"And this is the way to have eternal life – to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth" (John 17:3, NLT).
Knowing God is imperative for salvation–you can’t go to heaven unless you know God through Christ. In His prayer for His disciples, including those who follow Him today, Jesus said, “This is the way to have eternal life–to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth” (John 17:3). People need to know that God can be known.
Knowing God does not involve knowing everything about Him (we’d have to be God to know all that). But God has given us knowledge that is totally adequate for personal salvation. God has given us this knowledge of Himself in five main ways:
- Nature–nature reveals the Creator (Ps. 19:1-4; Rom. 1:20).
- Conscience–God has put into people’s hearts a natural understanding of right and wrong (Heb. 10:16).
- The Ten Commandments–God’s requirements for people (Ex. 20:1-17).
- Old and New Testaments–all that we need to know to be saved and to live for Him (Ps.119:55,68,73; 2 Tim. 3:16).
- Christ–if we would know God, we must know Christ (John 1:14; 10:30; 14:6-9).
God has given all the information people need in order to turn to Him and be saved. Knowing Jesus is the way to have true peace and eternal life with God. Come to Jesus and find God. Then begin the adventure of knowing God more and more every day, and begin the anticipation of knowing and enjoying Him forever.
PRAYER
Lord, thank You for revealing Yourself to me in so many detailed ways, and for making the way to eternal life so clear. Forgive me for the times in my life I have taken this revelation from You so lightly. Keep me in Your Word, and always hungry to know you better. Amen.
