Can We Really Know God?

 

1. Is God pleased when His people do not know Him?

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“Hear the word of the LORD, ye children of Israel: for the LORD hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land.”  Hosea 4:1

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2. What is the whole duty of man?

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3. What does it mean to “fear God?”

The Bible writers, often used a style of writing called parallelism where they would write a thought and then repeat it using different words, yet implying the same meaning.

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“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge:  but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” Proverbs 1:7

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“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding." Proverbs 9:10

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“Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.”  Proverbs 2:5

'fear of the Lord' = 'knowledge of God'

 

4. What is the first message that we are to give in the last days?

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“Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgement is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.” Revelation 14:7

Part of the first angels message is to bring back the knowledge of God to the people.

 

5. Is it important to know God?

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“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.”

Hosea 4:6

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“For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.” Hosea 6:6

 

6. Why is knowing God so important?

 

“And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” John 17:3

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“Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord...” 2 Peter 1:2

 

7. What does knowing God involve?

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a. Know who God is

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“For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.” 2 Timothy 1:12

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b. Know His ways/glory/character

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“Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, shew me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people.” Exodus 33:13

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“And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory.” Exodus 33:18

 

“Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.”  1 John 4:7-9
 

know God = love God and man, because God is love

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c. Keep His commandments

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“They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.” Titus 1:16

Knowing God leads to obeying Him.

Doctrine is not the end; it is the means to know God better, to get closer to Him.

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8. What must I do to know God intimately?

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“Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding. If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.” Proverbs 2:3-5

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9. Can we know who God is? Has God revealed Himself to us in His Word?

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“For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse ...” Romans 1:20

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“And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.” 

1 John 5:20

 

10. What is the only thing we can glory in?

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“Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD.”  Jeremiah 9:23,24