The preachers quoted here call knowing God the most important thing in life and the greatest blessing a person can have, and identify it with eternal life. They say God is known only through Jesus Christ, that he is found in the word, and that to know him is to love him.
Jesus defined eternal life as knowing God: "this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent" (John 17:3). In Scripture to know is more than to have information. The Hebrew and Greek verbs are used of personal acquaintance and relationship.12
Scripture ranks it above every other attainment. "Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might ... but let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me" (Jeremiah 9:23-24). God says through Hosea that he desires "the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings" (Hosea 6:6). Calvin wrote that "the knowledge of God which we are invited to cultivate is not that which, resting satisfied with empty speculation, only flutters in the brain", but one that takes root in the heart.3
God is known because he makes himself known, and supremely in his Son. "Neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him" (Matthew 11:27). "He that hath seen me hath seen the Father" (John 14:9). A. W. Tozer said of Scripture's part, "The Bible is not an end in itself, but a means to bring men to an intimate and satisfying knowledge of God".4
The New Testament gives tests of real knowledge. "Hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments" (1 John 2:3). "He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love" (4:8). There is a false claim: "They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him" (Titus 1:16).
Knowing God grows. "Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD" (Hosea 6:3). Paul, after decades as an apostle, still wrote, "That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection" (Philippians 3:10). Peter's last recorded words are, "grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 3:18).
It has effects. "The people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits" (Daniel 11:32). And beneath our knowing lies his: Paul corrects himself, "ye have known God, or rather are known of God" (Galatians 4:9). The promise of the new covenant is that "they shall all know me" (Jeremiah 31:34), and the hope is to know fully, "even as also I am known" (1 Corinthians 13:12).
- Strong's Hebrew 3045, yâdaʻ: "to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally...".
- Strong's Greek 1097, ginṓskō: "to "know" (absolutely) in a great variety of applications and with many implications (as follow, with others...".
- John Calvin, The Institutes Of The Christian Religion, "Chapter 5. the knowledge of god conspicuous in the creation, and...".
- A.W. Tozer, The Pursuit Of God, "Preface".
In their own words
Each line below is quoted exactly from a sermon on this site. Follow the link to hear or read it where it was said.
To know God is the most important thing in life.
Chuck Smith
in Daniel 11:32
Read in context
To know God is eternal life.
Andrew Murray
in Ye Shall Know That I Am the Lord
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And the only way to know God is through Jesus Christ.
Mar Mari Emmanuel
in Knowing God
Listen at 28:45
To know him is to know the Father, and we find him in the word; the more we dig into the word, we find the more of him.
Horatius Bonar
in The Book of Books.
Read in context
To know Him is to love Him, and to know Him better is to love Him more.
A.W. Tozer
in To Know God Is to Love Him
Read in context
I think, in my opinion, that this capacity to know God and to know him is the greatest single blessing of man.
Manley Beasley
in Knowing God Through Prayer
Listen at 54:52
To know God is eternal life; and some are without the knowledge of God.
Daniel Steele
in St. Paul Shows the Certainty of Spiritual Knowledge.
Read in context
What Scripture says
- John 17:3 this is life eternal, that they might know you
- Jeremiah 9:23-24 let him glory in this, that he understands and knows me
- Philippians 3:10 that I may know him
- 1 John 2:3 we know that we know him, if we keep his commandments
- Daniel 11:32 the people that know their God shall be strong
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