Knowing The God of the Bible
God reveals who He is to us in the Bible. I like to think of it as His love letter to mankind. Do you know The God of the Bible? Many say they love and know God but Jesus said, “And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” Matthew 7:23 KJV. “Ye neither know me, nor my Father: if ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also.” John 8:19 KJV.
Yikes!
So, how does one get to know The God of the Bible? Simply put, by reading and studying it! Knowing God sets us free from iniquity for Jesus said in John 8:32 KJV, “And ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.”
Bible study leads to spiritual freedom – freedom from the bondage of deception, sin, and iniquity – just to name a few things. It, also, gives freedom to know who God says He is by learning about His character and the way He thinks about people (us), His creation (the world), and everything else (spiritual and carnal). Through Bible study and reading, we become free from the deception of Satan, as well. (See II Corinthians 2:11 KJV)
In order for us to experience the liberating power of the Word of God, we must notice that Jesus connects freedom with knowledge. This kind of knowledge is intimate; it is faithful to the Person who is Truth and from whom all truth comes – the Lord Jesus Christ. (See John 14:6 KJV). Therefore, spiritual freedom is the result of a commitment to Christ. It is not enough that you read your Bible. It is not enough that you study it because there are Ph.D. theologians who labor to study the Bible on a scholarly level but end up denying its power. These liberal theologians deny the supernatural nature of the Bible. They don’t believe in miracles and deny its divine inspiration. In their opinion, the Bible is just another piece of literature. This is not surprising, considering that the Devil himself knows the contents of the Bible and twists it to deceive people. He even attempted to twist God’s Word to Jesus Christ in Matthew 4:6 KJV.
Jesus said, “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” in John 8:32 KJV. This is the result of “If you continue in my word” in John 8:31 KJV. True knowledge of the Scripture is a result of intimacy – a committed relationship to Jesus Christ. The word “continue” in verse 31 implies consistency and discipline. The constant and firm affection and attention are there. Yet, it is not mere self-determination but an expression of love. In other words, you continue in the words of Jesus Christ because you love him. You study His words not because you aim for academic excellence but because you love Him. The essence of Bible study is love for God.
Jesus Christ said, “If you love me, keep my commandments.” John. 14:15 KJV. Love is the root or the fountain source of liberating knowledge. Spiritual freedom happens when you are in love with Jesus Christ.
If you want to know God:
1. Become a student of the Bible and commit to reading and studying it every day.
2. Learn to love the Source of the Word as He defines love.
3. Tell God in prayer that you want to know Him.
My friends, there is nothing greater than to know God and to be known of Him!
