“Do I Know You?”

But He will say, ‘I tell you I do not know you, where you are from. Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity.’ (Luke 13:27, NKJV)

Something often forgotten despite its importance, as spelled out by Jesus in Luke 13:24-30, is the fact that the cost of following Christ and obtaining God’s kingdom is extremely great. So much so that MANY have either — perhaps over the passing of countless generations — lost the accurate perspective of God to Man (e.g. God’s divine/perfect nature v. Man’s deficient/fallen nature; Man’s ‘nothingness’ without God’s ‘fullness’)… or understood “the concept of God” without ever actually, fully KNOWING or SEEING the Lord in His overwhelming glory via personal [or supernatural] revelation. Recall Jesus’ words in John 17:3, AMP – “‘Now this is eternal life: that they may **know** You, the only true, supreme and sovereign God, and in the same manner **know** and **obey** Jesus as the Christ whom You have sent.’” And 2 Thessalonians 1:8 – “…in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not **know** God and on those who do not **obey** the gospel of our Lord Jesus” (ESV). With that said, always remember “…everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard” (Romans 3:23, NLT); but “…by grace [we] have been saved through faith. And this is not [our] own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9, ESV). For “‘God did not send his Son into the world to judge and condemn the world, but to be its Savior and rescue it’” (John 3:17, TPT). And as John himself said 17 verses later, “Everyone who has faith in the Son has eternal life. But no one who rejects Him will ever share in that life, and God will be angry with them forever” (3:36, CEV). For what it’s worth, the AMP translation summarizes this as such… everyone who Believes AND Trusts AND Accepts Christ Jesus possesses eternal life, but **anyone who continues disobeying Him will NOT see eternal life and, instead, experience God’s wrath everlasting**. You see, the gift of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ is unlike any other. It allows us to be reconciled to our Father God (2 Corinthians 5:17-21) and in communion with Him by the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Nothing sums up the joy found in salvation like Psalm 18:35-6… “You make Your saving help my shield, and Your right hand sustains me; Your help has made me great. You provide a broad path for my feet, so that my ankles do not give way” (NIV). And while this joy is undoubtedly great, what’s even greater is moving forward in our lives with full consciousness of and intentionality on God’s ultimate design and will being the foundation on and fuel by which our “humanly efforts” are built and sourced. See Luke 12:48 – “For those who have received a greater revelation from their master are required a greater obedience. And those who have been entrusted with great responsibility will be held more responsible to their master” (TPT). If you want to know God more, you must know that He knows no sin… He abhors it. So by daily walking in victory over sin (and the flesh, and this world, and death itself) achieved only by Jesus’ redemptive work, we are then able to grow in our faith and fullness of Christ. And as the Lord finds our obedience to His Word pleasing, only then can His will be made more known to us through His Spirit. As Paul said to Titus, “For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people. And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God…” (Titus 2:11-2, NLT).         

   – Contributed by Bro. James Agtuca