THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD

When we see man and woman in the garden eastward from Eden (Genesis 2:8) it was the best of times and it was the worst of times. It was the best of times when God would talk with man and even walk with him in the cool of the day (Genesis 3:8). After God created man He was constantly communicating and communing with man. God has always had a longing in His heart to be with man. God is ever building an eternal habitation for Himself in man (Ephesians 2:22). So God created man, planted a garden, and put man in it so that man could come to know his creator in a personal and intimate way. Many Christians like to believe the garden was about a perfect place a real paradise for man to frolic in; well it had nothing to do with a life of pleasure and ease Adam had in the garden, but everything to do with man coming to know a holy God, his creator. In Genesis Moses writes, “And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.” (Genesis 2:15) The word “dress” (Strong’s #5647) means to labor and work and the word “keep” (Strong’s # 8104) means to guard, observe, and to take heed. I believe Adam had no easy life in the garden he was working from sun up to sun down. Only the lazy and shiftless would want to believe Adam just played around all day. What would be better than coming to know God? After all God gave Adam and Eve all that they needed to survive, but they wanted more knowledge. Now that leads us to the worse of times for all of mankind. Sadly what Adam went after “knowledge” is what they lost. In Genesis we read, “And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.” (Genesis 3:7) The word “knew” (Strong’s #3045) means to gain knowledge and learn to know. Adam and Eve went after the knowledge to know and learn the things God had already given them and lost the knowledge of God. Man did not lose salvation nor did man lose the love of God for them, but what man lost was the knowledge of God and his way. Man lost his way back to the heart of the Father because of sin. We will read this truth in Romans. “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 23And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.” (Romans 1:21-23) And because of this (it is all about the choice we make) God rewarded man with, “Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: 25Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.” (Romans 1:24-25) Adam disobeyed God, “And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: 17But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” (Genesis 2:16-17) The death God was talking about was not a physical death, but the death that comes to us when we disobey God, when we do that which God tells us not to do, then we like Adam and Eve (and all who rebel against God’s word), “neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.” Adam had the potential to know God in a way that no other creature created by God could, but because of His disobedience He lost the knowledge of God (who God was intimately to him) and it seems Adam had no desire to gain that back. Adam seemed to be more satisfied with the things God created than God the creator. Adam’s heart seemed to be unworthy and his heart seemed to be filled with a huge emptiness of life’s detractions. This is so true for all of us. Isaiah said, “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; . . .’ (Isaiah 53:6) Like Adam when we are disobedient to God (and we know it like Adam and Eve when we are) we lose God’s way and turn to our way. When this happens (just like with Adam and Eve) our salvation can be lost if we never get back to God and make things right (confession and repentance) with Him and others if need be. At the heart of Adam and Eve’s salvation was the knowledge of God and in the garden they lost this knowledge. Man now needed God to set up an arrangement, some form of ritual worship by way of sacrifice to replace the knowledge they lost and for 1,000s of years man continued in this tradition until Jesus Christ made His appearance on the scene to be the supreme sacrifice for all of mankind and to be the conduit of the lost knowledge of God and a way back to the heart of the Father. For this to happen we must come to know the LORD, this is why I say one cannot be truly be saved unless we come to know God. Oh yes God will forgive us of our sins based on the work of Christ on the cross if we believe, but unless we really come to know God, unless we really posses the knowledge of God (who He is and how much He loves us) we will never ever experience salvation as God intends for us. My friend salvation is far more than just having our sins forgiven. Jesus prayed, “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. 4I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. 5And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.” (John 17:3-5) Did you get that? Eternal life is not living forever, but “that they might know thee the only true God.” Eternal life is knowing God. For us “eternal life” is finding what Adam lost in the garden, the knowledge of God. Many Christians believe God was angry with Adam and Eve and kicked them out of the garden because of their disobedience, but not so. The Bible tells us why Adam and Eve was driven out of the garden, “And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever: 23Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. 24So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.” (Genesis 3:22-24) In love God drove Adam and Eve from the garden so that they would not eat of the “tree of life” and live forever in this state of the loss of knowledge of God. It was not to punish them and most certainly not because He did not love them. It was outside the garden that led our way back to the heart of the Father. It was outside the garden God made a way for man to once again commune and communicate with God. In the next Chapter we read where God established a way to start to get back the knowledge that Adam lost. We read, “And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD. 2And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. 3And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD.” (Genesis 4:1-3) Sometime between getting driven out of the garden and Cain slaying Abel God established this process. Notice God was not angry with man God even talks with man to resolve some man-made problems, “And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother’s keeper? 10And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto me from the ground.” (Genesis 4:9-10) If God was angry He would not have found time to talk with man nor make a way to restore fellowship, but God loves man very much. No matter what man does or says God still loves man and will make a way to have communion with man. This wrong thinking is as bad as some Christians thinking God (the Father) forsook Jesus on the cross because of the sin He took on Himself. Many Christians believe God could not look at Jesus on the cross in sin so He turned His back on Him, well this does not make much sense because God (all time long) looks at our sin and the sin of the world. God did not forsake His Son Jesus on the cross I believe He was cheering Him on. God has never forsaken man (and He never will) so most certainly God would never forsake His own Son. Yes it is true on the cross Jesus did say, “My God my God why has thou forsaken me,” but these words come out from a place Jesus has never been before, a place of non-dependence on the Father. Jesus has always been dependent on the Father for everything, but now Jesus finds Himself doing completely what the Father has asked Him to do, His purpose to be the sacrifice for all of mankind. No longer is the process God established (way back before the fourth Chapter of Genesis) needed to reconcile man back to Himself. No longer is spilled animal blood good enough as a sacrifice required to restore the knowledge lost by Adam in the garden, because the King of kings and LORD of lords shed His blood once and for all and for all. Jesus became an equal member with the Father in the Trinity. Paul tells us talking of Jesus, “Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;” (Philippians 2:6-10) God never forsook Jesus He “highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:” I believe God (The Father) was up in heaven saying that is my Son in whom I am well pleased, die my Son so many may live. Die well my Son so I can give them a divine power, a hope, so that many people can come to the knowledge of Me again. Peter tells us, “According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: 4Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. (2 Peter 1:3-4) God has given us “all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him.” Did you get that? Through the knowledge of Him! In other words through the knowledge of God we have “all things” so that we “might be partakers of the divine nature” (who’s nature? God’s nature) so we can “escape the corruption that is in the world through lust.” The more of the knowledge we have of God the more of the worldly lust we will be able to escape. If we lack the knowledge of God like Adam then we shall only know things about earthly life and never come to eternal life which is God’s intention for us. Written by David Stahl

WALK THE LINE

The longer we go with the LORD the more we will discover (we do not find things in God we discover them) there is a very fine line we must walk between the world and the LORD. I do not know about you my friend, but I seem to cross the line over into the world more often than I would like to admit. I see myself time and time again getting over in areas and habits (I think in my understanding) not pleasing to the LORD, but it seems I cannot help myself. Too often I find myself snared by American politics and the social issues of the day, with the global politics and issues of the world, and even politics and issues of our local community. And issues of my character, well that will probably be the topic of many articles for the years to come. Now there is a line we must straddle and never cross over while we find ourselves in this world. The Bibles teaches us we are not of this world we are strangers (just passing through), this earth is not our home, but at the same time seemingly we are assaulted with every human emotion and desire (no matter how much God has worked in our lives) known to man. Now to be honest this walking the line is a most difficult thing to do. I know God is not setting us up for failure because in God there is no failure. On one hand we are to share the Gospel message while we stand clear of the other hand, the world and all that is in it. The reward for not standing clear is evident we will not be able to do the things God has called us to do and we never will be able to come to the completion God has purposed in our lives. What to do? We see this spiritual dichotomy play out in the Scripture time and time again. In 1 Samuel we read, “The LORD killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up. 7The LORD maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up.” (1 Samuel 2:6-7) At the same time “The LORD killeth, and maketh alive,” “he bringeth down to the grave and bringeth up,” and “he bringeth low and lifteth up.” Please notice the progression is being brought down to be brought up. This is God’s pattern of advancement down to go up because the way up is down. In the Gospel of John we read of this dichotomy, “And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified. 24Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. 25He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.” (John 12:23-25) Here the spiritual progression is down to fall into the ground and die so that we can lose our life “in this world” and then find our life “unto life eternal.” Amazingly, God provides for life while He seeks a certain death for Christians. The purpose of God is to bring the individual into a spiritual death to self. This is the only way He can bring His fullness of life into us. Death is sought! God brought the Israelites (Exodus 15:23) to a place where there was no water. They traveled three days into the Wilderness of Shur and found no water. "This is a death trap," they screamed. Indeed it is death (the cross) to the carnal man in order that the spiritual man may find his release in God. Water is good it is a necessity. What is wrong with having water? Yet God brought His people to a place of no water. Why does God often withhold the good? Because many Believers have never seen God as the good. Many Believers only see that which they want or need as the good. Sadly often Believers will see that which God provides as the good. Seemingly that which pleasantly affects the Believer’s life is always good. It is impossible for God to fulfill Himself in an individual who has filled himself with good things. James must have understood this when he wrote, "Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts." (James 4:3) Thus it is often necessary for God to remove some things and in some cases everything from a Believer in order that He may become everything to the Believer, again this dichotomy in action. As long as there is water (or things we want) we do not mind serving God. As long as God showers us with obvious spiritual and physical blessings we are zealous to serve Him. We love water we do not like to be thirsty. So here we stand wanting our own way, wanting what we want when we want it and our flesh just screams to live, but we know we must die spiritually (and maybe physically) so that the LORD can live through us. In Matthew Jesus tells us, “Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. 14Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. 15Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. 16Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:13-16) When are we the salt of the earth? When are we a light in darkness? At what point do we qualify for these titles? At our conversion to the LORD or maybe after years and years of walking with Him? I would think both at the same time and as we walk that fine line not straying into the world. The more we stray into the world the less of God is in us. The more we go after greater and greater technology, the Hollywood glamour of TV celebrities and music, sports idols, and the social ways of the world the less of God will be in us. John tells us, “Love not this world nor the things in it.” (1 John 2:15) Oh how I see myself at times loving the world maybe not in word, but often in deed knowing not to do or say something, but in the end I find myself doing it anyway. Oh our character! God is so concerned about our character even more than our ability to share the Gospel, money we give to further the Gospel, or going after a closer relationship with Him. Our intention should never be an emotional experience with God, but a knowledge and understanding of Him. Now all of these are admirable, but when it is all boiled down what is left is our obedience to Him and His word. The more we can pull our hearts out of this world and all of its distractions the more effective we will be for God serving as salt and light in this world. And God’s idea of us being salt and light in the world is so that we can help God bring people out of darkness and into the light whereby they too can “glorify your Father which is in heaven” is by evangelism and not by dead traditions of men, Sunday morning rituals, pious well-meaning religion, nor by denominations, but through one-on-one evangelism telling your family and relatives, neighbors, and even friends at work what Jesus Christ has done in your life and how much they too need Him in theirs, by “speaking the truth in love” as Paul tells us in Ephesians 4:15. A few days ago Vinnie “a good New York Catholic boy” and contractor for Lowes came by our home to do a measurement on replacing one main door and installing two storm doors, well we hit it off right from the start. I could see the love of the LORD in him as he smartly worked and as we talked. I could see a depth of understanding and knowledge gained by once walking in the musical world of New York City, but now projecting the love of God in a most appealing way through honesty, sincerity, and a personal example. Before he left he handed me a newsletter his wife Karen wrote to their large family and in it I read these words quoted from St. Edith Stein who died in a gas chamber in Auschwitz, Poland, “Do not accept anything as truth if it lacks love. And do not accept anything as love if it lacks truth. One without the other becomes a destructive lie.” How profound. I am sure both ladies have paid the price for these words and have learned them out from heartache and loss. We must always “speak the truth in love” no matter the cost if not then our brand of truth (our revelation and understanding of God) is not God’s truth. This line we must walk at times can get blurred, but if we have a heart for God in the end He will bring to us clarity for our soul. This was the case with King Solomon. No greater books in the Bible speak more to us about being careful (to take heed) to walk that fine line between the world and God’s will and ways for our lives than the Books of the Proverbs and Ecclesiastes. To me these books are red neon flags on how to live our lives; time and time again Solomon said do this or do that, be careful (take heed) of this type of person, this life-style, this kind of heart condition, but in the end we find Solomon did not listen to his own words. They could be stated from Solomon’s perspective; do as I say not as I do. Sadly Solomon got off the line and too far over into the world and it turned his heart from God and in the end Solomon’s testimony was, “Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all is vanity. 9And moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he gave good heed, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs. 10The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth. 11The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd. 12And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.” (Ecclesiastes 12:8-12) In the end Solomon “set in order many proverbs” in other words Solomon became what he said. This enabled him to be able to say, “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.” (Ecclesiastes 12:13) Is this not true? Is not the conclusion of all things, especially all things in our lives, what Solomon called our “whole duty” is to “fear God and keep his commandments.” If we can do these two things we will be more than able to stay on track, walk in His ways, and stay far right of the line. Written by David Stahl