WHAT CAN YOU KNOW? Devotion 27 of 32 "And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life." -- Tomorrow:
Here again is something KNOWN by the household of faith. It is an area of general knowledge, and will be known if we believe on the name of the son of God and love the brethren. It should be apparent to all that the coming of Jesus Christ initially (into the world), and in the life of faith, is pivotal in Scripture. Here is where our faith can be strengthened, and our hope made more firm. Already we have been reminded Jesus was sent into the world that "we might live through Him" (4:9). He was also sent into the world to be "the propitiation for our sins" (4:10), and to be "the Savior of the world." He was "manifested to take away our sins" (3:5), and to "destroy the works of the devil" (3:8). But there is even more!
Christ Jesus has a present ministry as well – one that is being executed in our behalf. It also is essential to our salvation. He is, for example, our "Advocate with the Father" (2:1). Presently, because He is alive for ever more, His blood "cleanses us from all sin" (1:7,9). This verse deals with the present ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is based upon the accomplishments of His atoning death, and destruction of the works of the devil – but it is going on right now.
THE SON OF GOD IS COME
Other versions read "the Son of God HAS come." The reference is NOT to Christ's earthly ministry and atoning death, as in previous references to His coming. This is a reference to what He is PRESENTLY doing. The idea of the words "has come" is this: HE IS HERE NOW WITH US. That is why I prefer the words "IS come." In salvation, Christ takes up residency in the believer. It is, after all, "Christ IN you" that is "the hope of glory" (Col 1:27). This indwelling is not a luxury, but is critical to our acceptance by God. In order for His indwelling to be permanent and effective, we are "strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man (in order) that Christ may dwell in our hearts by faith" (Eph 3:16-17. In that passage, the results of Christ dwelling with us confirms its indispensability.
1. Rooting and grounding in love (v 17).
2. Comprehending "the breadth, and length, and depth, and height" of salvation (v 18).
3. Knowing the love of Christ (v 19).
4. Being filled with all the fulness of God (v 20).
When our text says "the Son of God IS come," it is referring to this essential indwelling: i.e., He has come to dwell within us. This is the personal aspect of our salvation – the participatory part. The Spirit will now elaborate on why the Son of God IS come, and is resident within us.
HE HAS GIVEN US AN UNDERSTANDING
Jesus has come to make us spiritually intelligent – to make us knowledgeable according to the Spirit. This is a knowledge that yields certainty to the believer, giving him confidence to traffic in heavenly realms. It is a knowledge that can only be given by Jesus. It cannot be attained through human discipline, or with natural resources. It is as high above us as the heavens are above the earth (Isa 55:9).
THE INADEQUACY OF NATURAL KNOWLEDGE
This circumstance – Jesus coming to give us an understanding – confirms the inadequacy of natural knowledge. It is not that God gave us His Word, and we figure it all out with our minds. I realize some entertain this view, but it is still wrong. We need a Teacher – a heavenly Teacher! Those who deny this necessity are simply wrong. Someone must come and "GIVE us an understanding." If this were not the case, Jesus would not have come to do precisely that – "give us an understanding." It is still true, "But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned" (1 Cor 2:14). This is confirmed by the failure of the world's religious "princes" to recognize the Lord of glory. Even though they were disciplined students of Scripture, when confronted with the incarnate Word, they "crucified the Lord of glory" (1 Cor 2:8).
Even after we have been "born of God" and possess a new nature, we still must be taught by the Son of God. In fact, that is integral to salvation itself. The "natural man" does not even have the capacity to be taught by Jesus, and the new creation MUST be taught by Jesus! It must acquire an understanding from the Son of God.
NOT A STRANGE CONCEPT
This is not a strange concept. Elsewhere, the Spirit speaks of the effective teaching of the Son of God. "This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. But ye have not so LEARNED CHRIST; if so be that ye have heard him, and have been TAUGHT BY HIM, as the truth is in Jesus" (Eph 4:17-21). Jesus' most effective teaching is now taking place from within the saints of God.
Notice the closing sentence of this text! After affirming that Jesus is come to give us an understanding, in order that we might "know Him that is true," the Spirit adds, "THIS IS THE TRUE GOD, AND ETERNAL LIFE." An understanding of the true God does not come from studying nature or archaeological finds. This is an understanding administered by the Lord Jesus Himself, the Divinely appointed Expositor of God. Jesus Himself affirmed, "neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him" (Mat 11:27). The understanding, of knowledge of God, that is ministered by Jesus is nothing less than eternal life. Jesus confirmed this in His prayer on the even of His betrayal. "And this is life eternal, that they might know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent" (John 17:3). ETERNAL LIFE! ETERNAL LIFE!
PRAYER POINT: Father, in the name of Jesus, give me ears and a heart to hear Your appointed Teacher.