The Test of Timeਨਮੂਨਾ

Day 3) Seek To Know Him

What Is Knowing God All About?

1) It’s About More Than Words

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 7:21 ESV)

This is perhaps one of the most sobering verses in the entire Bible. According to Jesus, there are many people who claim to know Him with their mouths, but their faith is not genuine. He indicates that the mark of true faith is not found in the words we speak, but in the life we live. This does not mean that good works are what make us Christians; rather, good works (or the “fruit” we discussed last week) are the natural response of someone who has an authentic relationship with Jesus. In the opening of his letter to the church in Rome, Paul describes it this way:

“through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations,” (Romans 1:5 ESV)

In other words, we first receive “grace and apostleship” (a relationship with God through placing our faith in Jesus), and this transformative work enables us to walk in “the obedience of faith for the sake of his name” (obeying His commands).

2) It’s About More Than Accomplishments

“On that day, many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?” (Matthew 7:22 ESV)

As followers of Jesus, it can be tempting to jump from “experience to experience,” believing that these moments alone are evidence of the Lord working through us. While God certainly performs incredible things through His followers, it’s important to remember that His greatest work often happens beneath the surface, reflected in simple acts of obedience from His children.

3) It’s About Relationship & Obedience

“And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.” (Matthew 7:23 ESV)

If knowing God is not about empty words or impressive actions, then what does Jesus truly desire from us? He makes it clear when He says, “I never knew you” and “you workers of lawlessness.” In other words, He desires relationship and obedience. As you seek to build a life that can withstand any storm, you can be confident that growing closer to Jesus and obeying what He says is the right foundation to build upon.

Big Idea: Truly knowing God is not about the words we say or the things we accomplish; it is about developing a genuine relationship that produces obedience and lasting fruit. When our hearts are transformed by His grace, our lives naturally reflect the reality of knowing Him.

Let’s Think About This:

Question 1) Why do you think Jesus warns that not everyone who calls Him “Lord” will enter the kingdom of heaven?

Question 2) What is the difference between doing things for God and truly knowing Him?

Question 3) How can we cultivate a deeper relationship with Jesus that leads to genuine obedience rather than just outward actions?