Four Things God Does Not Know
Dear Follower of the Narrow Path,
Here's the outline of a sermon that my friend, Rev. Dr. Bill Duke, shared with me forty years ago. I intended to flesh it out with illustrations and preach it, giving him credit, but somehow, I could never follow through. Maybe you or someone you know can use this outline.
Four Things God Does Not Know
The Bible teaches that the all-powerful, all-knowing God who created the universe knows everything about us, even before we were born:
He (God) chose us in him before the creation of the world—Ephesians 1:4
You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise, you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue, you, Lord, know it completely.
For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, and I know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.—Psalm 139:1-4, 13-16
Yet … despite God's supernatural knowledge of his world, there are four things the almighty, all-knowing God does NOT know!
1. God does Not know ANY person whom He does not love:
God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.—Jesus: John 3:16, 17
2. God does Not know ANY sin He does not hate:
There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands there is no one who seeks God. All have turned away … for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.—Romans 3:10-12, 23
Indeed, the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God.—Isaiah 59:1,2
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.—Romans 6:20
3. God does NOT know a better plan of rescuing, saving, and rebuilding us than the plan he has already established by sending His son, Jesus Christ, to be our sin-punishment bearer:
God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people's sins against them … We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.—2 Corinthians 5:19-21
You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person, someone might dare to die. But God demonstrates his love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.—Romans 5:6-8
Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on them.—Jesus: John 3:36
4. God does NOT know a better time than right now to accept by faith Jesus Christ as your personal Rescuer and sovereign Leader:
There is one God and one mediator between God and humankind, Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people.—1 Timothy 2:3-6
God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement by shedding his blood—to be received by faith. —Romans 3:25
Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they will be with me.—Jesus: Revelation 3:20
Whoever comes to me, I will never drive away.—John 6:37
How to Connect with God So You Can Know Him Personally
Here are some suggested steps to take if you'd like to link up with God in a personal way and become a follower of Jesus Christ:
Step 1: Admit to yourself and to God that you've broken some of his laws and not lived up to his expectations of you, nor have you lived up to your own expectations of yourself.
Try saying, "Dear God, I'm sorry for not living up to my expectations for myself, for falling short of your expectations for me, and for disobeying some of your laws."
Step 2: Thank God for sending his Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross in your place and suffer the separation and hell that you deserve.
Try saying something like, "God, I don't understand a lot of what you've done by sending Your son, Jesus, to be executed for my wrongs, but thank you for doing that. I accept your gift of complete forgiveness by faith. I'm grateful for your love."
Step 3: Invite Jesus Christ to come into your life and be your new Life Manager.
Try saying something like,
Lord Jesus, thank you for dying on the cross so my sins can be forgiven. Please come into my life and be my guide, friend, and ruler. By faith, I'm trusting that you're now in my life. Even though I know I'll probably mess up a lot of times as I follow you, I will try my best to obey you as my new commander.
God's Assurances of Your New, Permanent Relationship with Him
If you prayed these prayers, please remember these promises from the Bible, God's written promises to you:
God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. —John 3:16
Whoever comes to me, I will never drive away.—John 6:37
Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.—Hebrews 13;5
I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.—1 John 5:13
For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.—Jeremiah 29:11
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen and help you.—Isaiah 41:10
After you've decided to turn your life over to Christ and after reading these Bible promises, please ask God to guide you to someone with whom to share your new decision.
Welcome to God's forever family! God bless you as you grow in your faith!
Respectfully,
Dr. Jim Stout