), The vast bulk of the knowledge about who God is, how He wants us to live, and how to know Him is spiritual knowledge. Manmade religions teach that a man can earn salvation through various … How does anyone get to know anyone else? It is through reading His Word that we come to a knowledge of the righteousness of God and that which He requires of us. Truly knowing God begins with accepting His salvation. In today’s age, the opportunity to come to know the true God is something that God Himself is controlling. Sadly, for those who want to know God, this list represents works; things we do because we often feel like we “should” do them. At the ranch, I frequently … Spiritual knowledge is knowledge that a person cannot really understand unless he or she has access to God’s Holy Spirit. We are invited into fellowship with God (John 17:20-26), made part of His family (Romans 8:15-17). What … But He wants more. The Bible reveals God's character and His plan for mankind. Murder is often preceded by anger, bitterness and hatred. There are three main arguments that theists (those who believe in God) use to demonstrate the existence of God. Please read the article “The Spirit of Truth.”. How Should a Christian Deal With the Coronavirus Pandemic? The spirit of the law reveals how God thinks about that subject. 118:17 I shall not die but live, and declare the works of the Lord. Christian Truth. Truly knowing God begins with accepting His salvation. As we faithfully follow the general, foundational principles of being committed to Christ, as revealed in Scripture, God faithfully reveals the specifics of His will as needed. For starters, if you are interested in knowing God’s plan for your life, then you must learn to walk with God. We can’t even prove God exists. God’s love is the fundamental quality of God’s nature behind all of His commandments and laws. Knowing God’s Names I’ve found that we can learn so much about the Lord by examining His many names found in the Bible. We need to be asking God in prayer to reveal to us His mind of love reflected in the spirit of His laws. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you.’ ‘I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the LORD Almighty.’”. He claimed that He and His Father are one (John 10:30), and that He is equal with the Father (John 5:17-18). Though God made us in his image, we cannot fully grasp his infinite nature. The stories God writes for us take us down various paths. The last six reveal how we show love toward our neighbor―our fellow man. But God has told us specific things about Himself through His Word. This is what the commandment says to do. And, more specifically, in the words of the commandments He gave to mankind―the 10 Commandments. He met his lovely wife and lifelong companion, Vivian, while in college. But if that is not enough, we know from Scripture that everyone, including atheists, ultimately knows there is a God (Romans 1:19; 2:14–15), so we are literally “without excuse” (Romans 1:20). As we come to understand God’s mind of love behind His laws, we will come to know Him better, especially if we are seeking to live by what we learn. For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. God is with you, and your sympathetic High Priest is praying for you every step of the way. He wants us to love our neighbor. We need to meditate on the spirit of God’s laws. What is the spirit of that law? The reason this question is so significant is because the work we do is important to God. We do know that Jesus said He existed before Abraham (John 8:58). The Hebrew word we translate into "obey" in English is the same word in Hebrew for hear. For example, there may be people we work side by side with on a daily basis but don’t really know. The Bible says, “God saved you by his special favour when you believed. For example, “You shall not murder” (Deuteronomy 5:17). We accept Jesus by faith. In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus said, “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without cause shall be in danger of the judgment” (Matthew 5:21-22). He created us to give us the awesome opportunity to become His own children. It’s our cinematic crusade film, A Rush of Hope. Moreover, the Bible’s theme is quite unlike those found in other religions. By reading the Bible, you open your heart to … The spirit of each of God’s 10 Commandments reveals some aspect of God’s mind of love. Because he says he will in the first place, and then, even more, because these prayers sum up what God has promised to do through the gospel. Here they are: 1) Walk with God. Each one reveals a unique aspect of His character along with a very specific promise for our lives. The Bible emphasizes God’s manifest presence, not only his omnipresence. How do we know God will answer these six prayers? They come naturally as a result of who we are and who we are becoming. The Christian has a deep desire to know God better (Psalm 25:4). Man is able to know the true and living God through His Word, that is, the Bible. Why. If we want to grow and mature in prayer, we don’t need to set a timer. If so, the Lord wants to satisfy that yearning within you. Sign up to receive the week's latest articles, blog posts and updates. Some try to suppress the knowledge of God; most try to add to it. There is a difference … … Not only do we not take from our neighbor; but we are proactive so that we also strive to protect what our neighbor has out of love for him or her. We can give evidence and arguments from scripture, but evidence and argumentation are incomplete. Many people stop in their quest for God at this point. No. To understand this, we need to grasp that there are two vitally important aspects of God’s laws. Used by permission. The question is: How do we do this with God? We must keep the spirit of God’s law, which is love. Never miss a post! But the Bible alone isn’t enough. The first thing I had to recognize was that we’re all called by God. And the quality that most clearly and thoroughly describes God’s nature is His love. God’s love is the fundamental quality of God’s nature behind all of His commandments and laws. Steve Moody graduated from Ambassador College in Pasadena, California, in June of 1971. The commandments came from and reflect His very nature. First, compared to other “holy books,” the Bible is unique in many respects. Please read Matthew 22:35-40. I do not know God’s plans for me but I do know that I do not want to die at least not yet. God has revealed all of these qualities in the words He inspired to be written in the pages of the Bible. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the New King James Version (© 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.). A dead person cannot raise himself to life in order to come to know anyone. Jesus Christ Was “Father-Centered”—Are You? The Cosmological Argument This is an argument from creation to a Creator. How important is spiritual growth in Christian life. Biblical Festivals: Does God Want Us to Celebrate Them? Ready to Answer. To keep that commandment in the spirit, we must not let these negative attitudes take root in our minds. Common Questions ... We’ve got a great resource to put in your hands for just such a purpose. Without the sacrifice of Jesus, we are dead in sin (Colossians 2:13). Is it possible for a finite mind to know if God exists? I want to live by the Bible Scripture Psm. The same is true if we are seeking to know the true God. As a Christian, this list represents things that we have in our life because we already know God and have accepted His Son as our Savior. We can read about a person all day long in a book, but unless we’ve interacted with them, how much do we really know them? Other People: Many times, God will use other people to try to get through to us. They are the cosmological argument, the teleological argument, and the moral argument. However, once we have accepted the gift of Christ through faith, we can begin to truly know God. The wonder of salvation is that we are not only saved out of an eternity in hell, but to a life in Christ. What the Lord wants is relationship. If there is a Creator-God, it is logical to think that He would want to communicate with the ones He created. Knowing about God is easy. John clearly said that we can come to know God by keeping His commandments. (Hebrews 7:25) Then you will come through your trials as precious gold that has been tried by fire, the end result being the salvation of your soul. Not only was it composed by at least 40 writers, on multiple continents, over a span of 1,500 years, but it is not what we would expect to find were it “made up.” The Bible also includes major moral failings of its heroes, yet most writings of other religions tend to whitewash the flaws of their heroes. How do we spend time with God? Print subscriptions available in U.S., Canada and Europe, Article URL: https://lifehopeandtruth.com/god/who-is-god/knowing-god/how-to-know-god/. We All Have a Story. Paul explained this in 1 Corinthians 2:9-10: “But as it is written: ‘Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.’ But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And yet there is another sense in which we need to know God far more deeply than we do. Unless God is revealed to us through personal experience, we can never really know God. Without the sacrifice of Jesus, we are dead in sin (Colossians 2:13). When you get right down to it, there is nothing more important than our relationship with God—getting to know Him on a deep, personal level. The Thing You Feel Led to Do Requires Reliance on God, Not Yourself. He who says, ‘I know Him,’ and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him” (1 John 2:3-4). Jesus Christ is God's only provision for our sin. Find Out How. We are all called by God. He wants us to hear Him, know Him, and respond. If we are seeking to come to know God, the spirit of the law reveals how He thinks. How is any close personal relationship developed? You were created to know God in a personal way—to have a relationship with Him, through His Son, Jesus Christ. Not only did He claim to be God, but He also claimed to have the power of God. As long as a person does not commit murder, he or she is keeping the letter of that commandment. But if God is calling you now, how do you get to know Him? Most of us know about God, but that is quite different from knowing God. Whose Opinions Really Matter: God’s or Man’s? Close relationships require time to be spent together. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. And his commandments are not burdensome. The same is true if we are seeking to know the true God.Coming to truly know others requires that we learn how they think, what values they hold dear, what motivates their actions and what convictions they embrace. In John 3 we read about a man who clearly wanted to know God better and who became more studied than most in the things of God. That God is triune, because Jesus said he was God, and he also spoke of a Holy Spirit as God. All rights reserved. However, once we have accepted the gift of Christ through faith, we can begin to truly know God. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.”. That’s how much God loves us. It's possible for God … God allows us to make choices, and, if we are yielded to Him, He has ways of preventing wrong choices (see Acts 16:6–7). Please understand: The spirit of the law describes how God thinks about the subject of the command. Even the demons believe—and shudder” (James 2:19). We don’t have a deep relationship with them. 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