Jesus emphasizes that eternal life is to know God and Jesus Christ, not merely through intellectual understanding, but through a deep, intimate relationship akin to that of a husband and wife. Our destiny is to be the Bride of Christ, and He desires a Bride who shows enthusiasm to build this bond before the union. Christ warns against neglecting this relationship, as seen in His rejection of the foolish virgins with the words, I do not know you, and His rebuke to the lukewarm Laodiceans, promising to cast them out for their indifference. He seeks a connection that He knows will endure for eternity, viewing any lack of effort to open the door to Him as a serious warning sign. Building such intimacy with God and Christ requires prayer, a vital means to draw closer to Them. Through much prayer, we can shift our focus from material concerns to spiritual closeness, fostering a relationship through ongoing conversation with God. We are encouraged to approach the throne of grace boldly, seeking mercy, guidance, wisdom, healing, and provision for our true needs, claiming the promises God offers. The passion of David, who sought God early with a thirsting soul and was called a man after God's own heart, exemplifies the enthusiasm God desires in this relationship. Similarly, Daniel prioritized his connection with God through prayer, valuing it above even the threat of lions, demonstrating that communion with the Lion of Judah was a life-and-death matter to him. God and Christ long for us to know Them intimately and personally, providing prayer as the way to achieve this eternal bond, urging us to make ourselves ready for the Bridegroom's coming.

Holiness is the fruit of the relationship with God, knowing God, and applying His way in the practical circumstances of life. This process writes His laws in the heart. The gospel of the Kingdom of God provides the cause that motivates overcoming and produces living faith for right choices. God takes the initiative to reveal Himself and begin the relationship, yet the Bible is written so that effort is required to find Him. Digging into the Word as for silver and gold yields knowledge of His nature and way. This pursuit leads to intimacy with the Personality of Jesus Christ rather than mere technicalities. The consuming passion must be to know Him and the power of His resurrection while sharing His sufferings in order to be transformed into His likeness. Such intimacy requires setting aside time to seek God deeply, as David did when his soul panted after God. Life must be simplified and reordered around the first priority of seeking the Kingdom of God and His righteousness so that distractions do not lead to neglect of this great salvation. Active steps after repentance place something good in its place, and the relationship is strengthened when God is allowed to work through yielded lives as He did through Jesus Christ.

Eternal life consists in knowing God and Jesus Christ, a relationship that encompasses far more than endless existence and includes a quality of delight that makes living worthwhile. This knowledge entails approving of and taking delight in the object known, progressing to cherishing and intimate personal experience rather than detached awareness. God Himself demonstrates such delight by foreknowing those He will conform to the image of His Son and by blessing the righteous whose ways He intimately observes. The same term describes the closeness of marital union, indicating eagerness to understand specific details within a shared relationship. Such knowing engages the whole person—mind, heart, emotions, and actions—producing an emotional response of rejoicing and an eagerness to apply what is understood. It requires practical experience of God's instructions rather than mere familiarity with facts about Him. Obedience to those instructions reveals the reality of the relationship, while failure to live according to them demonstrates that genuine knowledge is absent. Josiah exemplified this knowledge by acting in justice and mercy as God would, whereas his sons, despite outward privilege, showed by covetous and oppressive conduct that they did not know Him. Thus knowing God manifests in faithful conformity to His ways, enabling shared fellowship and mutual trust. This experiential bond, cultivated through continual obedience and wholehearted involvement, constitutes the intimate relationship that defines eternal life.

Our great God desires a deep and intimate relationship with us, His called ones, as He molds us into the kind of wife He seeks. He views Himself as the husband of His people, as seen with ancient Israel, despite their repeated disrespect and idolatry that caused Him pain and heartache. Even though Israel was unfaithful, He expressed His longing to forgive and bless them, showing the depth of His love for us tiny humans who can hurt His feelings and dignity by our actions. He has called us to be the Israel of God, brought into a true and faithful relationship with His beloved Son. As His future wife, He looks to us not only as a virgin who will always bring Him honor and respect, but also for a closeness on a level that becoming one flesh between a husband and wife can only hint at on a spiritual plane. This intimacy is what becoming one with Him truly means. Eternal life, as He defined it, is to know the Father and the Son whom He sent, with the word "know" carrying the connotation of the deepest connection between a man and a woman, reflecting the most intimate act that includes real love, emotional desire, and mutual support to grow together in every good way. Our God has called us to be examples of the virtuous woman, showing not just obedience, but an intimate closeness to Him as our future husband. This personal intimacy with Him is indeed our ultimate purpose.