Does He know you
Many professed Christians today place a lot of emphasis on having a relationship with Christ which is appropriate considering many Bible passages such as
Re 3:20—Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
Joh 3:16—For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Ro 10:9—That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
But what about obedience,
does the Truth know you?
You may fairly ask, how can the truth know us?
Joh 4:10—Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of Him, and He would have given thee living water.
Irony? No, quite contrary. Bro. Jesus is revealing to this prospect for salvation and anyone else who would come to believe on Him His dual nature in this passage over water. By the way, whoever heard of a thirty man capable of producing "living water" and still be found thirsty himself?
"Jesus saith"…"I am the way, [I am] the truth, and [I am] the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." (John 14:6.)
…To talk of religion in a casual way, to pray without soul hunger and living faith, avails nothing. A nominal faith in Christ, which accepts Him merely as the Saviour of the world, can never bring healing to the soul. The faith that is unto salvation is not a mere intellectual assent to the truth. He who waits for entire knowledge before he will exercise faith, cannot receive blessing from God. It is not enough to believe about Christ; we must believe in Him. The only faith that will benefit us is that which embraces Him as a personal Saviour; which appropriates His merits to ourselves. Many hold faith as an opinion. Saving faith is a transaction by which those who receive Christ join themselves in covenant relation with God. Genuine faith is life. A living faith means an increase of vigor, a confiding trust, by which the soul becomes a conquering power.—DA:347.1
While we may make an intellectual assent to the truth and it may be known theoretically, or half-heartedly, what is our motive to know it? Is it for self-exaltation to aid the tempter, or is it to make a full and complete surrender to It?
Jas 2:19, 20—Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
Lucifer's with no cause changed the purpose for which he was created, abused his access and close proximity to leverage his limited Holy knowledge of God in order to exalt an unholy idea that originated with him, himself, and to grasp at claims of equality with God.
Unlike this created being who's name is Lucifer who once upon a time said unlawfully in his heart, "I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High (Isa. 14:13, 14); The Creator, "being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. (Php 2:6-8)
Mt 3:17—And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
What a stark contrast between knowing about God and the truth knowing you.
Ge 18:19—For I know him,” said Jehovah “that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which He hath spoken of him.
Joh 8:55—Yet ye have not known Him; but I know Him: and if I should say, I know Him not, I shall be a liar like unto you: but I know Him, and keep His saying.
How much of his saying, Jesus?
“…It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by EVERY WORD that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” (Mt 4:4.)
1Jo 2:4—He that saith, I know Him, and keepeth NOT His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
The man who attempts to keep the commandments of God from a sense of obligation merely—because he is required to do so—will NEVER enter into the joy of obedience. He does not obey. When the requirements of God are accounted a burden because they cut across human inclination, we may know that the life is not a Christian life. True obedience is the outworking of a principle within. It springs from the love of righteousness, the love of the law of God. The essence of all righteousness is loyalty to our Redeemer. This will lead us to do right because it is right—because right doing is pleasing to God.—COL:97.3
Joh 14:15—¶ If ye love me, keep my commandments.
His commandments are ten and The Truth is personal because it is the Person of Christ Jesus that must come to know us experientially in order to trust us with His latter rain of Power.
Mt 7:22, 23—Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?23 And then will I profess unto them, I NEVER knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Those who reject the truth of the Bible do it under a pretense of loving Jesus. Those who love Jesus will reveal that love by being obedient children. They will be doers of the Word and not hearers only. They will not be continually pleading, “All that we have to do is to believe in Jesus.” This is true in the fullest sense, but they do not comprehend, they do not take it in its fullest sense. To believe in Jesus is to take Him as your Redeemer, as your Pattern. All who love Jesus must follow His example. They must connect themselves with Jesus as closely as the branch is connected with the living vine. They are abiding in Jesus and Jesus is abiding in them and they are doers of His Word, partakers of His divine nature.—Manuscript 26, Oct. 17, 1885, "First Visit to Sweden, diary."—TDG:299.4
It is not enough to profess to believe in Christ, saying that we are saved by Christ, when we do not practice the lessons he has given. All such professed Christians are represented by the man who built his house upon the sand; while the hearers and doers of the word are represented by the man who built his house upon the rock, and amid tempest, storm, and flood, it remained unmoved. Thus the true foundation for every soul is represented by those who not only hear the truth but practice it. Those who claim to be children of God and do not his will are hypocrites.—RH, July 10, 1879 par. 19
Ga 6:7—Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
Mt 7:16-20—Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
1Jo 3:9—Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
Joh 7:7—The world cannot hate you; but Me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil.Ps 45:6, 7—¶ Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre.
7 Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
It was to give in His own life an illustration of unselfishness that Jesus came in the form of humanity. And all who accept this principle are to be workers together with Him in demonstrating it in practical life. To choose the right because it is right; to stand for truth at the cost of suffering and sacrifice—“this is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of Me, saith the Lord.” Isaiah 54:17.—Ed:154.3, 4
The time is coming when we shall be separated and scattered, and each one of us will have to stand without the privilege of communion with those of like precious faith; and how can you stand unless God is by your side, and you know that He is leading and guiding you? Whenever we come to investigate Bible truth, the Master of assemblies is with us. The Lord does not leave the ship one moment to be steered by ignorant pilots. We may receive our orders from the Captain of our salvation.--Review & Herald, March 25, 1890.—CW:42.1
Does He Know you?
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