WE HAVE PROSPECT OF ETERNAL LIFE FROM KNOWING GOD (5 min.

)
Means everlasting life to know, or take in knowledge, of God and Son (Read John 17:3)
Jesus must have meant more than ones having knowledge that God exists
Merely having some knowledge of Jehovah and claiming to worship him was not enough to make
Samaritans acceptable to God (Joh 4:7-26 [read verse 22]; w70 679-83)
Similarly, many today do not know Gods name; confuse God with his Son (w84 8/1 20)
Ask yourself: Do I know God and his Son in sense needed to have rm prospect of eternal life?
How can we know God in this sense? How can we help our children and Bible students to do so?
WHAT KNOWING A PERSON INVOLVES (5 min.)
Truly knowing someone means more than merely believing that he exists
Knowing someone means perceiving his identity and being acquainted with his personality, his feelings
This requires intimate acquaintance and experience over a period of time (rs 131 3)
Amalekite who claimed that he had killed Saul certainly did not know David (2Sa 1:1-16)
Did not know Davids view of Gods anointed one (1Sa 26:3-11)
Might wonder: How can I get to know Jehovah? Does he not say that his ways and thoughts are vastly high-
er than ours? (Isa 55:8, 9)
Words in Isaiah 55 were to backsliding, apostate Jews who left Gods ways
Even they could return to Jehovah and come to know him again (Read verses 6, 7)
But in what ways might we search for and come to know him?
HOW AND WHY HUMANS CAN TRULY KNOW GOD (15 min.)
One way we can come to know him is by striving to imitate him
It is possible to imitate him, and that is his will for us (Ge 1:26-28; read Colossians 3:10)
Good qualities that we manifestlove, mercy, wisdom, justice, and so forthare mere reections of him
When we forgive another, we are reecting Gods ways (Read Ephesians 4:325:1)
Sin mars mans reection of God, yet the more we know him, the more we can reect Jehovahs glory
(2Co 3:18; it-1 964 1; w90 7/15 17 6)
Bible helps us to know him in terms we can grasp (it-2 13 6-8)
Though he is a spirit, Jehovah is spoken of as having eyes, ears, and a face (1Pe 3:12)
Using these human expressions helps us to comprehend; description in spirit terms would be like trying
to describe colors to one who had been born blind
The Bibles description of Jehovahs feelings and reactions helps us to know him (Ps 78:36-41)
He is not like us; rather, shows how much we are in his image
By studying the Bible, then, we can come to know Godhis deeds, purposes, qualities, feelings
It is a challenge when reading and studying not just to get facts but to know God
When you teach the Bible to others, do you call attention to what the material reveals about God him-
self? (w84 8/1 16 17, 18)
We can be helped to know God by having a personal relationship with him
Can be illustrated in Gods comment that he became acquainted with Abraham, based on their dealings
(Ge 18:19; it-2 181 2)
Similarly, Abraham had come to know God, was sure of His love, mercy, and justice (Ge 18:25)
By regularly talking to God in prayer about matters of concern and by seeking his guidance, we come to
know him better (w84 8/1 16 19)
To know Jehovah God also means recognizing his position and authority and acting in harmony with what
we know of him (w75 117 15, 16)
Regarding Hebrew term for knowledge with reference to knowing God, Theological Dictionary of the
New Testament says: It is thus respectful and obedient acknowledgment of the power and grace and
demand of God. This means that knowledge is not thought of in terms of the possession of information.
It is possessed only in its exercise (Vol. 1, p. 698)
Jehovah rejected the Israelites for their lack of knowledge, that is, recognition and obedience (Read Ho-
sea 4:1, 6)
Obviously, they knew who God was but did not act accordingly (Verse 2; it-2 181 3)
History proved they belied their claim stated at Hosea 8:2 (Read)
This emphasizes that we need more than head knowledge; our lives should manifest our knowing God
We have seen that humans can know God and ways they do this (learning about him, having relationship,
recognizing his authority and acting accordingly), but vital questions are: How can I be sure that I person-
ally know God? Are there reliable indications?
HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW GOD?
Note to the speaker:
Help audience see that recognizing Jehovah involves much more than knowing facts about him. It means be-
ing intimately acquainted with his purposes, deeds, qualities, and feelings. It means acting in harmony with
that knowledge and assisting others to do so. Instill burning desire to know Jehovah intimately
No. 1-E 3/91 Printed in Australia
EXAMINE YOURSELF TO SEE HOW WELL YOU KNOW GOD (15 min.)
One criterion of how well you know God is whether he recognizes you with approval
Gods knowing someone often means granting recognition to that one as approved, as acceptable and wor-
thy of his attention (Read Amos 3:1, 2) (ws 137 4)
The converse is also true: A person is not known if God and Jesus do not recognize or approve of him
(Read Matthew 7:21-23) (w75 118 18)
Consequently, for you to know God fully, he must rst know you (Ga 4:8, 9)
One turning to God with faith in him and on basis of ransom can come to be known, recognized
By growing in faith and avoiding lawlessness, you can continue to be known by God
Another gauge of how well you know God is whether you lovingly obey his commands (1Jo 2:3-6)
If in his heart a person thinks he can obey one command, such as by preaching, but ignore others, such
as by engaging in loose conduct, fraud, or lying, he does not know God or Jesus; he is a liar
One sincerely trying to obey all God-given commands is coming to know God
Other commands of more personal nature are equally important if one is to know God well
Husband, you are commanded to love wife as own body, not be harsh or demanding (Eph 5:28)
If you as a husband treat your wife kindly and patiently (without showing irritation), it is an
indication that you know God, who gave you such direction
Wife, you are commanded to have respect for your husband, even though he may not completely live
up to your expectations (Eph 5:33; w69 1/1 31)
Showing respect evidences that you are coming to know God, who has clearly set forth the princi-
ple of relative subjection
Young Christians, you show a desire to know God by obeying parents, as he commands (Eph 6:1, 2)
By obeying parents rules that do not break Gods law, you advance toward knowing God (yp 11-12)
When you strive to avoid unchristian association, you indicate that you know God
If we choose unchristian associates, God cannot associate with us (Ps 15:1-5; w89 9/15 26-30)
By being very selective and associating with true Christians, you show that you know God
Turn to God regularly in prayer, thus showing that you trust and know him
One truly knowing God is aware that he welcomes our prayers; any fear of approaching him is thus cast
out (w70 415; it-2 605 2, 3)
Do your prayers indicate that you know God? You can come to know him more by increasing the reg-
ularity and intimacy of your prayers to him
If you sin, as all of us do, show you know and trust God by bringing it up in prayer, seeking and accept-
ing forgiveness (Ps 26:1, 2)
But is knowing God just something between the two of you, or is more involved?
HELP OTHERS TO JOIN YOU IN KNOWING GOD WELL (5 min.)
As noted, we can help others know God by emphasizing his requirements, purposes, and qualities (Read Dan-
iel 11:32, 33a) (w70 689-90)
Applies now when many are worshiping man-made peace organization
Some people know basic Bible stories, but can you impart to them understanding, helping them truly
come to know God?
In preaching and teaching, call attention to reasons why God acted in the past as he did; encourage
condence in his future actions based on his qualities exemplied in past dealings
By living daily by Bible principles and standards, we help others to see the advisability of coming to know
God and to serve him
Paul said Jehovah makes the knowledge of him perceptible through us in every place (2Co 2:14)
The knowledge is spread by the way Christians liveexercising knowledge and reecting its good eects,
displaying the new personality
Condently urge others to take up true worship, coming to know Jehovah and having part in his purposes
(1Ch 28:9; Joh 17:3)
Now and in the future, we will not have mere head knowledge of the path of life but will know by expe-
rience that pleasant path
Bible assures us that the knowledge of God will ll the earth; does not mean just information, but the
exercise of knowledge by doing his will because of knowing him (Isa 11:9)
Truly, there is reason for satisfaction and pleasantness in knowing Jehovah and the path of life; this is
the knowledge that leads to everlasting life
(Adhere closely to the outlined material, and observe the indicated timing of each section. Not all cited texts need to be read)
No. 1-Epage 2 TO BE COVERED IN 45 MINUTES
1991 Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania All Rights Reserved