We've been doing a study at church called The Truth Project. We have been told that only 9 percent of professing Christians have a biblical worldview. In other words, most people who call themselves Christians live as the world lives, not how the Bible says we should. The study helps us dig deeper into life from a biblical perspective. Am I perfect? No. But I'm desiring the type of perfection God wants.
This past week we discussed Who is God? The answer is very simple: He is the ultimate source of truth, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, according to the scripture above. With that, why would we search for anything else? Scientists are not generally professing Christians. They need to have a definitive answer to everything without a belief and faith in an Almighty God. They stumble for answers and cannot find solace in believing something "just is" because God created it and doesn't need to explain why. I'm convinced they make things up! They just don't have all the answers.
Another question asked was: What is eternal life? John 17:3 - And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. There's the answer! It's as simple as that. The only true God...truth....and eternal life through the knowledge of Jesus Christ.
That issue seemed to link everything else in the lesson together. I've talked about this before. There is a difference between knowing who God is and knowing God. It's not just the knowledge about someone, but knowing them intimately, like a husband knows a wife...like Adam knew Eve. He didn't just know who she was; he was intimately involved with her. We need to have an intimacy with God; it's a spiritual intimacy...learning about Him and knowing His nature.
In Philippians 3:10-11, the apostle Paul proclaimed: I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. This scripture tells us a myriad of things: Knowing Jesus changes us...we can become like Him...receive eternal life...and also know His sufferings. This is an intimate relationship. This is knowing Him. I've asked God to let me see things through His eyes, know His sufferings. He has shown me just a very small glimpse of His suffering. I think it helps us to realize more what He went through for us.
God also tells us what He would like. He wants us to know Him. And again, it's not about just knowing who He is, but knowing Him intimately. He begins to open our eyes to who He is when we decide to make this decision. That's exciting. Jeremiah 9:23-24 - Thus says the LORD: "Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, let not the mighty man glory in his might, nor let the rich man glory in his riches; but let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight," says the LORD. It's not all about the things we have and do in our life on earth. It's about knowing and understanding Him. He promises us much when we know Him.
But this world wants nothing of this. Little by little the idea of a one true God is being eroded by society's thought that tolerance is good and embracing diversity better. The devil is having a field day! There is only one way to heaven and eternal life. That Way is the Truth, mentioned above. His name is Jesus. Through our knowledge of God, He gives us more than we could ever need and shows us His ways, His nature, His promises. He gives us the only thing we can truly cling to when all hell breaks loose in this world...hope. Choose to know Him, not just know of Him.
Philippians 4:19 - And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.
Truly ... it is intimacy with Him that He wants ... which is costly!
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