Movies don't usually do a good job of honoring God and often times they portray themes exalting human traits above His mercy and love. One of the differences between human love and God's love is the ability of God's love to transform a person's character. When a person comes to know God through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, he or she will continually be elevated and transformed while remaining in that relationship. What is not commonly understood by many who profess to love and know God is that their claim is either supported or not supported by evidence in the way that they live their lives. It is not possible to love God secretly; to love Him without revealing a preference and desire for Him in one's leisure, labor and life time. While God loves human beings, it appears that sin has so blinded our minds as to prevent most of us from realizing that God expects us to love Him in return. Many people would probably agree that a one-sided relationship is one where one person gives all the love and the other person does all the receiving. All growth and advancement in the relationship is checked because of the selfishness of the one who chooses only to receive. Is the purpose of life merely to receive love from God ? We will explore this and other questions as we look at how God expects us to love Him in return.
WHAT DOES GOD WANT WITH YOU AND I ?
"Ye are MY witnesses saith the LORD, and MY servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am HE: before ME there was no god formed, neither shall there be after ME." Isaiah 43:10
Notice that the Lord has chosen human beings to fulfill two very important roles -
"MY witnesses"
"MY servant"
We may ask the question - for what purpose has God chosen witnesses and servants ?
THAT YE MAY KNOW
BELIEVE
UNDERSTAND
We may further ask - What are we to know and believe and understand ?
"that I am HE" (and what else ?)
"before ME there was no god formed (and)
"neither shall there be after ME."
The verse indicates choice, trust and thought - important components of every relationship.
God chooses servants
He trusts persons as His witnesses
He invites the thoughts of the mind to know, believe and understand Him
"Be still and know that I am GOD..." Psalm 46:10
What does it mean to know someone ? To know God in particular ?
Know - to perceive with certainty; to understand clearly; to have a clear perception of truth, fact, or any thing that actually exists -to recognize by recollection, remembrance, representation or description
Why does God want human beings to know Him ?
"GOD desires to bring men into direct relation with HIMSELF."
From the first verse in the first chapter of the first book in the Bible where GOD introduces HIMSELF---"In the beginning GOD..." (Genesis 1:1) to the first verse in the first chapter of the last book in the Bible--- "The Revelation of JESUS CHRIST..." Revelation 1:1, GOD is trying to make HIMSELF known to us...Why? Another one of the reasons why God wants us to know Him is given as follows -
GOD desires from all HIS creatures the service of love - service that springs from an appreciation of HIS character.
HOW DOES KNOWING GOD IMPACT A PERSON'S LIFE
"Grace and peace be multiplied unto YOU through the knowledge of GOD and ofJESUS CHRIST our LORD." (2 Peter 1:2)
This verse, as well as Job 22:21, tells us what may be multiplied unto us by knowing GOD and JESUS...Grace and Peace--
"Gr.ace gives man power to obey the laws of GOD."To learn of CHRIST means to receive HIS grace, which is HIS character. Many people are willing to accept God's forgiving grace for the pardon of sin but very few believe in or are willing to accept God's enabling grace to overcome sin.
"The peace which CHRIST called HIS peace, and which HE bequeathed to HIS disciples, is not a peace which prevents all divisions; but it is a peace which is given and enjoyed in the midst of divisions. The peace that the faithful defender of the cause of CHRIST has is the consciousness that he is doing the will of GOD and reflecting HIS glory in good works. It is an internal rather than an external peace."
Other ways that a person is impacted by knowing GOD...
a) "To know GOD is to love HIM."
b) "When we know GOD as it is our privilege to know HIM, our life will be a life of continual obedience."
c) " the more we know of GOD, the more intense will be our happiness."
(John 14:15,21/1 John 5:3/Psalms 16:11/1 John 4:7,8/Hebrews 12:28/Romans 1:3-5, 6:14,15/1 John 2:3,4/Isaiah 26:3/Psalms 119:165)
The above is self-explanatory and clear beyond question. Knowing GOD-- perceiving HIM with certainty, understanding HIM, recognizing HIM by recollection, remembrance, representation or description will lead to loving HIM, obeying HIM and the experience of happiness with an increasing intensity. Grace and peace are multiplied to a person through knowing GOD and JESUS CHRIST. The character quality of love in God will, if allowed, awaken and inspire love and gratitude in us which will be revealed in a practical revelation of the character of Jesus Christ.
"For the love of CHRIST constraineth us..." 2 Corinthians 5: 14
Constrain - to compel or force; to urge with irresistible power
Anyone who is habitually experiencing the love of Christ senses the compelling, urging power of that love to go forward in obedience to do whatever God asks or requires...
© 2010 Tyrone Keels
www.issues-of-life.com
You have just been reading from a study entitled, "To Know God Is To Love Him." Look for more pages from this study in future blog posts...
