We exercise our faith in believing God and God demonstrates His faithfulness in our experience. Our faith takes us to a place of knowledge – we no longer need exercise our faith, for now we know. God, who neither has nor needs faith simply knows, and He wants us to know also. Precept by precept and principle by principle He is turning our faith about Him into knowledge of Him. Faith becomes a personal possession through testing: As we experience God’s faithfulness we move from firm persuasion, mentally asserting something is true, to finite knowledge, we simply know it is true, leaving behind our mental vacillations between faith/hope/doubt. Faith provokes experience producing knowledge. In the following passages the Greek word ginosko is translated “know”, which is knowledge gained through experience, specifically knowledge acquired through personal intimate relationship with God.
John speaks: We know that we know God because we are obedient to His word. We know that we are in God because His love is perfected in us. We know that it is the last hour because many antichrists have come. We know all Truth (i.e., all things) because we have the Holy Spirit. We know the righteous are born of God because God is righteous. We know the world does not know us because it did not know Him. We know that we shall be like God because we are His children. We know that God was manifested to take away our sins because He is sinless. We know we have passed from death to life because we love the brethren. We know His love because He laid down His life for us. We know that we are of the Truth because we have compassion on others. We know God abides in us because He has given us the Holy Spirit. We know the Spirit of God because we confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh. We know the Spirit of Truth and the spirit of error because we belong to God. We know we abide in Him and He in us because He has given us His Spirit. We know we are loved by God because God is love. We know we love the children of God because we love God and keep His commandments. We know we have eternal life because we believe in the name of the Son of God. We know we have the petitions we ask because we ask according to His will. We know whoever is born of God does not habitually sin because the Holy Spirit keeps us and the wicked one does not get a grip on us. We know we belong to God because the whole world lies under the power of the evil one. We know that the Son of God has come because He has given us an understanding that we may know Him.
Jesus speaks: It is given to us to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of God, and those who desire to do God’s will, will know the Truth. Paul speaks: We know our old nature was crucified with Christ, that sin and its slavery are done away with. We know the love of Christ, which surpasses our comprehension, we know His bountiful grace, we know the power out-flowing from His resurrection, and we know what is the hope of His calling. James speaks: We know the testing of our faith produces patience and leads to our perfection. Our life in Christ is about discovering who we are in Him. God wants us to know.
AND YOU SHALL KNOW THE TRUTH
AND THE TRUTH SHALL MAKE YOU FREE
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