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Is it possible to know God?
Well, who...or what...is "God?"
The Ultimate Reality of Hinduism or Buddhism is infinite ... but not personal. And the gods of the Greeks and Romans were personal ... but not infinite.
But the Bible describes God as both infinite and personal!
When we say God is infinite, we mean, for example, that God is eternal - he never began to exist and he'll never cease to exist. He transcends time and space, bringing time and space into being at the moment of creation. He is not physical or material; rather, he's an infinite, uncreated Mind with unlimited power.
But while God is infinite, he's also personal. He has mind, emotions, will, and moral agency - all the qualities essential to personhood - and he has them to an infinite degree. For example, he is all-knowing - he knows all facts and truths. He's also morally perfect - so not only is he without any trace of evil, but He himself is the source and standard of moral goodness.
What connection could there possibly be between this infinite, personal God ... and you?
Here are 4 truths to consider...
1. God loves you and created you to know him personally.
It's God's nature to love infinitely and unconditionally. Since love desires the highest good of its object, God desires your highest good. But God is your highest good! So he wants you to have a personal relationship with him! In fact, this is why you exist!
But there's a problem...
2. Man is sinful and separated from God.
The Bible describes our predicament like this:
"Ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God. Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused." (Romans 1:20-21 NLT)
We've all done things we know are wrong. It's not just that we FEEL guilty, we actually ARE guilty!
But since God is morally perfect, sinful beings cannot draw near to him.
Thus, God is faced with a dilemma.
Because he is JUST, the demands of his justice must be satisfied - in our case, that means death. But because he is LOVE, he has compassion on us. He wants each of us to be reconciled with him.
3. God's solution is Jesus Christ.
In the greatest invasion of all time, God entered human history.
Though he was God, Jesus Christ was like us in every way except he was without sin. He lived a perfect life - which means he didn't have to pay a penalty for his own sin! Nevertheless, he voluntarily chose to die in our place, to pay the death penalty we deserve for the sins we've committed.
What happened on the cross was the greatest transaction in history. My sin was placed on Christ - he suffered the death penalty in my place. In return, Christ's righteousness - his moral perfection - was placed on us.
Then, when Jesus rose from the dead, he broke the power of sin, death, and hell, once and for all.
God has moved heaven and earth to restore your relationship with him. Now it's your turn...
4. We must personally receive Christ as our Savior and Lord.
There's a difference between "believing THAT" and "believing IN." It's not enough to believe THAT these facts are true, you must take the next step and "believe IN" Jesus Christ. This means committing your life to him as your Savior and Lord.
[SAVIOR] We can't be good enough to earn God's pardon. All we can do is humbly agree with God that, yes, we are sinful and cannot save ourselves, and gratefully receive the gift of God's forgiveness in Jesus Christ.
[LORD] God wants to transform your life, to make you into the kind of person you were meant to be. This involves following Jesus as your Lord.
It is possible to know God as a personal reality in your life! Why let anything stand in the way? Right now, he is ready and willing to give you the gift of forgiveness and new life in Jesus Christ. Are you willing to receive it?
God, please forgive me for all the things I've done wrong. I turn away from my sin and I turn to you, my only hope. I invite you into my life as my Lord and my Savior. I am yours.
Fill me with your Spirit and empower me to live a new life in Jesus Christ.
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