How Do We Know?

We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands. Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person. But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.

I John 2:3-6

You can be a born-again believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, because you have totally believed in His atonement for your sins and have received His Righteousness, guaranteeing you eternal life, and not really KNOW Him, in the sense of intimate fellowship. You can be the child of your human father, carry his name, live under his roof, eat at his table, make purchases on his credit, and not be intimately familiar with the person he is. We know this, because most of us have been that inattentive child, taking our parents for granted while trading on their good name. When we KNOW our parents; when we KNOW our spouse, we will be keenly aware of their norms and standards, and understand that our best relationship with them is based on honoring those standards. A wife who says she knows her husband, but does not honor his preferences and attend to his daily expectations is lying. Likewise husband for wife. We accommodate those we love, and we cannot love whom we do not know. Obedience to His Word demonstrates our love for God. How can we obey what we are not familiar with? How can we be familiar with that which we ignore? Bible Doctrine is the curriculum, the basis of our knowledge of Jesus. We will never outgrow it. It is our continuing sustenance. Having a romantic idea of His person won't cut it. He is the Sovereign Ruler of the universe. He is the LORD of the Armies. He is the ultimate authority. He has given us His plan and purpose in writing. He has shown us Who and What He is and what He deems important. If I live habitually IN HIM I must think and behave like He did. Then I will KNOW.