“What were we made for? To know God. What aim should we set ourselves in life? To know God. What is the eternal life that Jesus gives? Knowledge of God.”— J. I. Packer
The knowledge of God is a subject far too vast to exhaust in a single article. Yet today, we will explore its foundational aspects, particularly as they connect to the themes we’ve recently been reflecting on.
In our world today, many hold diverse and often conflicting ideas about God. For some, God is an abstract force; for others, He is fused into every created thing. Some direct their devotion toward idols, while others in this secular age see themselves as their own gods. But who has the authority and authenticity to define the true God?
When Jesus walked the earth, He confronted these false ideologies. Even among the Israelites, who had received true glimpses of God through Moses and the prophets, misunderstandings still abounded. Was God a wrathful King waiting to condemn? Was He too exalted to engage with human frailty?
The prophets declared inspired, yet partial, revelations of God. But Jesus came as the perfect and ultimate expression of the Father. He is the image of the invisible God, the exact imprint of His nature. Through Christ, the way to know the Father was made clear. In His life, death, and resurrection, He confirmed the reality of God and released the power for us to experience Him.
Jesus’ revelation of God as a Father seeking close relationship with His children was revolutionary. The Jews could accept a majestic King to be feared from afar, but a tender Father? That they struggled to grasp. And the idea that this God had a Son was even more scandalous. They saw God as one – how could He have a Son?
But every good attribute we express must have first existed and been perfected within the Godhead. If God is love, how could He have expressed that love before the creation of mankind? The eternal love Christ revealed had to have been shared within a divine community before time began.
Jesus taught that He existed with the Father from the beginning as the Word (John 1:1–4), and that the Spirit was present in creation, bringing order and life (Genesis 1:2). The one true God exists in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Distinct in role and relationship, yet perfectly united in purpose and being.
From Genesis to Revelation, God’s desire is clear: to dwell in intimate relationship with mankind. He knew us before we were formed. Every moment of our lives matters to Him. Not a hair falls without His notice. As David wrote in Psalm 139, there is no place we can go where God does not see us and remain present. What a comfort it is to be fully known and still fully loved.
God's desire is for us to know Him just as intimately as He knows us. From the very beginning, He has not only revealed Himself as Lord and King, but also as Father and Friend. This is not a distant, ceremonial relationship; it is a deeply personal and affectionate one. As Derek Prince entreats, “You do not really know God unless you know Him as Father.” Jesus came to restore that closeness, to remove the barriers of sin, and to invite us into fellowship with the Father. This is eternal life. And this was Christ’s mission on earth.
Knowing God is not simply about information. It is about transformation through relationship. In Him, we find the fulfilment and satisfaction our hearts long for. As Packer said, "Once you become aware that the main business that you are here for is to know God, most of life’s problems fall into place of their own accord." Paul understood this. Despite his achievements and struggles, he declared that nothing compared to the surpassing worth of knowing Christ.
How then can we know God? Scripture is our foundational source of truth about Him. It points us to Christ, the ultimate revelation of God, and the Holy Spirit enables us to experience that truth personally. He teaches us, reminds us, and applies God’s word to our lives.
Through Scripture and the Spirit, we come to know the God who is eternal, self-existent, sovereign, unchanging, just, holy, merciful, and loving. All of His attributes are fully revealed in Jesus and impressed upon our hearts through His indwelling Spirit.
True life and wisdom begin with acknowledging the holy and living God through His Son, Jesus. When we catch a glimpse of His majesty and mercy, awe and reverence become the natural response. When we know God, we are strengthened to do great exploits. Our hearts are stirred to love, serve, and obey Him, no matter the cost.
The evidence of truly knowing God is love. As we grow in intimacy with Him, the fruit of His Spirit – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control – becomes increasingly evident.
When we experience God’s goodness and mercy, we cannot help but share Him. Jesus commissions us to go and tell the world that the Father longs for each of us to know Him.
Scripture Readings:
John 14; Philippians 3:7–14; 1 John 5