Page 10 - Bible Doctrines II w videos short

Study Section 2: Ability to Know God the Father and His Character

2.1 Connect.

In the Greek language, there are sometimes two or three words for every one word in English.
For example, our word, “love” can mean a lot of things, but we basically use the one word to
communicate affection. But in Greek they have five words for “love” depending on the intensity
and kind of love or friendship being described. The same is true for the verb, “to know.” One
word means to know in your mind. In other words, to know intellectually or to understand. If
someone has cancer, we can read about the symptoms and cures in a book and know all about the
disease. Another word in Greek for “to know” means to know experientially. This knowledge is a deep
understanding because you have experienced what you know. In this case, a person who has had
cancer really “KNOWS” the disease. It involves the whole man, mind, body and spirit.

The Bible says we can know God, not just intellectually, but experientially. We can have a relationship
with Him daily. As Adam walked in the Garden daily with God, so can we. In this section, we will learn
to what extent we can know God the Father and how possible can that be.

2.2 Objectives.

1. Students should be able to describe the steps on how we can know God the Father.

2. Students should be able to explain how much of God can we know.

3. Students should be able to identify and describe the incommunicable attributes of God.

2.3 Ability to Know God and His Character (Incommunicable Attributes).

God must Reveal Himself.

If human beings were to know God, God must reveal Himself. And that is exactly what He has
done. Why is God’s revelation necessary to us? First, we need to know God as revealed from
the scriptures. According to Romans 1:18-19, the reason for God to show His wrath is active, willful, and
prideful rejection of God even after exposing Himself to people in order for Him to be known.

With regard to the personal knowledge of God the Father found in salvation, this idea of God’s exposure
of Himself to us is even more clear. In Matthew 11:27, evangelist Matthew teaches us that no man can
know God the Father without the approval of both God the Father and God the Son.

Apostle Paul summarizes the necessity of God’s revelation to us really well; “For since, in God’s wisdom,
the world did not know God through wisdom, God was pleased to save those who believe through the
foolishness of what is preached” (1 Cor. 1:21 [CSB]). Paul shows us that the personal knowledge of God
the Father cannot be found through human attempt or any kind of wisdom. It cannot be bought nor
stolen from someone. There are no short cuts in acquiring this knowledge. Neither can it be inherited
from someone.

9