Do You Know Jesus?
When you hear the statement eternal life, what does this mean to you? Has someone at some point in your life shared their idea of eternal life with you? What was their definition? Did it confront your current lifestyle? Did it stir anything in you that there must be more to life?
Sadly many have heard or encountered people who say that eternity is something that comes when your life ends here. People confront others with the question of “if you died today where would you go? Heaven or Hell?” This is actually rooted in fear, because truth be told everyone whose life is not surrendered to and following Jesus Christ has a fear of death! Scripture says, "Because God’s children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could He die, and only by dying could He break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. Only in this way could He set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying." (Hebrews 2:14-15). No matter how tough someone appears to be, apart from real union and fellowship with Jesus Christ, deep in their soul they are scared!
Sadly many have or are presented with what seems to be a simple solution to comfort their emotions, “just say this sinners prayer after me and when you die you will go to Heaven…” Is this true? Is this the Gospel? Can you just say a sinners prayer and keep living as you have been and one day enter the Kingdom of God? Is this how Jesus came to those He called to follow Him?
What does the scripture say about eternal life?
“And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” (John 17:3)
Let's focus on this word “know”, a word in today's age that is overlooked, yet has eternal implications in the Kingdom of God!
This word is G1097 in the Strong’s and is the Greek word ginōskō, which is used 223x in the KJV and means:
1. to learn to know, come to know, get a knowledge of, perceive, feel, to understand
2. to become acquainted with, to know in an intimate way
Many people will say they know God exists, but the next part is typically a 50/50 mix… When the name of Jesus is presented, half flee or begin going down a path of deception on their idea of who He is. The other half say “yeah I know Jesus, or I believe in Jesus”, yet there is no evidence of grace at work in their life (Fruit).
Is there more to it than this simple statement or confession? Jesus says, "These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me." (Matthew 15:8). It is about the heart! "Therefore, change your hearts and stop being stubborn." (Deut. 10:16).
Now let’s expand on “intimacy.” What does the scripture say?
“Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?” (Luke 1:34)
This is the same Greek word above. Understand Mary is a virgin, being visited by Gabriel, an angel of God. He has come to reveal to her that she will conceive and give birth to a son, and that she is to name him Jesus (v. 31). In the next verse he tells her Jesus is the Son of God. Mary then questions him about how this can be, since she is a virgin and has never been intimate with a man.
The Merrriam-Webster dictionary's definition of intimacy is: the state of being intimate (familiarity); something of a personal or private nature. The definition of intimate is: marked by a warm friendship developing through long association; suggesting informal warmth or privacy.
Let’s make a quick tie here, John 17:3 says, "…that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ.” So eternal life is about building a personal relationship with God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Eternal life is not some future thing that happens when we pass on. We are all in a measure of eternity now, and the scripture says our life here is but a vapor (James 4:14).
Friend, the fact is every heartbeat you are given is a miracle of Jesus, and if He decides to stop the next beat you will pass into eternity! You are a heartbeat from eternity!
“For He says: “In an acceptable time I have heard you, And in the day of salvation have helped you.” Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” (2 Corinthians 6:2)
How can you expect to spend all of eternity worshiping the one whom Heaven adores if you don’t even know who He is now?
Psalms 139:13 says, “For You formed my innermost parts; You knit me together in my mother’s womb.” Jesus has known you before you were even a thought in your parents mind. There has been an eternal call for you to come to know Him!
Scripture tells us why many struggle to come to Jesus. 2 Corinthians 4:4 says, “whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.”
Jesus, the Beloved Son of God came to this earth, born of a virgin, lived a perfect sinless life (2 Cor. 5:21; 1 John 3:5). He fulfilled the law (Matt. 5:17) and died in your place on the Cross to pay your sin debt, and not just for you but for every person who has ever walked this earth or ever will (1 John 2:2). On the third day He resurrected, conquering death (Rev. 1:18). He showed Himself to more than 500 after He came out of the grave (1 Cor. 15:6). Jesus then ascended into Heaven and sat down at the right hand of God (Mark 16:19). He made a way for mankind to be reconciled and have full fellowship with the Father (2 Cor. 5:19; Col. 1:19-20)!
Crucified, Buried, Resurrected, and Ascended! Jesus did it all! It is Finished!!!
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)
And what is eternal life? To know the only true God and Jesus Christ!
Friend, YOU have a part to play! A relationship is not one sided, it takes both sides working together and the scripture says “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you” (James 4:8). Just to reiterate He knows you (John 2:25), but you must know Him! This is a lifelong journey and just like every relationship in the natural world you will have ups and downs. There will be seasons where the Lord feels so close, and seasons where you question is He even here? Just remember His promise that He will never leave you, nor forsake you (Deut. 31:6). Many times He is looking to see if you will keep pressing in. There are also times when a test comes, and think of the times in school when the test came. The teacher was still in the room, but could not talk to you as it was up to you to show what you have learned. Same thing goes in the Kingdom of God, as you grow and mature there are times the Lord is ensuring you can walk the walk!
No different than how Jesus came to the disciples, called them by name, and said “Follow Me”, so He is saying the same thing to you! How do you follow Jesus today? Through a life of humility and surrender, separated from the things of this world, and focused on Him! This is true repentance, it's changing your mind about Jesus, who you thought He is, or who you have been told He is, and deciding to know Him yourself! This will bring a turning from how you’ve been living and doing things, and a turning to Jesus and His ways! He came and died for you on the Cross so that you can not only be forgiven of your sin, but be set free from the power of sin (Romans 6:1-18) and reconciled to the Father (2 Cor. 5:18-21). However, this does not mean you will keep living life as usual. When you are born again, the old you dies, and you are resurrected to a new life (Rom. 6:4; 2 Cor. 5:17). You begin to be transformed into the image of Christ (2 Cor. 3:18).
How is this possible? When you are born again the Holy Spirit comes to indwell you (Eph. 4:30; 1 John 2:27). He is your comforter, He will teach you, and bring everything Jesus has said to your remembrance (John 14:26). He will reveal Jesus to you through the scripture, and He will teach you His ways!
"And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself." (Luke 24:27)
"Then He said to them, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.” And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures." (Luke 24:44-45)
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1)
“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14)
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)
“Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John14:6)
Jesus is the Word of God (Rev. 19:13), and He is revealed through the scriptures. So to have a relationship with Jesus you must spend time in the scriptures. This coupled with a life of prayer seeking to know the Lord, to understand His teachings and His Kingdom, and to obey Him (Luke 6:46; John 14:15; John 15:10) is what brings transformation. This is how your mind is renewed (Rom. 12:12) and you are transformed into the image you were created to reflect (John 17:17; 2 Cor. 3:18). This takes commitment, discipline, and putting the Lord Jesus first in all things! All of which comes by grace, through the empowering of the Holy Spirit (Zech. 4:6) and abiding in Christ (John 15:5)!
Friend, what I am about to say here should put fear and trembling in you! The scripture says “And it is appointed unto men once to die, and then the judgment.” (Heb. 9:27). You will stand before Jesus who will be the judge, and on that day no one else will be standing there to give an account for your life, it’s you and Him (Matt. 12:36)! Below is a sobering reality of what the scripture says “many will hear”.
“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ (Matthew 7:21-23)
The word “knew” in the above verse is the same word “know” in John 17:3 and Luke 1:34 above!
I want to draw your attention to another popular passage that many people quote. “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:32). Again Who is the Truth? Look back above at what John 14:6 says, Jesus is the Truth! Guess what else? The word "know" here in John 8:32 is, well, you guessed it “ginōskō”! However the power to the truth found in verse 32 is found in the previous verse, where Jesus says, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.” The key to knowing the Truth, which is Jesus, is to abide in His word!!!
Friend, without an intimate relationship with Jesus through the scripture, a profession of His name is vain! This is the reason many are weak, powerless, defeated, and sadly for others they are completely deceived and on the broad road to destruction (Matt. 7:13-14). This isn’t about just going to church, although we are called to assemble (Hebrews 10:24-25). People go to church their whole life and never have a relationship with Jesus Christ! Is this you? Do you have a genuine and intimate relationship with Jesus Christ? Are you prepared to stand before Him when He returns? If not, you MUST BE BORN AGAIN!
