Know and Be Known

Know and Be Known

Gal 4:9 – “…but now that ye have come to know God, or rather to be known by God…” We believe that knowing God is our goal, but this passage of scripture makes it clear that we must be known by him. When it comes to knowing someone, it’s the small things that count. You may know what they do for a job, where they live, and how many kids they have, but that does not mean you know them. To really know a person is to know them intimately, not just on the surface.

Matt 7:23 – “…And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you; depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” These words from our Savior should strike terror into the heart of anyone with an eternal hope. How is it that these people could have lived in such a way as to claim Jesus as their savior only to find out he did not know them, and they clearly did not know him?

I think the answer lies in what we consider to be important to God vs. what we consider to be unimportant or irrelevant to Him. We err (to our own eternal detriment) when we presume to know the difference. We disobey His Word and justify it by saying things like “…yes, well, I don’t think God cares about that.” At that point, we have ceased seeking the heart of God and have no assurance that His promises apply to us. We may claim that we “know” Him, but He does not know us. The words in 1 John chapter 2 set the standard: “…And hereby do we know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.”

If you want to convince yourself of this truth, just contrast the lives of two men – King Saul and King David. Saul offered an unauthorized sacrifice to God (1 Samuel 13:9-11). At another time he also failed to kill every living thing among the Amalekites as instructed by God, preserving the best of the animals and the king of the Amalekites. He killed most, but not all. In response God took the kingdom from him (1 Samuel 15:12-23). David, however, coveted, lusted, murdered, lied, and committed adultery, and God called him a man after His own heart (1 Samuel 13:14). We would say that Saul’s offences were clearly the lesser, but David was known by God.

The lesson is clear. When determining whether or not something is important to God and therefore to be obeyed, you need only know that He said it. Any manipulation beyond that point comes at the expense of your relationship with Him. You may argue that what you’re doing is unimportant to God, but are you willing to stake your eternity on it? He has said it and that should be enough for one who wishes to know Him and be known.

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