Playlist:

playlist Go to the Knowing God and Obedience (topic) playlist

Filter by Categories

Getting To Know God

Sermonette by

Under the New Covenant, as prophesied in Jeremiah 31:33-34, the Lord declares that He will put His law into the inward parts of His people and write it in their hearts. He will be their God, and they shall be His people. No longer will they need to teach one another to know the Lord, for all shall know Him, from the least to the greatest, as He forgives their iniquity and remembers their sins no more. This intimate knowledge of God is a cornerstone of the New Covenant, opening access to Him in a way that was not possible under the Old Covenant, where God was perceived as distant and unapproachable. In John 17:3, Jesus emphasizes that eternal life is to know the only true God and Jesus Christ, whom He has sent. This underscores the importance of moving beyond merely knowing about God to truly knowing Him intimately. The New Covenant facilitates this by allowing us to experience life with Him, transforming theology into heartfelt religion and doctrine into lived facts, so that faith may blossom. From God's perspective, as seen in Matthew 7:21-23, not everyone who calls upon Jesus as Lord will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only those who do the will of His Father. Many will claim to have done great works in His name, yet He will declare that He never knew them, calling them workers of iniquity, which is lawlessness. This reveals that knowing God is a mutual relationship; we must know Him, and He must know us, which comes through obedient submission to His requirements. Obedience is essential to this relationship, for without sharing God's standards, we cannot experience life as He does, and thus cannot come to know Him. As David writes in Psalm 34:8, we are invited to taste and see that the Lord is good, experiencing life in communion with Him through study, prayer, meditation, and obedience. This process of tasting allows us to take God into ourselves, strengthening and changing us as we intensify our community with Him, recognizing Him as a person with character, personality, and unimaginable power.

Do You Really Know God?

Sermon by Clyde Finklea

Knowing God is a profound and intimate relationship, one that requires more than mere acknowledgment of His existence. Many claim to know God, but the critical question remains: does God know them? Jesus warns in His parables that not everyone who calls out "Lord, Lord" will enter the kingdom, for many are called, but few are chosen. He emphasizes that He does not know those who practice lawlessness, unrighteousness, and iniquity, despite their claims of familiarity with Him. To truly know God means to experience Him intimately, as depicted in the imagery of a husband and wife, a groom and bride, reflecting the deep bond between God and His people. Obedience is inseparable from knowing God. Jesus declares that if we love Him, we must keep His commandments. Without obedience, there can be no genuine love for God, for all unrighteousness is sin, and all of God's commandments are righteousness. God reveals Himself as a God of lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, exercising these traits in the earth with unwavering standards. He is straight, just, and consistent, never compromising His laws. As His people, we are called to reflect these same characteristics, growing in grace and knowledge to embody His holy, righteous character. To be known by God, we must strive diligently, making every effort to supplement our faith with virtue and to practice righteousness. This striving is a struggle against adversaries and a fervent labor to align with His will. We must exercise lovingkindness toward one another, maintain proper judgment, and remain steadfast in obedience, just as He does not waver. Though we may fall short in weakness, we do not practice sin but repent and continue on the path of righteousness, resisting the wearing down by the adversary who seeks to weaken us in these perilous times. By knowing God through obedience and intimate relationship, we can be assured that He knows us, and we will persevere through the narrow gate.

Assurance That We Know Him!

Sermon by Martin G. Collins

If we know God, we no longer have the feeling that God is against us; we have no dread of God, but instead have awe and respect; we know that God loves us.

Israel's Missing Characteristics of God

Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)

Faithfulness is living continually by faith, acting even though doing so may cost us. Love is not primarily a feeling, but faithfulness in applying God's Word.

Seeking God's Will (Part Five): Goodness

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

God employs goodness when He shakes us out of complacency and directs us toward repentance. God's goodness is there to take advantage of if we trust Him.

Image and Likeness of God (Part Five)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

The true nature of God differs greatly from the trinitarian concept. Having created us in His form and shape, God is developing us into His character image.

Glorifying God

Sermon by John O. Reid

We have been called for the purpose of glorifying God by totally changing our lives, conforming to His character and image.

Seeking God's Will (Part One): Holiness

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

Determining the will of God is difficult to do unless we know the character of God. Holiness is the foundation for all of the other traits of God.

I Never Knew You

Sermon by Martin G. Collins

The flesh can counterfeit spiritual attributes, mimicking genuine spiritual gifts. Some pastors have preached the truth, but from an insincere motivation.

He Who Overcomes

Sermon by John O. Reid

It is not profitable to focus on the place of safety or the specific time of Christ's return, but instead to make the best use of our time to overcome.

A Priceless Gift

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

God's people are the precious jewels (or the private, personal possessions) of God, obligated to conform exclusively to His will and purpose.

The Needed Dimension

Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

Unless we humbly submit before God, all of His efforts go for naught. God will not give His Spirit to those who will not obey Him.