Know for Certain: Answers for Those Who Doubt (Vol. 2)Sýnishorn

"Can We Know God?"

In today’s video, we learn many truths about who God is and about what He is like. We can certainly know these characteristics about God, and we can choose to believe them. However, the question “Can we know God?” goes beyond just factual knowledge. An internet search reveals there are seven to ten types of knowledge. For example, we can know various facts or trivia, we can know how things work based on experience, and we can know other people.

The latter meaning is similar to the Greek word, ginosko, which is used in verses such as John 17:3: “Eternal life is to know you, the only true God, and to know Jesus Christ, the one you sent.” In the New Testament, ginosko frequently indicates an intimate relationship, like the relationship between a husband and wife. This type of knowledge describes knowledge through a heart connection, like the closeness of a warm and healthy family. As the video states, “God wants to welcome us into His family as children. He wants to be our Heavenly Father.”

We also see in the above verse that to know God the Father, we must know His Son Jesus Christ. God invites all people to know Jesus. By believing in Jesus’ death and resurrection as payment for our sins and asking Him to be our Lord and Savior, we enter into a relationship with God (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) for eternity. While this relationship is secure, the degree to which we know God intimately will grow as we read the Bible and spend time with Him in prayer and worship.

How amazing that our incredible God wants to be in relationship with us! It is even more amazing that He pursues us. He’s not casually sitting back waiting for us to find Him like some cosmic game of hide-and-seek. He has been actively pursuing mankind since the beginning of creation. He chose us to be in relationship with Him and to know Him intimately. In short, He knows us completely, and He allows us to know Him. While it is important to know about God’s character, as followers of Jesus we can know for certain that we are invited to know Him intimately as our Heavenly Father.