How We Know God

How do we know who God is? The Bible gives us two answers to that question. The first answer is found in the apostle Paul's letter to the Romans (Romans 1:19-20), "For what can be known about God is plain to them (mankind), because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and  divine nature have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made, so that they are without excuse."

Paul tells us that we can know true things about God because of the record he left of himself in creating the universe. We can see the power that is released in the burning of the sun, and the power of storms and the ocean, and we know that God, who created these things and controls them must have a greater power to be able to bring them into existense.

We can see the incredible creative power of God in the millions of created plants and animals. We can see the glory of God reflected in a sunrise. We can see the ethical nature of God reflected in mankind, who creates ethical and legal systems whereever he is found (even though mankind often breaks his own ethical rules.) We can see the love of God reflected in the love of parents for their children.

Although there is much that we can learn about God from creation, this knowledge cannot save us from our sin, it can only condemn us before God when we stand in judgment before him. This is why the apostle Paul says in Romans 1:20, "so that they are without excuse."

The record of creation does not tell us whether God is a savior, or what his plan of salvation would be. That is why there needed to be a further revelation of who God is. And God has given us this extended revelation of himself in Jesus Christ. This is what the apostle John says about that revelation in 1 John 5:20, "And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life."

Jesus is both man and God and that is why he was able to give us understanding of him who is true: God himself. If God were a language, and humans were another language, Jesus is the translation of God in a language we can understand.

Not only did Jesus cause our knowledge of who God is to grow in leaps and bounds, but by living a sinless life and being willing to die in our place as a payment of our sins on the cross, Jesus has also made it possible for us to be born again, so that we are in him who is true. Jesus promised us this in the gospel of John, chapter 14, verses 19 and 20, "Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.

Jesus hasn't just given us information about who God is, like creation does; he introduces us to a personal relationship with God. When we accept Jesus as our savior we begin an intimate relationship with God that is described as like that of a loving Father and his children. Because Jesus came we know him who is true personally!