Col. 1:9-13, The Living God (4)

We have been “dabbling” in our knowledge of God.  As we have said, we hope to go further in our studies of “theology proper.”  But at best, our knowledge of God will always be incomplete.  As Job put it, “these are the mere edges of His ways, and how small a whisper we hear of Him!  But the thunder of His power who can understand?” 

But when we say this, we do not mean that we cannot know about God and know God in truth.  Today we want to consider how it is that we can know God.  There are two questions.  First, how is it even possible for finite and sinful man to know anything about God?  Second, how can we grow in the knowledge of God?

The answer to the first question is that God has created mankind to be able to know Him and understand His “language.”  God did this for humans and not for any other part of His Creation.  He created us in His image (Gen. 1:26-27). He did this so that He could have a relationship with us.  This is evident from Genesis to Revelation.  God’s desire was to dwell with Man and to have fellowship (commune) with Man.  Being created in His likeness makes this possible.

Sin marred that likeness and set man at enmity against God.  But God sent His Son, who is the image of God because He is God (Heb. 1:3; 2 Cor. 4:4).  When we receive Christ (John 1:12), we become sons of God.  In other words, the image is restored and we are again able to know and fellowship with God.  We have put on Christ, the New Man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him (Col. 3:10).  Having Christ we are able to know God.

But how is this facilitated in our lives?  How can we grow in this?  It requires that we set our minds and hearts of Jesus, the One who is the likeness of God.  But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord (2 Cor. 3:18). 

We behold Christ through Scripture.  Paul’s prayer in Col. 1:9-10 is all about this.  Paul asked that we may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.  His will is the Bible.  The Holy Spirit enables us to know the Bible in wisdom, in a way that we know how it works in our lives.  Armed with the Word of God, we can then walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.  We know God as we walk in His will.  It is not enough to just have our minds renewed by God’s Word.  For example, the Bible tells us God is love and tells us a lot about His love.  But it is only as we experience His love in our lives that we can say we know God and His love.  God wants us to know Him, and by His Spirit and grace, through His word, we can do just that!