How May Christ Know You?

The leaders of the Western religions of this world will ordinarily ask, “Do you know the Lord?” And that will be their lead-in to promoting their particular brand of religiosity. A more important question is, “Does the Lord know you?” And more importantly, “How can the Lord know you?” These would be philosophical and theoretical questions if we had no guide to bring us to the answer. However, the Bible, the guidebook to life, is not silent on this very important question. In fact it is the core issue upon which many other basic issues impinge.

“Not every one that says to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven…” (Matthew 7:21).

The gospel books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John tell the story about the life of Christ. However they also tell the message that Christ brought. That message was (and is) the gospel. The gospel is the good news. Christ’s good news is the gospel of the kingdom of God. Do you know what the kingdom of God is? There are times when it is referred to as the kingdom of heaven (as in the above verse), meaning the kingdom from heaven. This is because the kingdom (the headquarters of which will be the New Jerusalem) comes down from heaven.

“And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband” (Revelation 21:2).

Christ said that not every one who says, “Lord, Lord”, will enter into the kingdom. Some will be asking, “…Have we not prophesied in your name? And in your name have cast out devils {demons}? And in your name done many wonderful works?” And Christ will say “…I never knew you: depart from me, you that work iniquity” (Matthew 7:22-23). Iniquity is, of course, lawlessness. There is a large segment of religious followers (the vast majority, in fact) who look up to religious leaders who proclaim, in essence, that Christ will save you in your sins, not from your sins. This is called turning the grace of God into license.

“For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ” (Jude 4). Some who are followers of these men are unaware that they are being taught that grace is license. They may even prophesy, cast out demons and do miracles in the name of Christ! The last beast of Revelation will be doing miracles.

The beast “…deceives them that dwell on the earth by [the means of] those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast…” (Revelation 13:14).

How can we know that Christ knows us?

The answer to this question is of utmost importance.

When we speak of Christ knowing us we are not simply speaking of Christ knowing about us. Obviously he knows all about us. But how can we know that he knows us (recognizes us) in the positive sense?

Life is short. Eternity is long. It matters very much if Christ knows us. It is enough to seek the answer to the question even if we consider only the selfish reason of wanting to obtain eternal life.

When Christ said, “I never knew you” the Greek word for “knew” is “egnon” (egnwn). Christ will be saying to some “I never knew you”, “I never recognized you” or “I never understood you”. This may seem puzzling at first. Christ knew and understood Peter enough to be able to predict when he would deny him just hours before he was crucified. He even knew when the chicken would crow. Surely he knows and understands us at least as well as he did Peter. So how could Christ ever say he never knew us or recognized us or understood us? It would be accurate to say Christ knows us and understands us better than we know ourselves. It appears obvious that recognition in the formal sense is being spoken of here. It is Christ saying, in essence, “I never gave you recognition.” He will say this to people who are symbolically “goats”. There is the parable of the sheep and the goats. Is it possible there will be Christians believing they are Christians, deceiving them selves? This is exactly what Christ is talking about.

“When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory. And before him shall be gathered all nations. And he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides [his] sheep from the goats. And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the king say unto them on his right hand, Come you blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world” (Matthew 25:31).

What will Christ say to the goats on his left?

“Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, you cursed…” (Matthew 25:41).

Notice Christ says the same thing to the goats that he said to the people he did not recognize (or “never knew”). He said “…depart from me….” So the goats and the people who Christ refuses to recognize are the same people. So when we find out why he told the goats to depart we will also know why he failed to “know” those who unfortunately are on his left side at the end of time, waiting to experience the second death.

Christ told the goats “For I was hungry and you gave me no meat. I was thirsty, and you gave me no drink. I was a stranger, and you took me not in: naked and you clothed me not: sick and in prison, and you visited me not” (Matthew 25:42-43). The goats inquired as to when this happened. Christ replied “…as you did [it] not to one of the least of these, you did [it] not to me” (Matthew 25:45).

There have been many organizations formed around the idea that their main mission in life is to feed and clothe the homeless, visit nursing homes, visit prisons and build hospitals for people who cannot afford health care. These are all worthwhile causes. People involved in these causes have the best of intentions and there is merit in doing good physical works. But is this all Christ is talking about? No. He is, once again, using the physical to illustrate what can also be spiritual.

“Behold, the days come, says the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD” (Amos 8:11).

The famine of hearing the words of the LORD is infinitely more important than famine in the physical sense.

“…I am the bread of life. He that comes to me shall never hunger. And he that comes to me shall never thirst” (John 6:35).

Giving a hungry person food to eat is a selfless outgoing activity. You are giving of yourself. You are exercising love toward the hungry person.

When you introduce someone to Christ you are providing a way for him (or her) to receive the bread of life. You are feeding the hungry. Everyone at the gut level is hungry for Christ.

Christ said, “I am that bread of life” (John 6:48).

“Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead” (John 6:49). The manna did not give them eternal life.

“I am the living bread, which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever: and the bread I will give is my flesh, which I give for the life of the world” (John 6:51).

“Blessed [are] they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled” (Matthew 5:6). Helping to satisfy the hunger and thirst a person may have for righteousness is of great importance.

It is a wonderful thing to provide someone with water especially on a hot day.

Christ said to the woman at the well “…whosoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst. But the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life” (John 4:13).

When you help someone enough that they are able to receive the Spirit of God this is infinitely more important than giving someone a drink of physical water.

People in prison need to receive visits from the outside world.

Who are the people in spiritual prisons? They are people who are imprisoned by their own sin. They are servants to sin.

“Know you not, that to whom you yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants you are to whom you obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?” (Romans 6:16).

“I the LORD have called you in righteousness, and will hold your hand, and will keep you, and give you for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles” (Isaiah 42:6). For what purpose did God do this? “To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, [and] them that sit in darkness out of the prison house” (Isaiah 42:7). Was the LORD talking about healing the physically blind. Yes, Christ did heal the physically blind and said we also would do this. “…He that believes on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater [works] than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father” (John 14:12). Christ did heal people of their physical blindness and we too will heal people of their physical blindness. But the spiritual blindness is of greater importance.

“[You] blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel” (Matthew 23:24). Who were these blind guides? Amazingly it was the religious leaders of Christ’s day! “[You] blind Pharisee, cleanse first that [which is] within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also” (Matthew 23:26).

“…Can the blind lead the blind? Shall they not both fall into the ditch?” (Luke 6:39). This, once again, is using the physical as an example to the spiritual. If you help someone with the truth be sure you fully know that truth so that you and the one you are helping do not both fall into the ditch.

When you help someone to find spiritual solutions before their conversion you are, in many cases, visiting a person who is imprisoned by their own sin. This is much more vital than visiting someone in a physical prison. There are a number of people who are in spiritual prisons and will not get out unless they have a guide. You can be that guide.

“Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand” (Ephesians 6:13).

When you help a fellow brother or sister in their mission to be stronger in the faith, you are, in fact, helping them to have clothes spiritually and to endure to the end and to stand.

“Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace” (Ephesians 6:14-15).

The Pharisees complained that Christ sat with publicans and sinners. Christ said, “…They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick” (Matthew 9:10). Once again he was using the physical to illustrate the spiritual.

We should be sitting among sinners in order that sinners (those who are spiritually sick) can have access to healing (both spiritual and physical) if and when they are ready for it.

“Let brotherly love continue. Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares” (Hebrews 13:1-2).

We should not think of people in other church groups as strangers or competitors. We should think of them as brothers very much like ourselves, capable of making mistakes, capable of being recipients of God’s Spirit.

Helping people physically is commendable. However just as eternity is longer than a mere lifetime even so helping people spiritually is infinitely more important than helping them physically.

How can Christ know you? First you must come to Christ. That closeness is effected (given) by the Father. “…no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father” (John 6:65).

There are religions that have nothing to do with the Father (the Most High God). They focus on Christ alone. They even boast about focusing on Christ alone. Christ shows they have not even made initial contact with him so long as they reject the Father.

“No man can come to me, except the Father which has sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day” (John 6:44).

People who believe in the “Christ only” philosophy are deceiving themselves into believing that Christ knows them (recognizes them).

Christ can know you (more and more with each passing day) as he uses the Holy Spirit to work through you, as you are doing the same work he did.

“…Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believes on me, as the scripture has said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water” (John 7:37-38). Christ was not talking about physical water. Note that the spirit doesn’t just go into the belly. It comes out of the belly. The Spirit (originating from Christ) goes through you to others. You are to be a conduit of his living water.

“…this spoke he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive…” (John 7:39).

Christ knows us as we pass on to others the words of Christ, which are spirit and life to us and to others we are privileged to help.

“It is the spirit that quickens; the flesh profits nothing: the words that I speak unto you, [they] are spirit, and [they] are life” John 6:63). The words are spirit and the words are life.

More important than physical miracles that we may perform are the words of Christ. Those words are spirit and life. The spiritual transformation that takes place in the individuals we may help is the most important miracle for us to participate in. It is so important Christ gave a special warning to any of us who might offend someone who is new in Christ (a little one).

“But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and [that] he were drowned in the depth of the sea” (Matthew 18:5).

How might you offend one of these little ones? One way is by being a burden binding Pharisee.

“For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay [them] on men’s shoulders; but they will not move them with one of their fingers” (Matthew 23:2). People who are new in Christ do not need heavy burdens to be put upon them. They need to be encouraged in the steps they are taking to grow in Christ.

This article has stressed the spiritual as being more important than the physical. However, it is important to point out that the physical does, at times, manifest a spiritual purpose. The determining factor is the motive.

“And whomsoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold [water] only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward” (Matthew 10:42).

What is the motive for visiting someone that is sick, clothing the naked, visiting someone that is in prison, feeding someone or giving someone a drink? If the motive is compassion and the desire to give of your self, then it is a positive spiritual activity.

What other motives might a person have for doing good?

Repayment
Praise
Recognition from people
Fame
Tax write-offs
Tax credits
Empire building
Approval from people
Secondary gains.

Secondary gains may be: wanting people to think of you as a saint, wanting to be the center of attention, wanting your name to be in history books, wanting to be recognized (or ordained) by a religion, seeking approval from your parents.

These are all corrupt motives.

“He that loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me” (Matthew 10:37). Christ needs to be more important to you than all your friends and relatives and associates.

You must not even consider your own life more important than Christ, your Savior.

“He that finds his life shall lose it: and he that loses his life for my sake shall find it. He that receives you receives me, and he that receives me receives him that sent me” (Matthew 10:39-40).

We all have different perspectives of our lives and how we can live. The Bible is our handbook for life (2 Timothy 3:16). All that Christ said is applicable to us. As mentioned before, the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John tell the story of Christ. But more important is the message Christ brought. Specifically the parables of the kingdom of God and the instructions of the Sermon on the Mount are growth pattern examples for Christians to learn from.

After Christ had shown that obedience to the Ten Commandments was needed not only in the letter of the law but also in the spirit of the law (Matthew 5) he said, “Be you therefore perfect even as your Father Which is in heaven is perfect” (Matthew 5:48). One does not reach a point of maturity (or perfection) by continuing to cultivate carnal motives.

One carnal motive is that of desiring to “…have glory of men…” (Matthew 6:2). Another carnal motive is to “…be seen of men…” (Matthew 6:5 and Matthew 23:5). A carnal activity is “…vain repetitions…” (Matthew 6:7). Christ spoke out against spiritual pride (fasting to be seen of others, a vivid example) “…They have their reward” (Matthew 6:16). And their reward is not the kingdom of God.

We should lay up treasure in heaven, not on earth (Matthew 6:19-20).

“For where your treasure is there will your heart be also” (Matthew 6:21). How can you know where your heart is? It’s easy. Ask yourself, “What do I spend most of my time thinking about?” The answer to that question is where your heart is! If you are thinking about doing the work of God it stands to reason action on your part will follow. The process of being known by Christ will involve hearing, thinking and doing. The hearing and thinking are wasted if there is no doing.

Christ said:“…whosoever hears these saying of Mine, and does them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock. And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not because it was founded upon a rock” (Matthew 7:24-25). And our spiritual rock is Christ (1 Corinthians 10:4).

“But be you doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass. For he beholds himself, and goes his way, and straightway forgets what manner of man he was. But whoso looks into the perfect law of liberty, and continues [therein], he, being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the word, this man shall be blessed in his deed” (James 1:22-25).

The person Christ knows will be living by the word of God. And the living means doing.

“Whosoever comes to me, and hears my sayings, and does them, I will show you to whom he is like. He is like a man, which built a house, and dug deep, and laid the foundation on a rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock” (Luke 6:47-48).

“…Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God” (Matthew 4: 4).

“…man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God” (Luke 4:4).

How May Christ Know You?
Copyright © 1999 Wily Elder
(Permission is granted to copy, translate, transmit and distribute this article freely for non-commercial purposes.)
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