Jesus Knows Me, I Know Him

2021-08-09

A relationship between our Lord Jesus Christ and ourselves exists in a two-way relationship. He knows us, and we know Him. He tells us, “I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.” (John 10:14).

These two directions are not equal. Every born-again believer is known perfectly of the Savior the hour he or she first believes. By “knowing,” this is the intimate knowledge of another person. Of course, being the omniscient God, Jesus knows the existence of everyone, because he “was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world” (John 1:9). However, He only has the intimate knowledge of the saved; as to the unsaved, He will one day say to them, “I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity” (Matthew 7:23).

However, the Christian does not perfectly know His Lord in this way from the beginning. Of course, we know Him to some degree, but there is a process of revelation that takes place in our lives in which we get to know Him more. This process is not finished until the Day of Christ (commonly called the rapture, Philippians 1:6). Paul in the Spirit recounted his experience in at least two places. First, he wrote, “For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known” (1 Corinthians 13:12). At the coming of the Lord, we will have that perfect knowledge: “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:2).

Paul also wrote to the Philippians in a similar fashion: “Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended” (Philippians 3:12-13). He admitted that he was “apprehended” of Christ but has yet to “apprehend” Christ.

In theological jargon, we could say that being known of Him is justification, and is objective, and knowing Him is sanctification, and is subjective.

To the Galatians, Paul wrote the following challenge: “But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?” (Galatians 4:9). The nuance here is that they are known of God, but likely do not know Him very well because they are attempting to integrate Jewish law and works salvation into the faith. This is a knock on the Galatians!

But for the saved, being known of God is everything: “If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself” (2 Timothy 2:13). This is a comforting thought! His knowledge of us overrides even during our failures.