CYPRESSWOOD CHURCH OF CHRIST
February 10, 2008
25424 Aldine-Westfield, Spring, TX. 77373
www.geocities.com/adon77373/cypresswoodbulletin.htm
www.cypresswoodchurchofchrist.cm
LIFT UP IN PRAYER:
Our congregation Various friends, relatives, and co-workers
The spread of the good news Our nation, leaders and military
KNOWING GOD
“We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commandments” (1 John 2:3).
How do we know God? That is a question that many of us might ask. A simple answer would be that, in obedience to Christ, we are baptized into Christ and begin a journey of knowing God. In keeping His commandments, such as loving one another, walking in the light, and confessing our sins, we will know God. John uses two words for “know” in 1 John. The first is that of settled knowledge and the second is that of growing knowledge. To know God is to continue to grow in Christ.
But it seems to me that there is more to knowing God than merely keeping commandments, though that is important. There is a desire to know God in the sense of developing a relationship with Him through His Son. It is, as Paul describes, a parent/child relationship. God is our Father and we are His children. If Jesus came into this world to develop a redemptive relationship, then we need to understand what that is.
When we look at God’s relationship with His people over the years, we see His desire to be more than just a God in the heavens. In the Garden of Eden, we see God walking in His creation with those created in His image. The implication is that there is a unique and close relationship between God and Adam and Eve. The words of a song suggest that “we walk and talk as good friends should and do” (1). This, I believe, is where God wants us to be but will not be until eternity. Until then, we continue to grow and develop in Christ.
David had a special relationship with God. It appears that David could speak, or pray, and God would almost immediately answer. It might have been because David was a man after God’s heart. He also saw God in everything he did. When Nabal insulted David, he gathered his men to attack and destroy Nabal. Abigail, Nabal’s wife goes to David with supplies and pacifies David, who states that God sent Abigail (2). We can read the Psalms and see how David pleaded with God a number of times, expecting God to answer. We also see David’s desire to renew his relationship with God after his sins in the Bathsheba affair in Psalms 32 and 51.
Throughout Israel’s history, God wanted to be among His people. The pillar of fire and cloud during the exodus from Egypt and the glory of God coming into the middle of the camp in the Tabernacle are indications of His desire. After Solomon built the Temple in Jerusalem, God’s glory entered the Holy of Holies to be among His people. Such is God’s desire.
It would be in Jesus that God would showed His ultimate relationship. By coming into this world and walking among us, eating and talking with us, Jesus showed us the Father who desired this relationship. The word John uses is that He “dwelt” among us, literally He took up His abode or tabernacled among us. It is the desire of God to start and build a relationship that transcends law and obedience. It is a heart moving toward and with God.
We can develop this relationship in number of ways. One would be around the Lord’s Table where God comes and communes with His people. We gather in the presence of God to enjoy each other’s company. The Supper reminds us both of what God has done in Christ and what He wants for us in the future. But it is also the assembly where the Supper is found that builds this relationship. As we encourage one another, we are encouraged by God, because He is present with us. As we speak the word of God, God is speaking to us. As we pray, we come into the Holy of Holies through the blood of Jesus to make our requests known (see Hebrews 4:14-16).
I realize that in churches of Christ, the idea that God is active in creation is not a prominent idea. There is a fear that if God is doing something today, then it somehow contradicts scripture. Here is an example of this. I suggested one time that before a congregation made any plans, that we spend time in prayer. One elder reacted by saying that God has given us a mind to reason so we do not need to wait on answered prayer, rather we can make plans, suggesting that by opening and closing meetings with prayer, we were doing God’s will because we could reason what His will was for us. Well, God has given us a mind to reason, but we need to keep in mind that we are limited and sinful beings, and our reasoning isn’t always the best, even if we think it is. We have preferred to do it on our own.
As Christians, we walk and talk with God. While we might not always “feel” close to God, that is our fault, for God desires to have closeness with us. I would like to have an earthly relationship like David had, but that might have been unique to him. I know people who appear to have a close relationship. But I also know that sins affects our relationship time and again. So that brings us back to 1 John, where we walk in the light, confessing our sins so as to have fellowship with God in Christ (1 John 1:7, 9).
We are a work in progress. May we all grow closer to God in this world and the next.
George B. Mearns
(1) From My God and I.
(2) see 1 Samuel 25.