Indagatio Veri

There are so many verses in scripture that talk about 'knowing' God; but in our western culture there is a common misconception about what these versus connotate.  Generally, when we hear or read the word 'know', we consider it to be an intellectual knowledge; and belief we consider to be an intellectual assent to a truth statement. Yet this is not what the scriptures allude to.  In many passages we bring in our 'western' understanding of the word 'know', but really knowing God means an intimate experience with Him.  It is the same kind of knowing as a husband and wife 'know' each other, a sexual knowing.  To know God so intimately that sex is the closest metaphor we can give to describe it. The actual definition is : ginṓskō – properly, to know, especially through personal experience (first-hand acquaintance). 1097 /ginṓskō ("experientially know") is used for example in Lk 1:34, "And Mary [a virgin] said to the angel, 'How w...

            We need the presence of God!! Sadly so much of the church does not dwell with the Lord, and many believers cannot recognize His presence. That is why Jesus came and died, so we could be with God! Since the time of Adam to the time of Moses the presence of God was absent from mankind.  From the time of Moses to the time of Pentecost, the presence of God was limited to the Holy of Holies in the temple.  Jesus then gave us access through faith to the father, tearing the curtain that separated us from the presence of God.  Now we can be in relationship with Him and experience his presence.  We are the temple that God now dwells, the Holy Spirit is inside of us!  No one since the time of Adam and Eve has anyone been so close to the father!             Experiencing the presence of God is at the center of what it means to be a Christian.  The mark of a believer is that we have been reconcile...