3 Components to Truly Knowing Jesus

Believe it or not, church leaders give their lives to Jesus at Christian conferences and events every year.

It’s true! Billy Graham experienced this throughout his career. Pastors, Elders, Deacons, Ministry Leaders; coming to Christ for the first time at his revivals, after years of leading churches.

Then they had the difficult task of explaining it to their churches. Listen to one’s Deacon’s words:

“The hardest thing for me is that I am going to have to tell my pastor and fellow deacons that I’ve been living a hypocrite life all these years.”

A Day in the Life of Billy Graham

Does this shock you?

Are you wondering, “How could that happen?“

It has to do with their knowledge. They had extensive knowledge about Jesus, but didn’t really know Him.

They likely studied and taught the Bible, served the local church in leadership capacities, but never actually experienced the transforming person, and power of Jesus Christ.

Are you worried?

Maybe that’s a good thing! I think it’s healthy for us all to do a spiritual gut-check, and ask ourselves the tough questions.

The Apostle Peter gives us a roadmap for doing just that, in his second letter.

1. The Entry of Knowing Jesus

How does knowing Jesus begin? Peter describes our salvation, through the knowledge of Christ, and His calling on our lives.

His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.

2 Peter 1:3-4

Note that there’s a difference between our knowledge about him, and “the knowledge of Him” The Gospel has been placed in us, so that we might truly know Jesus.

Think about it. The Religious elite that gave Jesus over to the Romans knew lots about Him. And Roman Empire that crucified Christ, thought they knew enough about Him. But the knowledge of Jesus had not saturated their hearts and minds.

It’s like the online Master Class phenomenon. I might know of an actor, musician, or business leader, and followed their work. But the Master Class goes behind the veil, to learn about their deeper skills, abilities, and struggles, to achieve a greater knowledge.

Too many of us know of Jesus, but have yet to have taken the Master Class to have his knowledge downloaded into our hearts and minds.

Knowing the Bible doesn’t mean you know Jesus.

In fact, many have come to know Jesus in a real, authentic, and life-changing way without having direct access to Scripture.

• Consider the first 1000 years of the Church. Many true followers of Jesus couldn’t read. Nor did they have the unlimited access to Scripture that we have. And yet they knew Jesus intimately.
• Consider many countries throughout world who experienced missionary journeys over the past hundred years. Hundreds of thousands have experienced the Gospel taking root, without access to the Bible in their own language.
• Consider many children, who give their lives to Jesus, and truly know him. And yet, have no, or at least extremely limited theological understanding.

2. The Evidence of Knowing Jesus

Do we act, and sound like Jesus? What does our life look like? Does it mirror the world, or is it different? Peter explains what the outflow of knowing Jesus looks like.

For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.

2 Peter 1:5-7

Will we “…make every effort to supplement…” our faith in Jesus with action? The evidence of knowing Jesus is displayed through what we say, and do, in our day-to-day lives.

This is so important during times of crisis.

The original audience of Peter’s letter was in crisis. Christianity has been outlawed. Peter himself, would be crucified for following Jesus before his second letter ever hit the ears of Christians.

So what is our response to crisis? In navigating the COVID-19 pandemic, people stock up on supplies. But hoarding took root, in strange items like toilet paper!

If someone truly knows Jesus, they will display self-control, steadfastness, brotherly affection, and love. But what about when now one is watching? If they’re sitting on hundreds of rolls of toilet paper, they are displaying a heart and mind of self, not sacrifice.

To truly know Jesus, we must know sacrifice. It is the evidence that His knowledge has seeped into the deepest recesses of our identity.

3. The Effect of Knowing Jesus

Are we effective and fruitful? Is our existence beneficial to humanity, not just in this life, but will we have a Kingdom impact? Peter explains the effect of truly knowing Jesus…and the sobering reality of not knowing him.

For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins.

2 Peter 1:8-9

The effect of knowing Jesus is an effective life, that bears fruit. Like a tree that is connected to unlimited supply of fresh water, and sunlight, in perfect soil. Through Jesus, the tree is alive, and effective at providing an ongoing supply of fruit.

Dead trees that are not rooted in Jesus are ineffective in providing any life-giving fruit, in any capacity. The effect of not knowing Jesus is nearsightedness, so focus on self to the point of blindness.

It’s like we never knew Jesus at all.

If there is no fruit, no evidence of knowing Jesus; it’s like we never experienced salvation in the first place. Forgetting the wonderful gift of grace and forgiveness that He has given us. It’s like we never, ever met Jesus to begin with.

So, do you know Him?

Some of us may need that spiritual gut-check and ask, “Do I know about Jesus, or do I actually know Jesus?”

Depending on the answer, it may lead to a very important prayer.

“Jesus, will You grant me Your knowledge? I want to truly know You!”