“Do you know Jesus?” The words were out of my mouth before I even saw them coming. It was a Sunday morning, and I was passing out snacks with tracts at a few places on my way to church. The man I was addressing at that moment was pumping gas, and his expression told me that he had tried Christianity in the past but was currently not living it. I smiled, handed him the snack, and started to walk away. He called after me, “Hey! Everybody knows Jesus.” “Yeah,” I said. “But does Jesus know you?” This was an exchange that I have really pondered since that day. After all, the Bible is clear. There are only two kinds of people in this world. Those who know God and those who don’t. Here are the Bible verses that explain the differences between the two.
THOSE WHO KNOW GOD
Keep God’s commandments.
“And hereby we do know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.”
1 John 2:3
Are strong and do great works for God.
“And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.”
Daniel 11:32
Recognize and know God as the only God through Jesus Christ.
“And this is life eternal, that they might know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent.”
John 17:3
Are at peace.
“Acquaint now thyself with Him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee.”
Job 22:21
Seek God.
“Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord: His going forth is prepared as the morning; and He shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth.”
Hosea 6:3
Hear God’s messengers, love, and are born of God (born again).
“We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error. Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.”
1 John 4:6-7
Have a saving knowledge of God whether old in wisdom, strong in maturity, or new in the faith.
“I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known Him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father.”
1 John 2:13
Understand and know the character of God as loving, just, and righteous.
“Thus saith the Lord, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches. But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth Me, that I am the Lord which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the Lord.”
Jeremiah 9:23-24
Have God’s law on their hearts and God as their God.
“But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be My people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know Me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”
Jeremiah 31:33-34
Have resurrection power through the Holy Ghost, experience fiery trials, and conform themselves to Christ.
“That I may know Him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death.”
Philippians 3:10
Know Jesus.
“If ye had known Me, ye should have known My Father also: and from henceforth ye know Him, and have seen Him.”
John 14:7
Receive the revelation directly from Jesus.
“All things are delivered unto Me of My Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal Him.”
Matthew 11:27
“And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know Him that is true, and we are in Him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.”
1 John 5:20
Are Known by God.
“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
THOSE WHO DO NOT KNOW GOD
Are slaves to idols.
“Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods.”
Galatians 4:8
Have a defiled conscience, are disobedient, and deny God with their deeds.
“Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled. They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.”
Titus 1:15-16
Are ignorant about what the Lord has done for His people.
“All that generation also were gathered to their fathers; and there arose another generation after them who did not know the Lord, nor yet the work which He had done for Israel.”
Judges 2:10
Do not love.
“The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.”
1 John 4:8
Make a practice of sinning.
“Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen Him, neither known Him.”
1 John 3:6
Do not love and respect God’s children.
“Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.”
1 John 3:1
Do not keep God’s commandments.
“The one who says, “I have come to know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.”
1 John 2:4
Persecute God’s children.
“They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service. And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor Me.”
John 16:2-3
Don’t acknowledge or submit to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
“In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
2 Thessalonians 1:8
Don’t refrain from sin or behave honorably.
“For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication. That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour. Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God.”
1 Thessalonians 4:3-5
THOSE WHOM GOD KNOWS
Love God.
“But if any man love God, the same is known of Him.”
1 Corinthians 8:3
Hear God’s voice.
“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.”
John 10:27
Were known by God all along and chosen for a purpose.
“Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.”
Jeremiah 1:5
Are attended to by God.
“O lord, thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether.”
Psalm 139:1-4
Belong to God.
“Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are His. And, let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.”
2 Timothy 2:19
“And I will give them an heart to know Me, that I am the Lord: and they shall be My people, and I will be their God: for they shall return unto Me with their whole heart.”
Jeremiah 24:7
Are in a relationship with God.
“I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.”
John 10:14-15
THOSE WHOM GOD DOES NOT KNOW
Will be rejected by Him.
“Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name? and in Thy name have cast out devils? and in Thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from Me, ye that work iniquity.”
Matthew 7:22-23
THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD
Is tied to grace.
“Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord.”
2 Peter 1:2
“But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To Him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.”
2 Peter 3:18
Is desirable.
“Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,”
Philippians 3:8
“O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are His judgments, and his ways past finding out!”
Romans 11:33
Can be found if you seek it.
“My son, if thou wilt receive My words, and hide My commandments with thee. So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding. Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding. If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures, then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.”
Proverbs 2:1-6
Comes by revelation.
“That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him.”
Ephesians 1:17
Can be increased.
“That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God.”
Colossians 1:10
Is a future hope.
“Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.”
Ephesians 4:13
“And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.”
Hebrews 8:11
THOSE WHO HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE OF GOD
Are at odds with God
“Hear the word of the Lord, ye children of Israel: for the Lord hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land.”
Hosea 4:1
Are a shame.
“Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.”
1 Corinthians 15:34
To Know God is to Be Known By Him
Knowing God means being known by Him. It’s a relationship. Just like knowing who Joe Biden is won’t get you past security into the White House, knowing who Jesus is won’t get you into Heaven. There are lots of people who THINK they know God. They know about Him from what other people say and what they have read, but they don’t serve Him as Lord. Romans 1:21 says, “For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened.”
To truly know God is to have an experience with Him. Once we come into real contact with God, we can’t remain the same. He changes us from what we were before to someone more and more like Him. But even being in a relationship with God doesn’t mean we can even come close to understanding who He is. Job 36:26 says, “Behold, God is exalted, and we do not know Him; the number of His years is unsearchable.” But it’s the learning, the getting to know Him that is our joy and privilege as children of God. 1 Corinthians 13:12 says, “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.” One day, we will be in His glorious presence and know Him more. And oh, what a day that will be!
If you want some ideas to spread the gospel with snacks and tracts, try 70 Ideas to Spread the Gospel with Food. Or, if you like articles that are heavy on Bible verses, try One Condition for the Promises of God. It’s a list of all the “Wills” and “Shalls” of God that are all available to us when we fulfill one little condition. Please make sure to subscribe via email in the upper right-hand corner. Also, check out my YouTube channel in which I read the blogs out loud. I also have a playlist of hymns from my church.
So true. He is our only hope. Thanks so much for the comment!