John usually speaks in short and terse statements in his epistles. They are short yet profound. We find that here in regards to knowledge. How do we really know God? Like we saw from James last week the child of God is a doer and you can see his good works. Do we personally know God? Not speak or talk about God, but REALLY KNOW God. "And this is life eternal...."

John fought against knostisim (knowledge.) Knostics had an abstract knowledge of God and elevated themselves because of their knowledge. The knowledge of God is intuitive in a sense, but only as it is in our Lord Jesus Christ as we have the unction of the Holy One and the Spirit touches us and makes us know God. Personally and often times we ask how do we know that God's Word is true? (Hebrews 3) John faces this question straight on: "Hereby we know Him...." God reveals Himself to us in His Son. He shows Himself to us. Not as an intellectual decent. A nutritionist can tell you about a sandwich but a child can tell you about it also. Why the nutritionist explains all the components of that sandwich the hungry child experiences and knows full well what that sandwich does for his very hunger.

How do you know you are a child of God? How do you know God? Even as the devil taunts us, we are buffeted and we even from time to time question ourselves. John 5:9 "he that believeth on the Son of God...." The answer is very simple. We determine this in the way of obedience! Just show me your faith! John speaks in the negative to show this. The love of God in our hearts manifests itself in EVERY aspect of our life! In us is His love perfected. In us the love is perfected and is the very experience of the child of God! (Perfected means the goal is reached, the purpose is fulfilled.) The chief part of man or the goal is ALWAYS the glory of God. His praise and so His love is perfected in us! We know God as it shows us in His love, His mercy to us. It is in Christ, revealed to us and touching our hearts, preaching and binding on us sin, redemption, and thankfulness in us! Don't tell me how thankful we are but we hate our brother, God's commandments, etc. We love in that perfectness and God's love in us bears FRUIT! We love and live in our Christian freedom. Show me you love, your thankfulness, your life!

There is blessedness in the knowledge of God. Personally it becomes our ASSURANCE of our own salvation! We will also experience that eternal rest and perfectness (as God perfects it finally in Heaven) already now in the communion of saints (mutually forgiving, loving, and meeting each other at the cross) as WE love (the heart and soul of God's law) the brother and God.

Are you a child of God?