Know God/Known by God

	"It's not what you know, but who you know," the saying goes. Sometimes this is true; sometimes it isn't.  But one thing is for sure.  It is important that we know God.
	"But when the fulness of the time came," Paul expresses in Galatians 4:4-11, "God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, in order that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.  And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, 'Abba! Father!'  Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.  However at that time, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those which by nature are no gods.  But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how is it that you turn back again to the weak and worthless elemental things, to which you desire to be enslaved all over again?  You observe days and months and seasons and years.  I fear for you, that perhaps I have labored over you in vain."
	As Paul notes in verse nine, it is important that we know God.  When we do not know God, Paul points out, at least two things happen.  According to verse eight, we become slaves to those who by nature are no gods.  We know from Romans chapter six that we are all enslaved to something.  If we do not know God, we cannot be enslaved to Him.  That means we must be slaves of something else.
	And, as we find in verse 10, when we do not know God we drift into the observance of religious festivals and other elements of man-made religion.
	"You hypocrites," Jesus says in Matthew 15:7-8, "rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying, 'This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far away from Me.'"
	"And why do you call Me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?" the Master wonders in Luke 6:46.
	Those who do not know God are slaves to those which by nature are no gods.  They observe religious festivals and other elements of man-made religion.  How many people are in this condition?  Modern philosophy may say "not many," but the Bible indicates that the vast majority of the people in the world don't know Jesus and they don't know God.
	"He was in the world," John 1:10 says of Jesus, "and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him."
	"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness," Paul notes in Romans 1:18-25, "because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them.  For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.  For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God, or give thanks; but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened.  Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures.  Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, that their bodies might be dishonored among them.  For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen."
	We need to notice here the difference between knowing someone and really knowing someone.  "Do you know her?" someone might ask.  "I know who she is," we might reply.  In other words, we recognize the difference between knowing someone's name and address and really knowing that person.  The Bible uses the word in the same ways.  The whole world should know God because of His creation.  At the same time, the world does not God at all.  We'll discuss why a little later.
	"Men of Athens, I observe that you are very religious in all respects" Paul tells the people of Athens in Acts 17:22-27, "For while I was passing through and examining the objects of your worship, I also found an altar with this inscription, 'TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.' What therefore you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you.  The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; neither is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all life and breath and all things; and He made from one, every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined {their} appointed times, and the boundaries of their habitation, that they should seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us."
	"You both know Me and know where I am from;" Jesus cries out in John 7:28 as the people discuss the identity of the Messiah, "and I have not come of Myself, but He who sent Me is true, whom you do not know."
	Most of the world does not know God.  As a result, most people are slaves to those which by nature are no gods, observing religious festivals and other elements of man-made religion.
	How can the world know God but not know Him?  It is because we can really know God only through Jesus and divine revelation.
	"All things have been handed over to Me by My Father," Jesus states in Luke 10:22, "and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal {Him.}"
	"And so they were saying to Him, 'Where is Your Father?' we read in John 8:19. "Jesus answered, 'You know neither Me, nor My Father; if you knew Me, you would know My Father also.'"
	"If I glorify Myself," the Lord claims in verses 54-55, "My glory is nothing; it is My Father who glorifies Me, of whom you say, 'He is our God'; and you have not come to know Him, but I know Him; and if I say that I do not know Him, I shall be a liar like you, but I do know Him, and keep His word."
	"I am the way, and the truth, and the life;" Jesus teaches in John 14:6-7, "no one comes to the Father, but through Me.  If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him."
	"O righteous Father," the Master prays in John 17:25-26, "although the world has not known Thee, yet I have known Thee; and these have known that Thou didst send Me; and I have made Thy name known to them, and will make it known; that the love wherewith Thou didst love Me may be in them, and I in them. " 
	Most of the world does not know God.  The only way to know God is through Jesus and divine revelation.

	It is critical that we know God.  Sadly, most of the world does not know God.  God can be known only through Jesus and divine revelation.  But this is only one side of the coin.  Not only is it important that we know God, but it is also essential that He knows us.
	"But now that you have come to know God," we read earlier from Galatians 4:9, "or rather to be known by God, how is it that you turn back again to the weak and worthless elemental things, to which you desire to be enslaved all over again?" 
	How can we be known by God?  First of all, He knows us if we love Him.
	"If anyone supposes that he knows anything, he has not yet known as he ought to know;" Paul instructs in 1 Corinthians  8:2-3, "but if anyone loves God, he is known by Him."
	We should keep in mind, though, that it is not enough to SAY that we love God.  Real love of God requires that we obey His commandments.  Any other love is no love at all.
	"For this is the love of God," 1 John 5:3 teaches, "that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome." 
	We are known by God if we love Him and obey His commandments.  And we are known by God if we confess Jesus here on earth.  How do we usually become known by someone?  We're introduced.  The only way to be know by God is to be introduced by Jesus.
	"Everyone therefore who shall confess Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven." Jesus promises in Matthew 10:32-33.  "But whoever shall deny Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven."
	We will be known to God if we love Him and obey His commandments.  We will be known to God if we are introduced by Jesus.  And we will be known to God if we serve one another.
	"But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne," Jesus foretells in Matthew 25:31-40.  "And all the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left.  Then the King will say to those on His right, 'Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.  For I was hungry, and you gave Me {something} to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.' Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You drink?  And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You?  And when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?'  And the King will answer and say to them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, {even} the least {of them,} you did it to Me.'"
	It is critical to know God.  But most of the world doesn't. So it is enslaved to those which by nature are no gods.  They observe religious festivals and other elements of man-made religion.  We can know God only through Jesus and divine revelation.
	It is equally important to be known by God.  We must love and obey Him.  We must confess Jesus.  We must serve each other.
	What difference does it make?  Think about it for a moment. could anything be more horrible than to hear on judgment day the words, "I do not know you"?
	"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven," Jesus cautions in Matthew 7:21-23.  "Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?'  And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.'"
	Matthew chapter 25 starts with the parable of five wise and five foolish virgins.  Five are prepared.  Five are not.  The five who are not prepared find the door closed when they finally arrive at the wedding feast.
	"Truly I say to you, I do not know you," is the message they hear from the other side of the door.
	"And He was passing through from one city and village to another, teaching, and proceeding on His way to Jerusalem," we find in Luke 13:22-28.  "And someone said to Him, 'Lord, are there {just} a few who are being saved?'  And He said to them, 'Strive to enter by the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.  Once the head of the house gets up and shuts the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock on the door, saying, "Lord, open up to us!" then He will answer and say to you, "I do not know where you are from."  Then you will begin to say, "We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets"; and He will say, "I tell you, I do not know where you are from; depart from Me, all you evildoers." There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth there when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but yourselves being cast out.'" 
	"The thief comes only to steal, and kill, and destroy;" Jesus points out in John 10:10-15. "I came that they might have life, and might have {it} abundantly.  I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.  He who is a hireling, and not a shepherd, who is not the owner of the sheep, beholds the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep, and flees, and the wolf snatches them, and scatters {them.} {He flees} because he is a hireling, and is not concerned about the sheep.  I am the good shepherd; and I know My own, and My own know Me, even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep."
	We can know God and be known by Him only through Jesus and divine revelation, the Truth.  Let's know the truth so that we can be set free.

Unless otherwise noted, "Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE(R), (C) Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977. Used by permission."