Do You Know God Jer. 9:23-24 CLICK TITLE FOR AUDIO
The Lord doesn’t glory in man’s wisdom like men do, or in man’s might like men do, or in man’s riches like men do. He said. What shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul? The Lord said, “Let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord.” Do you know God? If you do then you will know:
His lovingkindness – if you know him you know his love. God is love [1 Jn 4:8] he that loveth not knoweth not God. He loved us [Jn 3:16, Jn 15:13]. His first response to a sinner seeking a Saviour was love [Mk 10:21]. It was evident that he loved his friends [Jn 11:36]. We love him [1 Jn 4:19]. The first commandment is to love God [Matt 22:37-38]. The first aspect of the fruit of Spirit is love [Gal 5:22]. If you know God you know his love and you love him and he knows that you love him.
His judgment – if you know him then you know his judgments. You will seek his judgments and seek to keep his judgments. God is a God of judgment and all his judgments are laid down for us in writing in the Bible. They are absolute! Deut 11:1 says that when you love him you keep his judgments. Lk 11:42 shows us that the trouble with the Pharisees was that they passed over judgment and the love of God. These go hand in hand. Justice and judgment were found in Abraham [Gen 18:19], David [2 Sam 8:15], and Solomon [1 Ki 10:9]. They are more acceptable than sacrifice [Prov 21:3]. The trouble for you if you are not saved is that God’s words shall judge you in the last day [Jn 12:48].
His righteousness – if you know him then you know his righteousness. This is what really threw Israel Rom 10:3-4. God’s righteousness is Jesus Christ. All religious people without Christ boast of their self-righteousness. However, all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags [Is 64:6]. When you know God you desire his righteousness to permeate every aspect of your being, [Rom 6:13, 16-19]. When his judgments are in the earth people will learn righteousness [Is 26:9].
Conclusion: Do you know God? If you do, then you KNOW that he loves you and you love him [1 Jn 4:18]. This is not the fear of the Lord but fear of judgment. If you do know God then you know and keep his judgments. If you do know God then you know his righteousness and have received his righteousness in Jesus Christ.