GOD WANTS PEOPLE TO KNOW HIM
God is a powerful Being, invisible to human eyes, yet He desires that people know Him and understand His eternal plan for humanity. God’s saints in times past recognized this desire. They prayed for divine illumination so they might come to know God and the reasons behind His actions (Psalm 119:27).
Christians can never grasp the causes or reasons for events that have occurred—or are currently unfolding—in this life without some understanding of God and His eternal plan. Many Christians find themselves puzzled by various aspects of life, sometimes even questioning why God allows certain things to happen. Such a mindset and behavior are inappropriate for a Christian. We are called “children of the light,” so we cannot continue to live in uncertainty and doubt. This does not please the Lord (Numbers 11:1; 14:27; Philippians 2:11; Jude 1:22), nor does it offer any benefit to the believer (1 Corinthians 10:10; James 1:5–8; Jude 1:16). Doubt, grumbling, and indecision serve only to hinder the progress of the Christian life and prevent the bearing of fruit for the future.
For this reason, God desires that Christians come to know Him so we may live with confidence and optimism and gain understanding of all things. The Bible confirms this desire, noting on several occasions that He not only wants Christians to know Him, but also wants this knowledge to continue to grow and deepen (Colossians 1:9–10).
This divine will is closely linked to the Christian’s faith. Although the word “faith” is short and simple, its meaning is vast and comprehensive—one we will explore further in subsequent articles. In this context, however, Christians must understand that true faith in God must be expressed through thoughts and actions, not mere words alone (James 2:14–26). When a Christian believes in the redemption found in Jesus Christ, they must also believe that He is the One who came from God (John 17:3). Furthermore, Christians must believe that God is the Triune Being—the self-existent and eternal One.
Holding this faith, Christians should strive to learn more and more about God, so that they may bear witness to those who do not yet believe (1 Peter 3:15). The call to provide a “reason” for one’s hope implies that Christians must always be prepared to respond—boldly, coherently, and clearly—to those who wish to learn about God. If a Christian knows little about the Lord, how can we possibly give such an answer? If we call God “Father” yet know very little about Him, can we truly be considered devoted children who honor our Father?
A Christian’s love for God must be expressed through action. One such action that pleases the Lord is to strive, as best as one can, to learn about Him—to understand His character and virtues, and to seek to comprehend why He chooses to do certain things or permits specific events to unfold in this world.