Knowing God

Was reflecting on Ruthy's presentation on John 17:3 in CTII lecture - "Now this is eternal life: that they know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent."

There was quite a bit of discussion on what it means to "know God", how we are saved so that we can know God... and how knowing God is salvation.

Truly knowing God - the source of life - is salvation. How does that happen?

I was reminded while reflecting on this point that the closest you come to truly knowing somebody is when you are intimately one with that person. You can only become intimately one with another through a mutual consent whereby both individuals agree to make oneself vulnerable to one another. The best example of such human relationship is that between a husband and his wife.

In a relationship of such nature, one eventually gets so well tuned-in to the way the other thinks, reacts and lives... as well as his/her character, personality, attributes, aspirations and calling. One begins to concern himself/herself with the likes and dislikes of the other - and tries to please the other by doing the "right thing". One begins to desire the best things for the other person... and make sacrifices for the other person's well-being. As one knows the other, he/she is also being known by the other. Ultimately, they influence one another... and even start thinking and talking like one another.

What happens when we are intimately ONE with God - the ultimate source of Life? We know God, and we let ourselves be known to God (although technically He already knows us - I think it is more of us making ourselves vulnerable and teachable to God). We become more and more like Christ. We hate unrighteousness and sin more and more... and love what God loves. We become more and more Kingdom-minded and start living for eternity rather than for the moment. We concern ourselves with pleasing God and doing His will rather than making things happen our own way (even in ministry). We ultimately become one with Life.

Reflecting on the above, I can now understand Matthew 7:21-23 a little better. "“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name? Did we not drive out demons in Your name? Did we not do mighty deeds in Your name?' Then I will declare to them solemnly, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you evildoers.’"

These evildoers were probably apart from the Lord. No wonder they could do "nothing" even though they had accomplished all kind of wonderful things in the eyes of the world (and the church). And so, there was no salvation for them.