Beyond Religion: Knowing the God Who Reveals Himself through Jesus Christ

Jesus: The Light of the World — Part 2

Is it possible to know a great deal about God without truly knowing Him?

Throughout history, people have devoted their lives to understanding the divine. They have studied sacred writings, practiced religious disciplines, memorized prayers, and followed elaborate systems of worship.

Some have searched for God through philosophical reasoning. Others have pursued mystical experiences, hoping to encounter something beyond the physical world. Still others have faithfully observed the religious traditions handed down through generations.

Behind many of these efforts lies a profound human longing: the desire to know God. But there is an important distinction between knowing about God and actually knowing Him. The Gospel of John introduces us to a remarkable truth: God has not left humanity to discover Him through human effort alone. He has taken the initiative to reveal Himself through Jesus Christ.

The God Who Came Near

Imagine spending your entire life trying to understand someone you have never met. You might read books about that person, study their accomplishments, examine their writings, and listen to others describe their character. Over time, you might accumulate an impressive amount of information. But would you truly know that person?

There is a difference between possessing information about someone and experiencing a personal relationship with them. The same distinction applies to our relationship with God.

In John 1:18, we read:

"No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known." (NIV)

What an extraordinary statement!

The God whom humanity has struggled to understand has made Himself known through His Son. Jesus did not come merely to provide additional information about God. He came to reveal God's character, demonstrate His love, and open the way for people to enter into a restored relationship with Him.

Christianity's central message is not that humanity has finally discovered God, but that God has revealed Himself to humanity.

More Than Religious Knowledge

Religious knowledge can be valuable. Studying Scripture, understanding theology, and learning about God's character are important aspects of Christian growth. Yet knowledge alone does not guarantee a genuine relationship with God.

Jesus confronted this very problem among some of the religious leaders of His day. In John 5:39–40, He told them:

"You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life." (NIV)

These individuals possessed extensive religious knowledge. They knew the sacred writings, understood religious traditions, and were deeply familiar with the teachings of their ancestors. Yet many failed to recognize the very One to whom those Scriptures pointed.

Their problem was not that they studied the Scriptures too carefully. Their problem was that they failed to respond to the One revealed in them.

This raises an important question for us today. Could we become so occupied with religious activity, theological knowledge, or spiritual traditions that we overlook the personal relationship with God to which Jesus invites us?

The purpose of knowing about God is ultimately to lead us into knowing God.

The Light That Reveals the Father's Heart

In the first article of this series, we considered Jesus' declaration that He is the True Light.

Light makes visible what darkness conceals.

When Jesus entered our world, He illuminated something humanity desperately needed to see: the character and heart of God.

Consider the way Jesus treated people.

• When a leper approached Him, Jesus did not turn away in disgust. He reached out and touched the man, demonstrating compassion toward someone who had experienced profound social rejection.

• When a woman caught in adultery was brought before Him, Jesus confronted the hypocrisy of her accusers while calling her to leave her sinful life.

• When children were brought to Him, Jesus welcomed them, even though His disciples initially tried to send them away.

• When a grieving family mourned the death of Lazarus, Jesus entered their sorrow and wept with them.

• And when Jesus hung upon the cross, He prayed for those responsible for His crucifixion.

Each of these moments reveals something essential about God's character.

We see His compassion, holiness, mercy, tenderness, and extraordinary love.

Jesus did not simply describe these qualities. He demonstrated them through His life. As He told His disciples:

"Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father." (John 14:9, NIV)

If we want to understand the heart of God, we must look carefully at Jesus.

From Searching to Being Found

One of the most beautiful themes running throughout Scripture is that God seeks those who are lost.

Humanity's spiritual story is not simply one of people searching for God. It is also the story of God reaching out to people who have wandered away from Him.

Jesus illustrated this truth through the parable of the lost sheep.

A shepherd discovers that one of his sheep is missing. Rather than abandoning it, he goes searching until he finds it.

Jesus explained that there is great joy in heaven when one sinner repents.

In another encounter, Jesus met Zacchaeus, a wealthy tax collector who was despised by many in his community.

Zacchaeus wanted to see Jesus, but the encounter became far more significant than he anticipated.

Jesus called him by name, entered his home, and transformed his life.

Then Jesus declared:

"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost." (Luke 19:10, NIV)

Notice the significance of those words.

Jesus did not say that He came merely to provide instructions for people who were already searching for God.

He came to seek them.

He came to save them.

He came to restore what sin had broken.

The gospel is the remarkable announcement that the God we need has come looking for us.

Knowing God Through Jesus Christ

In John 17, shortly before His arrest and crucifixion, Jesus prayed to His Father. In that prayer, He made an extraordinary statement about eternal life:

"Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent." (John 17:3, NIV)

Notice how Jesus describes eternal life. He does not define it merely as an endless existence or a future destination. He describes it in terms of knowing God. This knowledge is far more than intellectual awareness. It involves a restored relationship with the Father through Jesus Christ.

And this relationship is made possible not through our moral achievements, religious accomplishments, or spiritual enlightenment, but through God's grace. Through His death and resurrection, Jesus provides forgiveness of sin and reconciliation with God.

We respond to His invitation through repentance and faith, placing our trust in Him rather than in our own efforts to earn God's acceptance.

The Christian life then becomes an ongoing journey of knowing Him more deeply. Through Scripture, prayer, obedience, worship, and the work of the Holy Spirit, believers grow in their understanding of God's character and learn to reflect the life of Christ.

What begins with faith develops into a lifelong relationship of love, trust, and transformation.

A Light for Every Nation

This message is particularly significant in a world where billions of people continue to search for spiritual truth. Across nations and cultures, people wrestle with profound questions.

• Who is God?

• Can He be known?

• Does He care about me?

• How can my sins be forgiven?

• Is it possible to have assurance of eternal life?

These questions transcend language, nationality, education, and religious background. And the gospel offers a remarkable answer.

God has made Himself known through Jesus Christ.

The invitation to know Him is not restricted to one nation, ethnic group, or social class. Jesus came as the Savior of the world.

This is why sharing the gospel is so important. Christian witness is not merely about persuading people to adopt a different religious identity or exchange one set of traditions for another. It is about introducing people to Jesus Christ—the One who reveals the Father, forgives sin, transforms lives, and offers eternal life.

For those who have never heard the gospel, this message may be entirely new. For others who have spent years pursuing religious knowledge or spiritual fulfillment, it may challenge deeply held assumptions.

But for everyone, the invitation remains the same: come to Jesus Christ and discover what it means to know God.

The Invitation Is Personal

Imagine receiving a letter from someone you have admired for many years.

You have read about this person, studied their life, and perhaps even quoted their words. But now the letter contains an unexpected invitation:

I would like you to know me personally.

Suddenly, the relationship changes. You are no longer limited to information gathered from a distance. You have been invited into something personal.

In a far greater way, this is what God has done through Jesus Christ.

The Creator of the universe has not remained silent or inaccessible.

He has spoken.

He has revealed Himself.

And through His Son, He has opened the way for us to know Him.

The question is no longer simply whether we possess enough information about God. The deeper question is whether we have responded to His invitation.

Do you merely know about God, or do you know Him through Jesus Christ?

The True Light has come into the world.

And He invites you to step out of the darkness and into a relationship with the God who created you, loves you, and desires to make Himself known.

You do not have to discover a secret path to God. Through Jesus Christ, God has opened the way to Himself.