Experiential Knowledge of God: A Journey of Faith

 

Summary

Growing in our experiential knowledge of God is central to our sanctification journey. This growth begins with the written Word of God, as stated in John 17:17, "Sanctify them in the truth. Your word is truth." The Holy Spirit uses the Word to transform us into the image of Christ, fostering a personal, living relationship with God. Knowing God involves understanding His nature, spending time with Him, worshiping Him, and deepening our relationship through His Word and fellowship with other believers. This communal aspect is vital as we encourage one another to love, good deeds, and deeper knowledge of God.

Active service in God's kingdom is another crucial element. It moves us from passive spectatorship to active participation, embedding God's truths deeper within us. Serving stretches our dependence on God, highlighting our weaknesses and driving us to rely on His strength and wisdom. This humble dependence is essential for carrying out His will.

Christ, as the image of the invisible God, is central to knowing God. By focusing on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, we grow in our experiential knowledge of God. This journey involves walking by faith, trusting in the Lord, and acknowledging Him in all our ways. It's a comprehensive process with many facets, all necessary for truly knowing God.

The church plays a significant role in this journey. Public worship and fellowship with other believers are central to our growth. The Puritans excelled in experiential theology, emphasizing meditation on Scripture and prayer to the Holy Spirit. This approach helps us internalize God's truths, making them relevant to our lives.

Finally, addressing those who have left the church, we must lovingly and graciously present the gospel, urging them to examine their faith. True believers will seek fellowship with God's people and pursue His Word. Our mission is to reach out to them with the gospel, encouraging repentance and a return to the church.

Key Takeaways:

- The Foundation of Knowing God: Experiential knowledge of God begins with His Word, as the Holy Spirit uses it to transform us into Christ's image. This transformation fosters a personal relationship with God, deepening our understanding of His nature and character. [00:27]

- Active Service and Dependence: Serving in God's kingdom moves us from passive spectators to active participants, embedding God's truths deeper within us. This service stretches our dependence on God, highlighting our weaknesses and driving us to rely on His strength and wisdom. [02:44]

- Christ as the Image of God: Knowing God necessitates focusing on Christ, the image of the invisible God. By following and obeying Jesus, we grow in our experiential knowledge of God, walking by faith and trusting in Him. [03:37]

- The Role of the Church: Public worship and fellowship with other believers are central to our growth in knowing God. The church provides a community where we can encourage one another, worship together, and grow in our understanding of God's truths. [06:54]

- Reaching the "Exvangelical" Movement: Lovingly presenting the gospel to those who have left the church is crucial. Encouraging them to examine their faith and return to fellowship with God's people is part of our mission, as true believers will seek the church and God's Word. [12:22]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:27] - The Foundation of Knowing God
- [01:21] - Deepening Relationship with God
- [02:01] - Fellowship and Growth
- [02:44] - Active Service and Dependence
- [03:37] - Christ as the Image of God
- [04:29] - Walking by Faith
- [05:21] - The Role of the Church
- [06:12] - Meditation and Prayer
- [06:54] - Importance of Worship
- [08:39] - Understanding Reformed Theology
- [10:06] - Addressing Cold Orthodoxy
- [11:46] - Reaching the "Exvangelical" Movement
- [13:41] - Evidence of True Faith
- [15:07] - Encouraging Return to Church

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
1. John 17:17 - "Sanctify them in the truth. Your word is truth."
2. Colossians 1:15 - "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation."
3. Hebrews 12:2 - "Looking unto Jesus the author and perfecter of faith."

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Observation Questions:

1. According to John 17:17, what role does the Word of God play in our sanctification process? How does this relate to the sermon’s emphasis on experiential knowledge of God? [00:27]

2. In Colossians 1:15, how is Christ described, and why is this significant for knowing God according to the sermon? [03:37]

3. What does Hebrews 12:2 suggest about the focus of our faith journey, and how does this align with the sermon’s message on growing in experiential knowledge of God? [04:29]

4. How does the sermon describe the role of the church in our spiritual growth and knowledge of God? [06:54]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does the sermon explain the relationship between knowing God and serving in His kingdom? What does this imply about the nature of our service? [02:44]

2. The sermon mentions the importance of focusing on Christ to know God. How does this focus impact our daily walk of faith? [03:37]

3. What does the sermon suggest about the communal aspect of knowing God, and why is fellowship with other believers emphasized? [06:54]

4. How does the sermon address those who have left the church, and what is the suggested approach to reaching out to them? [12:22]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on your current engagement with the Word of God. How can you deepen your study and application of Scripture to grow in your experiential knowledge of God? [00:27]

2. Consider your current role in serving within the church or community. How can you move from being a passive spectator to an active participant in God’s kingdom? [02:44]

3. In what ways can you focus more on Christ in your daily life to enhance your understanding and relationship with God? Are there specific practices you can adopt? [03:37]

4. How can you contribute to fostering a supportive and encouraging community within your church? What steps can you take to engage more deeply with fellow believers? [06:54]

5. Think about someone you know who has left the church. How can you lovingly and graciously reach out to them with the gospel message? What specific actions can you take to encourage their return to fellowship? [12:22]

6. Identify a personal weakness or area of life where you need to rely more on God’s strength and wisdom. How can you actively seek His guidance and support in this area? [02:44]

7. Reflect on your worship practices. How can you make public worship a more central and meaningful part of your spiritual growth? What changes might you need to make? [06:54]

Devotional

Day 1: Experiential Knowledge Begins with God's Word
The journey of knowing God deeply starts with His Word, as the Holy Spirit uses it to transform us into the image of Christ. This transformation is not merely intellectual but experiential, fostering a personal relationship with God. By engaging with Scripture, we gain insight into God's nature and character, which deepens our understanding and connection with Him. This process is foundational to our spiritual growth and sanctification, as it aligns our hearts and minds with God's truth. [00:27]

"For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart." (Hebrews 4:12, ESV)

Reflection: How can you intentionally incorporate more time in God's Word into your daily routine this week to deepen your experiential knowledge of Him?


Day 2: Active Service Embeds God's Truths
Active service in God's kingdom shifts us from passive spectators to active participants, embedding His truths deeper within us. Serving highlights our weaknesses and drives us to rely on God's strength and wisdom, fostering a humble dependence on Him. This active engagement in service not only benefits others but also transforms us, as we experience God's power and presence in new ways. [02:44]

"As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ." (1 Peter 4:10-11, ESV)

Reflection: Identify one area where you can serve others this week. How can this act of service help you rely more on God's strength and wisdom?


Day 3: Christ as the Image of God
Knowing God requires focusing on Christ, who is the image of the invisible God. By following and obeying Jesus, we grow in our experiential knowledge of God, walking by faith and trusting in Him. This journey involves acknowledging Christ's central role in our lives and allowing His example to guide our actions and decisions. As we fix our eyes on Jesus, we are transformed into His likeness, deepening our relationship with God. [03:37]

"He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him." (Colossians 1:15-16, ESV)

Reflection: In what ways can you focus more on Christ's example in your daily life, and how might this change your relationship with God?


Day 4: The Church as a Community for Growth
The church plays a significant role in our journey of knowing God, providing a community where we can encourage one another, worship together, and grow in our understanding of God's truths. Public worship and fellowship with other believers are central to our spiritual growth, as they offer opportunities for mutual encouragement and accountability. Engaging with the church community helps us internalize God's truths and apply them to our lives. [06:54]

"And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near." (Hebrews 10:24-25, ESV)

Reflection: How can you actively participate in your church community this week to encourage others and grow in your faith?


Day 5: Reaching Out to Those Who Have Left the Church
Lovingly presenting the gospel to those who have left the church is crucial. Encouraging them to examine their faith and return to fellowship with God's people is part of our mission. True believers will seek the church and God's Word, and our role is to reach out with grace and truth, inviting them back into the community of faith. This outreach is an expression of love and a call to repentance and renewal. [12:22]

"My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins." (James 5:19-20, ESV)

Reflection: Think of someone who has drifted away from the church. How can you reach out to them this week with love and an invitation to return to fellowship?

Quotes

To grow in our experiential knowledge of God is at the heart of sanctification. And multiple texts that we could quote that would affirm it really begins with the written Word of God, John 17:17, "Sanctify them in the truth. Your word is truth." And so, as progressive sanctification, growing in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ, and that is brought to pass in our soul by the ministry of the Holy Spirit, who takes the written Word of God and conforms us into the very same image. [00:15:44]

It begins with the knowledge of God, which is knowing who God is. Not just about God, but within your own heart and soul to actually have a vital, personal, living relationship with God. That's what it is to know God, John 17:3, "This is eternal life that they may know You, the one true living God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent." [00:60:64]

And I think, even as we serve the Lord, that there is a putting into practice what we know is true about God that deepens us yet further. I don't think we're growing in the knowledge of God when we're passive spectators, sitting on the bench. I think it's just speculative at that point, that we've got to be in the game and our shoulder to the plow and finding our place of service in the kingdom of God. [00:147:52]

And the more that we serve the Lord, it has a way of not only sealing it within us, but embedding it deeper. And we are stretched to depend upon God even more as we serve the Lord, and we are stretched beyond our own abilities and our own strength and our own wisdom, and we are put in a place, a posture of humble dependence. We become aware of our weakness, and we have to draw close to God to continue to carry out His will for our life. [00:189:04]

And Christ, Colossians 1:15, is the image of the invisible God. And in order for me to grow to know God, God has chiefly and supremely manifested Himself to us in the person of His Son, Jesus Christ. Do you remember there in John 14, "Show us the Father, and that's enough"? "He who has seen Me has seen the Father." And so, to grow in the knowledge of God, it necessitates that, Hebrews 12:2, that we be looking unto Jesus the author and perfecter of faith. [00:229:20]

And so, it's incumbent that we are consciously aware of following Christ and obeying Christ as we just heard. And that, too, is a part of growing in the knowledge of God experientially, that we walk by faith and not by sight, and we trust in the Lord with all of our heart and lean not on our own understanding, and in all of our ways acknowledge Him, and He directs our path. [00:279:68]

The public worship of God is the real center, in many ways, of our growing in experiential Calvinism. And what an encouragement it is to meet with other Christians, to see their devotion to the Lord, to join them in singing the praise of the Lord. I think that's a great stimulus to pursuing the Lord. And, of course, particularly when we sing psalms that... [00:453:76]

Well, I think we need to witness to them that if they do not love the church and if they look down upon a Bible-believing church, I would say there's a strong case to be made that they do not yet know the Lord Jesus Christ. And as we would go to them, it's not just to urge them to get to church, it's to urge them to come to Christ and to come to faith in Christ. [00:719:48]

God changes the heart in regeneration. He takes out the old heart of stone, and He gives them a heart of flesh, and He writes His Word upon their heart and puts His Holy Spirit within them and causes them to walk in His statutes. A regenerate heart will seek the Lord and will seek God's people and will pursue the Word of God. And that's pretty black-and-white. [00:810:24]

And so, how do we approach people like that? I think we lovingly, graciously approach them with the gospel. And 2 Corinthians 13:5, "Examine yourself whether you be in the faith," and that's the most gracious, kind thing that we could do for them. "Do you truly know the Lord?" "Have you been born again?" "Have you met the risen Christ?" [00:840:32]

And even in the most complex situations, and they're often liaisons of some description, you know, it is possible to undo that by the power of the Holy Spirit. LAWSON: Sure, I totally agree with what you're saying, and God has sent someone to come alongside of them and show them how to repent, and that's the Holy Spirit who has come alongside, the Parakletos, and that's His office work and that's His ministry to bring conviction of sin. [01:051:76]

And the Lord also has a way, if that's a true child of God, He disciplines His own and scourges them when they are disobedient. And that's an evidence that you actually are saved is that the Lord disciplines you when you have stepped away from the pattern of Scripture. And if you go undisciplined and just continue to go your own way, that would be a very telling sign. [01:083:60]

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Transcript
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