Scott Price
"And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent." John 17:3
The only true God of the Scriptures with all His wonderful character attributes loves to reveal Himself to His people using the means of the gospel by the power of the Spirit. He does on the other hand hide Himself from the non-elect. Both the revealing and hiding of Himself are done sovereignly. Those whom He has loved, chosen, and Christ died for are called and this is where the vital importance of knowing God comes into action.
As we said, the way He reveals Himself is through gospel by the power of the Spirit of God. The gospel of grace contains doctrine and theology that declares, defines, and explains how the LORD Jesus Christ came into the world by means of the virgin birth and was made flesh to become the God-man Mediator so He could obey, honor, fulfill and magnify the law as a Representative for the elect. He then went to the cross to die a substitutionary death for the elect as He took on their sin, in this being a satisfactory sacrifice to the Father to reconcile His people, allowing God to be both a just God and a Savior. This was specifically done in the merit of Christ bringing in an everlasting righteousness that He earned that can be imputed to His people and is the ground of their justification.
God cannot be known except through this gospel revelation, which He says is the power of God unto salvation. The view of God in the conscience is not enough. The view of God in creation is not enough. The combined views of creation and conscience are not enough either. God is revealed in all His redemptive glory and majesty in the gospel of grace. The unregenerate have dull ears and cannot hear to be converted until the Spirit of God gives them ears to hear and eyes to see. In other words He calls them by the gospel and gives them an understanding so that they will know the God of the gospel. They are made willing to come to God through Christ by the blessed gifts of faith and repentance.
God does not teach that ignorance is bliss. Ignorance is our enemy. Knowledge of Him is what we desperately need. Knowledge about both the Person and work of Jesus Christ the LORD is what we lack by nature. When God gives us an understanding and we seek Him by faith, Christ is OUR Wisdom as well as our Righteousness, Sanctification, and Redemption. Knowing Him is an important part of God's wise purpose in salvation. This is how God is glorified in the hearts of His people when they see Him as He reveals Himself in the gospel of grace. His people submit to Him as King and their LORD in salvation....THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. God's throne is in their heart. We thank God for this knowledge and understanding through the operation of the Holy Spirit by His revelation.
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