If we are going to be a disciple of Jesus, we should know Whom we are following. We’ll be starting our lessons with the attributes of God, His characteristics, what we know He’s like. But for this lesson, I just wanted to make sure you had your “why.” Why do we need to learn these things about God? Why is it important to know Him?

What does this verse say about the importance of knowing God?

John 17:3 (WEB) This is eternal life, that they should know you, the only true God, and him whom you sent, Jesus Christ.

It calls knowing Him “eternal life”! Eternal life is what we want, as in living forever in God’s presence and not dying and going to hell. Knowing God is a life and death matter.

How does knowing Him give us eternal life? Maybe you know what is probably the most famous Bible verse, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” We have to believe to have eternal life. We believe by faith. We trust what we know to be true. We come to that “knowing,” not by seeing God and touching God, but by coming to knowledge of God by learning the truth in God’s word.

Romans 10:17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

Faith is what will give you life. It’s knowing that all the Bible says about God is true. As you get to know God by learning His Word, your faith with grow and the life of Christ in you will grow. Knowing Him is what enables me to live without fear and to know my prayers will be answered, because I know who He is, and my faith can rest on that.

We also need to know God so we can tell others about Him. If we want eternal life for ourselves, don’t we want it for others as well? We need to know what we’re talking about before we can talk about it!

Psalm 105:1 Oh give thanks to the LORD; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples!

Lesson Point: We need to know God because we need to know Him to have eternal life.

Challenge Question: How well do you think you know God? Do you know Him well enough to pass on the knowledge? Do you pass it on? How?