Believers Should Have Personal Knowledge of Christ

Christ Triumphant - A Devotional by E.G. White

Believers Should Have Personal Knowledge of Christ

Today's Text: Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. 1 John 3:1

The Message:      How many today see Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world, as He is! How few know Him! How few know the Father! Everyone that knows Christ has a knowledge of the Father. To see Christ as He is is one of the greatest blessings that can ever come to fallen humanity; the precious Saviour, to see Him as He is! How many have partial views of Jesus Christ. How many acknowledge Him as the world's Redeemer, but they know Him not as a personal Saviour; and this is essential-the knowledge of God in Jesus Christ...      "And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself." What hope? Why, of seeing Jesus as He is, the living faith that lays hold of the arm of the infinite God, the living faith that takes Christ as our personal Saviour. Who knows Him as thus? All your casual views of Christ will not save a single soul. Do you know Him by the living connection of faith? ...      There was a wondrous work for Him to perform here when He came to our earth. Satan was having things about as he pleased. He claimed this earth's territory as his, the prince of the world. Christ came to dispute his power and his claim. Christ came to rescue the human race from his oppressive power.... The battlefield was right here in this little world; the conflict went on between the Prince of life and the powers of darkness. Which shall triumph? All the heavenly universe, the heavenly intelligences, were looking upon Christ and taking cognizance of the battle. Here was Christ disputing the authority of Satan, and Satan was following Him at every step, determined to overthrow Him with his temptations, determined that he would weary and exhaust the patience and forbearance of God for the human family so that he should be able to ruin every one of them....      Whatever may be your weakness, [however] compassed with infirmities, there is hope for you in God. Our precious Saviour came to save to the utmost every soul that will come unto Him.... To those who have their minds engrossed with earthly pleasures He comes and lifts the voice of warning, and He presents eternity to your view; He there opens before you heaven, the threshold lightened and brightened with His glory, and the glory streams through the open door. The door is ajar, thank God.-Manuscript 86, 1894.

Commentary: My friend, Jesus said "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16).  God sent His Son to die for all of humanity, and our salvation is dependent upon our personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  The life that was forfeited in Adam by his sin, is restored by the life of the Son of God.  Though He died for all of humanity, it is only by the His perfect life that we are saved.  "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent." (John 17:3). Our salvation is dependent upon our knowledge of God, and that knowledge comes from His Son, "For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;" (1 Timothy 2:5), and it is by the life of the Son of God, who became the Son of Man, lived here on this earth, that we are saved.  His life must become our lives, and this can only come by a personal knowledge of Him.  "And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life." (1 John 5:11, 12). Satan well knows that our salvation is dependent upon our knowledge of the One true God through His Son Jesus Christ, therefore he seeks to separate us from that knowledge.  He does this most effectively through the doctrine of the trinity, for it replaces the One true God for a triune god, that is made up of three individual god-beings that have assumed the titles of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  Because of this the Father is not truly a father, and the Son is not truly a son, making God a liar, for He said "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." (Matthew 3:17). The trinity separates us from the Son of God by introducing to us "God the Son", who is God first and Son second, meaning that he is not truly a son.  As we look unto this false representation of Jesus, we are disconnected from the true Son of God.  This is true in the church today for He is depicted as being on the outside of the hearts of His people, seeking to gain entrance.  He says "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." (Revelation 3:20). My friend, if you are worshiping God through the image of the trinity, you are not truly worshiping God, but are worshiping a counterfeit, and you are worshiping God in vain, for Jesus said "But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men." (Matthew 15:9).  Unless we turn from the false image of God in the trinity, we cannot truly be connected to God, for it is only by our connection with the true Son of God that we can be saved. May you heed the warning of Jesus and invite Him, the only begotten Son of God, into your heart today. God bless,

Video of the Week Triune God Triune Union - David Barron A threefold union coming together, what is the basis of this unity?  The Trinity.   We examine some of the recent calls for unity by leaders such as Pope Francis, Kenneth Copeland, Tony Palmer,   Rick Warren and others and we examine how history is repeating itself and how all of this fits into the present truth concerning Bible prophecy and relates to the three angels messages of Revelation 14.   There is a worship issue coming to a head and we need to have an understanding as to all the details concerning these issues. (2 Pet 1:19)  As well as how the final events of Bible prophecy are wrapping up and how we can help others see the light of how quickly these things are coming to pass.