1 John 2:3-4 -- On Knowing God

"And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him."
1 John 2:3-4


I think this is interesting, because it tells us exactly how to get to know God, and that we are kidding ourselves if we claim to know him otherwise. The verses after this talk about learning to love the way he loves, and knowing that we are in him, which are also good hints about learning to become one, but this part about just plain trying to keep the commandments is the first step. Too often we think that just acknowledging God's existence is enough. And admittedly, that is a huge first leap, possibly for all of us, when we get a first testimony and know that he lives. What we do with that knowledge afterward is important as well though. Conversion and baptism are only the first steps of the gospel. If that is all there is, and we don't go farther, it is like going to an amazing city, but staying in the airport. Can we really say that we know the city that way?

God wants to teach us so many things. Today, let's try this advice and start keeping his commandments more fully, and see how that improves our lives and our knowledge of him. Prayer in the morning makes the day better. Reading our scriptures opens our minds to applying those verses to our lives. Every commandment helps us in some way, and also draws us closer to God and allows us to more easily feel the influence of the Spirit. Let's learn to know God more perfectly in our lives, and we'll start feeling his presence and his blessings more fully in our lives as well.