Now this kind of title is bound to raise a few eyebrows much like the title “Prophesying about Prophecies” would do. Can we really prophesy about say Tribulation related prophecies contained in Rev 6-19 of the Bible? Yes, by simply prophesying with conviction that they would all come true! Similarly can we come to “know” more about the word “Know” as used in the Scripture? The answer is a resounding yes!
Boom! This subject assumes paramount significance especially in the wake of grim words Jesus has reserved to employ for some misguided Charismatic “servants” of God at the time of reckoning which would cause tumultuous shock to them…“I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.” (Matt 7:23).
What? An omniscient God (Pro 15:11/Heb 4:13) “not” knowing about some of His own professing Servants? Does it not go against all Canons of Spiritual logic based on the truthful Canon (Psa 119:142/160)? For an answer, let us aim to understand the meaning of the word “Know” in original Greek text. Incidentally for the English word “Know” there are three Greek words each describing the higher level of intimacy and knowledge of the subject concerned. Two of which, I would like to focus upon immediately, with the best (exposition of the third word) of course being reserved for the last!
Firstly, the Greek Word “Oidate”, used for instance, in John 7:28 (You know where I was born…) as also in Matt 20:22/24:42 conveys merely “superficial knowledge” akin to the English equivalent of “I see what you are saying.” By contrast, another Greek word, “Ginosko”, which is what is attributed to our Lord in the key scripture portion of Matt 7:23 means “knowing through personal experience”. This is also used in other Scripture portions like Luke 1:34, John 8:32, 10:14.
Now we are closer to nailing the truth as it were behind the truth in Matt 7:23. What the good Lord is actually saying is this: between that genre of His professing Servants and Him, there was never any “oneness of mind”. In other words, their priorities whilst purportedly doing Ministry in His Name influenced probably by self-seeking lust for fame, wealth or pleasures were never His. In short, they never knew Him well enough to align their priorities with His despite His many efforts to correct them, so much so that He had to abandon them to their errant ways. Dear Friends, the biggest punishment on this of Eternity ironically is not a chastisement bringing in its wake indescribable agony (a La Jonah in Sheol experience – Jonah 2), but the one when the Lord gives up a misguided soul to its own self-gratification ways…sad to say…even when “those ways” mean service ostensibly done selflessly in His Name (Rom 1:28). In case, if you are now you going through a painful disciplining process, Praise God for it for it means He is not willing to give up on you (Heb 12:5-11).
While on the subject, in this 4-part series we will be learning how to apply this paramount “knowing about knowing” concept to each of the three cardinal Christian Doctrines beginning with…Justification. Please join us on Thursday.
Prayer: Father, whatever be the cost, help me Your Child to know You better and better. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Suresh Manoharan,
Hyderabad, India
J and SM Ministries
(To access the entire “Knowing About Knowing” mini-series, please click here.)