We might well say that “relationship” is the key word in true religion. In this permissive age we must quickly define what we do not mean by relationship. Today there are many types of illicit relationships that are doing great harm to humanity. We are certainly not talking about these.
Let us hasten to define the Bible’s saving and redeeming relationship as one that is good, holy, pure, loving, personal, spiritual and eternal. Perhaps there are even some other words that would help us describe it.
The truth is that through the ages God has been seeking a relationship with humanity and humanity has been seeking a relationship with God. Because of the fall into sin, humans are quite unable to establish a relationship with God. Instead, they have ended up with various idols which they think are made in God’s image but are not. God alone must instigate the saving relationship. God must draw us into relationship. I remember a little chorus we used to sing that was written long ago by Ira Sankey:
Draw me draw me, draw me blessed Savior,
into thy presence let me see your face.
Draw me draw me, draw me blessed Savior,
Lord I can come to you by your great grace.*
It is God through Jesus who draws us into relationship. Jesus said: “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day” (Jn. 6:44). Jesus also said: “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself” (Jn. 12:32). In the last analysis it is the Cross of Christ that really draws humanity.
WHAT IS RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD?
Relationship with God is knowing him or being acquainted with him. The Scripture says: “Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent” (Jn. 17:3). Long ago some foolish maidens sought to enter into the wedding feast of the Lord, but he replied, “…Truly I tell you, I don’t know you” (Matt. 25:12). In Matthew 7:21-23, several people came to Jesus with some seemingly sterling qualifications, but again he said to these, “…I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!” (v. 23). Simply, we must have a personal relationship with the Lord. As the old saying goes, “It is not who you are, but who you know that counts.” We must understand the biblical concept of “knowing.” It is certainly not some casual acquaintance. The Bible scholar, R. T. France says, “‘Know’ in the Old Testament is much more than a mental acquaintance; it is an intimate relationship.” **
I remember an incident many years ago when the President of the US came for a visit in Israel. Representatives from several Christian groups were invited to the reception and the director of our organization was asked to attend along with a representative from our church. The two went and waited anxiously in the long reception line with all the dignitaries from Israel. Finally the President arrived and in time came down the line to the church representative. There he stopped. They continued in warm conversation for some time. Israeli dignitaries and everyone else in line were wondering who this person was who was taking up so much of the President’s time. As it turned out, the two had gone to grade school together and were close friends. There is nothing quite like being known personally.
THE WAY TO KNOW GOD
We can only know God through his Son, Jesus Christ. This has been called the scandalizing exclusivity of Jesus. This information is almost unthinkable to our pluralistic age but it is nevertheless true. The gospel proclaims that the Eternal God sent his divine and only Son to this earth to live as a human being. He came as our example and our Savior. He came as the bridge to connect fallen humankind with God. Although he was and is the Son of God, the human race rejected him. Even his own dear people the Jews rejected him and caused him to be crucified. Through his saving life, death and glorious resurrection he made the relationship with God once again possible for everyone who would believe.
The simple truth is that he is the way and the only way to God. Jesus would say, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (Jn. 14:6). Peter would say in Acts “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). Simply, there is no other way to God except through Jesus.
Now, practically speaking how can we get acquainted with Jesus? It is really a very simple process of admitting our sinfulness (1 Jn. 1:9), repenting of it (Acts 2:38), and asking Jesus to save us. The Bible says, “…Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Rom. 10:13). Then of course we take him as the Lord and Master of our lives. Even little children can follow this simple way of salvation.
WHAT WILL BE THE RESULTS OF THIS RELATIONSHIP
When one enters into a relationship with Jesus that person suddenly knows God the Father and at the same time receives the Holy Spirit of God into his or her life. That changes everything! Such a one suddenly has a total and complete forgiveness of sins and begins to walk in a newness of life. That person is immediately filled with joy and overflows with a divine peace (Acts 10:43; Rom. 6:4; 1 Pet. 1:8; Jn. 14:27).
There are several things that should happen to one who has gained a relationship with God. Those who have a relationship with God will be found talking to God on a regular basis through daily and sometimes hourly prayer. The Bible challenges us to “pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thess. 5:17-18). Those who have a relationship with God will be found loving God and loving his way. The Bible says: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength” (Mk. 12:30). Those who have a relationship with God will be found loving and reading his word, the Bible. The Psalmist said: “Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long. Your commands are always with me and make me wiser than my enemies” (Psa. 119:97-98).
Those who have a relationship with God will be found fellowshipping with his people, the church. It is said today that the average Christian in the US attends church about twice a month. This is a far cry from some churches in the developing world whose pastors beg people not to attend regularly so that others might have room to come and be able to hear the gospel. The Bible gives us this command about church meetings. It says that we should be found, “not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another— and all the more as you see the Day approaching” (Heb. 10:25).
There is another aspect of knowing God. To know him is to share in the suffering of Jesus. The sinful world will not only reject Jesus but it will reject anyone who claims to know and serve him. In other words, there is a cross to bear for all Christians. Paul once said: “I want to know Christ— yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead” (Phil. 3:10-11).
Last of all, those who have a relationship with God will show it in their everyday lives. They will be found doing God’s work and loving others who are made in his image. When Jesus gave the greatest commandment he added something to it: “‘…Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” (Lk. 10:27).
One of the big problems today with our Darwinian ethics is that people (our neighbors) are no longer considered to be made in the image of God, but rather are considered to have originated by pure chance from some primeval soup, of which there is absolutely no evidence in science.** * Naturally, if we believe that humanity originated from slime it would be normal to treat other humans in a slimy fashion as is often being done today.
A true relationship with God changes all that. In fact, it changes everything. It changes our lives on earth, our hopes, plans and dreams as well as our eternal destiny.
-Jim Gerrish
Publication date, 2019
*www.traditionalmusic.co.uk/ira-sankey/draw-me-ira-sankey.htm
** R. T. France, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries, Vol. 1 (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press,1985),
p. 203.
***Michael Denton, Evolution A Theory In Crisis, (Bethesda, Maryland: Adler & Adler, Publishers, Inc., 1985), p. 352.