How Do We "Know" God?

A querist asks, “Looking at 2 Thessalonians 1:8, How do we know God?”

The word “know” in 2 Thessalonians 1:8 is from the Greek word, “eido” (Strong’s 1492), from the same root as “eidon”, “to see,” is a perfect tense with a present meaning, signifying, primarily, “to have seen or perceived”; hence, “to know, to have knowledge of,” whether absolutely, as in divine knowledge, e.g., Matthew 6:8; Matthew 6:32; John 6:6, John 6:64; John 8:14; John 11:4; John 13:11; John 18-4; 2 Corinthians 11:31; 2 Peter 2:9; Revelation 2:2; Revelation 2:9; Revelation 2:13; Revelation 2:19; Revelation 3:1; Revelation 3:8; Revelation 3:15 KJV; or in the case of human “knowledge,” to know from observation, e.g., 1 Thessalonians 1:4-5; 1 Thessalonians 2:1; 2 Thessalonians 3:7 KJV (Vines (1996), pg. 346).

Ultimately, an individual does not truly “know” God (have a personal relationship with) until that individual is willing to conform and commit their will to His will (John 17:3; 1 John 2:3; cf. Luke 22:41-42 KJV).

Mike Riley, Gospel Snippets

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