Knowing God versus Knowing About God

In the previous essay we saw the importance of theology and the pivotal place it occupies in a Christian’s life. I shall quickly summarize the main points of the last essay before moving on to the current topic. Theology is too important to be locked inside seminaries, and theological understanding is not meant exclusively for the clergy, but for the laity as well. It’s the job of the clergy to teach the laity and not hide theological knowledge from their congregation. Theology is the study of God, and since nothing can be more ultimate than God, theology is the ultimate intellectual discipline. Nothing can be compare with it or even come close to it in significance. Every other field of study is merely child’s play when contrasted with theology. Theology is the only discipline which can wield and exercise exhaustive authority regarding all of reality, because it deals with revelation from God. God alone defines and gives meaning to all that exists since He created all of it. This is God’s universe and only His interpretation of reality is true. He sets the rules and we play by it. If we invent our own or redefine His rules according to our convenience, we are bound to see terrible repercussions of it in eternity.

In this essay, I will critique in detail the false distinction some have brought up between knowing God and knowing about God. Though this sounds very pious-sounding, when we strip it rationally and analyze it from the vantage point of Scripture, we will see that it is nothing but intellectual laziness and irrationality masquerading as spirituality. We will do an exegesis of 2 Peter 1:2-3 and Romans 12:1-2 to build up our case.

Now, it is the duty of theology to systematize the knowledge God has revealed in the Bible. It is authoritative to the extent it reflects Scripture and does not contradict it. By theology, I am referring exclusively to the discipline which has the Bible (Old and New Testaments) and the Bible alone as its foundation. The content of its worldview (that is, the Biblical/Christian worldview) is the propositions of the Scripture and all those validly deduced from them. Every other system of thought which competes for attention in the philosophical marketplace is false since it is not based on revelation from the true and living God.

Since God has revealed Himself in the Bible, it is our task to diligently gain knowledge about Him. This is done by making meticulous efforts to study and understand Scripture. And this is hard work. It is not like reading a comic strip or flipping through a novel. When we study theology, our minds are consciously stretched to the limit; for what can stretch our thinking as much as the study of God? God has given us information about Him in the Bible. This is accessible to every Christian. So, to know God means to study Scripture. One cannot know God without knowing Scripture. This is important to understand. Thus, if one is bankrupt in biblical knowledge, he (or she) does not know God, no matter how emotionally they pray, how much they enjoy “action songs” or, how much excited they are about evangelism, “praise and worship” or something else. If you don’t know your Bible, then just SHUT UP. Stop deluding yourself thinking you know God when you do not know Scripture. Repent of your irreverence and return to being an obedient student of the Bible. You cannot know God without knowing His Word.

Theology defines, explains, and clarifies what God has revealed. Any professing believer can ignore theology at his or her own peril. Theology refers to the study of God from what he has revealed to us in Scripture. This involves rational thinking with God’s revelation as our foundation. That is, we reason based on revelation.

But, giving in to the unbiblical, anti-Christian attitude of anti-intellectualism, many professing Christians assert that there is a distinction between knowing about God and knowing God. To them, studying theology would mean that we would only know “about” God. And apparently, according to these characters, this is not enough. We must “actually” know God. Something more than just studying theology is needed. Theology cannot apparently bring one into a “personal relationship” with God. Theology is as dry as dust. Only a “relationship” with God is dynamic, active and real. Thus they deride and rant against theology.

Anti-intellectualism is such a phenomenon in today’s evangelical “Bible-believing” community that it is as familiar as the air we breathe. It is a rarity to find an evangelical who stresses the importance of the intellectual dimension in spiritual growth. If such a godly preacher is there, he will be persecuted and ridiculed by ignorant and immature Christians. At one point in time, Christianity was accused of being “too intellectual.” Today, it is synonymous with irrationalism and credulity. The church is the “pillar and foundation of truth” (1 Timothy 3:15). We are custodians of God’s truth and it is our most important duty and delight to study and understand it. We ought to preach and defend it to the unbelieving world. Many professing Christians are so excited about God’s love, mercy, patience, grace and so on, but are not at all bothered (let alone be excited) by God’s truth. Why? If God is not truth, then none of these things about Him would be true. Truth is the starting point. Gordon Clark says, “Since God is truth; hatred for truth is hatred for God.” It is as simple and sharp as that.

Coming back to the distinction between knowing about God and knowing God, what is the difference? Is it possible to know God without knowing about Him? And likewise, is it possible to know about God without knowing Him? What is the difference? A common example that is used to differentiate is about how well one “knows” a certain someone who is popular. A certain classmate in school mentioned to me about this: “I know about George Bush; but I don’t know him. On the other hand, I just don’t know about Nishanth. I know him.” So according to him, one can know about someone and not know him. Likewise, one can know someone and not know about him.

This is simply nonsensical. If you say you know me, it means that you know some facts about me. That I am a male; that I am passionate about Christian theology; that I am a medical student, and so on. You cannot know me without knowing something about me in the first place. Of course, you may not know me personally. You might have received this information from a second or third person, but it does not mean that the knowledge you have of me is any less real. You might not have met or talked with me, but that does not mean that what you know about me is false or unreal. I might not have shook hands with George Bush, have had breakfast, or played golf with him. But that does not translate into meaning that the knowledge I have about George Bush that he is a man, that his wife is Laura Bush, and that he is the President of the USA is false.

Some anti-intellectual characters say that “personal relationship” with God is what matters, and not studying theology. But without theology, one cannot know which God (?god) you are speaking about. Even the relationship with this “god” will remain undefined apart from theology. If this “personal relationship” is substituted for belief in propositional truth, there is no reason not to commit passionately to a demon. Even Satan has a very “personal relationship” with God. He hates God and his hatred is very personal. This “personal relationship” sounds very romantic and mushy-mushy, but it is plain silly and makes no sense until it is explained who we are having a relationship with and why.

If I were to ask you a question “Do you know X?” how would you answer me? You would begin by telling me facts about that person – even if X is your son or spouse. Yes, you know them personally – that is, you talk and interact with them first hand. You would be stupid if you say that you know them, but do not know something about them, for knowing someone means knowing something (if not everything) about them. One cannot know someone without knowing something (or knowing all that you can know) about them. In fact, a collection of facts about someone amounts to knowing someone. If you know someone, you have to know about them in the first place. You cannot know someone without knowing some facts about them. Thus, when it applies to our spiritual life, we cannot know God without knowing about God. If you do not know about God – by studying theology – you simply do not know God. Theology is the study of the Bible, and there is no better or “personal” way to know God than studying theology.

Let us now briefly analyze what the term “personal relationship” means. In any relationship, there has to be an exchange of information and intellectual content. Without this, there is nothing left to the “relationship.” It is impossible for two people to communicate with each other without the mutual transfer of thought between them. Thought is communicated in the form of propositions. A proposition refers to a statement. Even if it is non-verbal, that is when audible noise is not produced, communication still occurs since thought is transferred in the form of propositions from one mind to another. Communication refers to the transfer of thought between minds. It can be verbal or non-verbal. That is, audible effects may or may not accompany the communication process. But communication can never be non-propositional. Thought is always propositional. Thus, communication can still occur, even when not associated with verbal accompaniments, since it refers to the exchange of thought in the form of propositions.

Now we need to ask how personal is personal? For the sake of brevity, let us define “personal” as first hand knowledge and communication. That is, “direct” interaction with the person we are concerned about. When transferred to our spiritual life, we should know that the most “personal” way to know God is to receive information directly about him. The only way to receive this “direct” information from Him is to read Scripture and study theology. In other words, the best, direct and most “personal” way to know God is to STUDY YOUR BIBLE. Some say that we know God by prayer. But even prayer is undefined without theology. You cannot know whom to pray to, how to pray, and what to pray for unless you study theology. Some people say that you know God by “experiencing his love in your heart.” But, apart from theology one cannot know which “god” you are speaking about, how this “love” is defined, or whether the “experience” you have is true or not.

Some say that theology is a human task and not a divine one. It is very fashionable to for some to say “theology is a human task; my theology is the Bible,” thereby implying that theology has nothing to do with Scripture. This is ignorance of the worst kind. As I mentioned earlier, theology is all about systematically studying God’s verbal revelation – the Scripture. We are dealing with Scripture – the Bible – and not with some pagan texts. Theology is a human endeavor in the sense that humans are involved in studying it. Theology is also a divine study in the sense that we are dealing directly with God’s verbal revelation. Take for example, the doctrine of the Trinity. The word “trinity” does not appear anywhere in the Bible. Today, orthodoxy is defined by affirmation of the trinity. There are some heretical groups like Jehovah’s Witnesses who deny this. How did we arrive at the truth of the trinity that “God is one in essence, but three in person”? This did not happen because somebody dreamed it up, or somebody else “felt” this was so. This happened because Bible scholars faithfully searched the Scriptures, found what it taught and framed the doctrine of the trinity. This is theology – it all about the study of doctrine that is taught in Scripture. There is good theology and bad theology, just like there is right doctrine and false doctrine. Correct or good theology reflects Scripture and does not contradict it. On the other hand, bad theology, or heretical theology does not reflect Scripture, but rather brings in unbiblical presuppositions and tries to harmonize them with Scripture. Heretical theology is a mish-mash of biblical and unbiblical presuppositions, which is why it contradicts itself and Scripture. Scripture on the other hand is perfectly coherent and does not contradict. People tend to see a “contradiction” when their unbiblical presuppositions do not agree with Scripture and not because the Scripture contradicts itself. Good theology will contain right doctrine and bad theology will contain heretical doctrine. Good theology, which conforms to Scripture, will lead to right thought and conduct. Bad theology which distorts Scripture will lead to heretical doctrines and wholesale practical disaster.

Now we turn to 2 Peter 1:2-3:

“Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ our Lord. His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.”

New Testament scholars contend that Peter wrote this epistle in his old age, just before he was to be martyred (2 Peter 1:13,14). This was his last letter to the believers to whom he had written the previous epistle. In this, he discusses about the necessity of Scriptural knowledge for our spiritual growth, the importance of being established in the truth of the gospel, false teachers and their destruction, and finally winds up with eschatology, teaching how God will consummate history. You can see that this is a very important letter since, this is his last testament to the flock he had shepherded and he writes with the expectation of how they will fare after he is gone (2 Peter 1:15).

He begins by stressing the necessity of knowledge. From Proverbs 9:10 we know that “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and knowledge of the Holy one is understanding.” The knowledge that Peter is referring to is very specific: it is biblical knowledge. Jesus made it clear that our spiritual life depends “on every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). Thus, Peter when Peter mentions knowledge, here he is not speaking about “common sense” or something else. He is specifically mentioning about knowledge of God’s Word.

The Greek word used here for knowledge is epignosis. Thayer’s Greek Definition for this word is “precise and correct knowledge.” This is derived from another Greek word epiginosko which means “to know accurately and thoroughly.” Do you have this sort of knowledge of the things of God? If not, do you make conscious efforts to attain it? Are you seriously working on increasing in this knowledge? It is this knowledge which will give you “grace and peace in abundance” (2 Peter 1:2). It is this knowledge which will give us “everything we need for life and godliness” (2 Peter 1:3). Everything means everything – that is, everything about everything. The “victorious Christian life” is possible only because of KNOWLEDGE of God’s Word. Grace and peace will not come from singing “praise and worship” continuously for two hours, praying for three hours or being excited about action actions. Grace and peace will come from knowing and understanding God’s Word. Period.

The Greek word for knowledge, epignosis, which means “precise, correct, accurate, and thorough knowledge,” is used in the following passages as well.

For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge. (Romans 10:2)

I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. (Ephesians 1:17)

“….until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” (Ephesians 4:13)

“…and having put on the new self which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its creator.” (Colossians 3:10)

“….who wants all men to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth.” (1 Timothy 2:4)

“Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15)

“…..always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth.” (2 Timothy 3:7)

“Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ for the faith of God’s elect and the knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness…” Titus 1:1

“If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left….” Hebrews 10:26

All the above mentioned verses are very “practical,” so to say, in the modern Christian sense of the term, since they are speaking about how this knowledge applies to our everyday living. But we cannot practice what these verses speak about if we are bankrupt in knowledge, in epignosis, of God’s Word. The urgent need of the church is not more musical equipment or creative ideas for youth games, but strong shepherds who would feed their flock heavily from Scripture.

Now we should briefly look at Romans 12:1-2:

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing, and perfect will.

Paul writes the book of Romans to the church in Rome. This is the most comprehensive treatise ever written on the gospel and how it relates to God’s big picture for Israel and the church. The book of Romans is divided into various sections. The final section starting with chapter 12 begins with the word “therefore” which implies that what we read follows from what Paul had discussed before. Since this is not a study on the book of Romans, we cannot look into what Paul wrote about earlier. For the purpose of our study, we can look only into the current concern of the verse. The phrase “spiritual act of worship” in NIV is translated as “reasonable act of worship” in KJV. In NIV, a footnote will be given indicating that the word “spiritual” can also be translated as “reasonable.” Here in this context, “reasonable” does not mean “ok” or something that has a practical connotation to it. The Greek word used here for the word “spiritual” is logikos, and Thayer defines it as “pertaining to reason and logic.” This is derived from another Greek word logos, which the Greek philosophers considered to be the unchanging principle of reason, order and design in the universe. Logos is the Greek word from which the English word logic is derived. The Apostle John identifies Christ with logos. This is root word from which logikos is derived. That clause in Romans is best translated as “rational act of worship.” Thus, we can clearly see the heavy intellectual emphasis that is placed upon the believer’s life.

Paul also mentions that we should be transformed by the renewing of our mind. The Greek word for mind is nous, which Thayer defines as “the intellectual faculty related to perception and understanding.” If you ignore the intellectual dimension in your spiritual growth, then you have nothing left since the intellectual is the spiritual. They are not mutually exclusive, but are the one and the same thing. Theology is dry as dust to pagans and false converts, but to those whose one and only passion in life is to know and obey God, it is throbbing, dynamic and active. It is the very blood of our spiritual life.

Systematic theology is the most important topic any Christian can study in his or her lifetime. Every other study such as medicine, physics, economics, linguistics or geology cannot rank anywhere close to theology. Does such a statement surprise you? Are you shocked to hear that theology is the most important subject that could by studied by man? Have you been so much brainwashed and “fascinated” with the world’s wisdom, which is no wisdom at all (1 Corinthians 2:6), that God’s wisdom – that is, theology – seems “irrelevant” to you? Have you been digging so much into the world’s wisdom which amounts to dung in God’s sight (Philippians 3:8), that the fragrance of God’s knowledge – that is, theology – seems “boring” to you? Have you been brainwashed with the pragmatism of the world, which obeys “the ruler of the kingdom of air” (Ephesians 2:2) that theology does not seem that “practical” to you? Are you boasting of your secular accomplishments and so captivated by them (1 Corinthians 1:20), that you don’t care at all about growing in knowledge of the things of God by studying theology? Are you drooling and enjoying world’s thinking that theology seems too “lifeless” to you? Can you spend two hours with your surgery textbook making and memorizing elaborate notes, but hardly spend even twenty minutes studying God’s Word and understanding it? Do you refer up international journals and reference books for your once-in-a-blue moon presentation on some medical topic, but find it “too difficult” to read a text of systematic theology or a Bible commentary? Examine yourself to see if you are in the faith (2 Corinthians 13:5). Don’t be deceived about your spiritual condition. God defines the terms, not we. If we redefine His terms to justify our irreverent thinking and behavior, we will land up as cosmic buffoons. Make absolutely NO mistake about that.

Theology is central to all our thinking and living. If you claim to be a Christian and hate theology or think it is unimportant for your spiritual life, its high time you stop thinking like a pagan and looking like a fool in the sight of God. Repent of your stupidity and return to God with humility to know His Word and study it with all diligence, the way Ezra did.

“For Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the LORD, and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel.” (Ezra 7:10)