Knowing God – Part 1
The Main Idea
The lecture explains that knowing God is not merely intellectual knowledge or external religious practices, but rather a real and deep personal relationship with God. A person may live within faith, pray and fast, yet still not truly know God.
Examples of Lack of Knowledge Despite Closeness
His Holiness Pope Shenouda III presents many examples of people who were close to God or interacted with Him but did not truly know Him, such as:
- The man born blind who was healed but did not know Christ at first.
- The two disciples of Emmaus who walked with Him but did not recognize Him.
- Mary Magdalene who saw Him but did not know Him.
- The Jews who lived with Him but did not believe in Him.
- Even Satan who spoke with God but had no relationship with Him.
The Danger of Superficial Religion
The lecture emphasizes that a person may:
- Pray, fast, and give tithes
- Speak about God or serve in His name
- Live a seemingly virtuous life
Yet still have no personal relationship with God, and thus be rejected in the end because he does not know Him.
The Difference Between Intellectual and Experiential Knowledge
True knowledge of God is:
- Experiential, not theoretical
- A relationship of love, friendship, and communion
- A sense of God’s presence and touch in daily life
As for intellectual knowledge alone, it is like the knowledge of demons who believe in God without a relationship.
A Call to Know God Deeply
The lecture calls to:
- Seek true knowledge of God
- Experience His presence in life
- Enter into a personal relationship with Him, like the fathers and apostles
It affirms that eternal life is to know God, not just to believe in Him intellectually.
The Coptic Orthodox Spiritual Dimension
From the Orthodox perspective, true knowledge of God is a communion of life with Him, lived in the heart and spirit, not merely rituals or words. It is a divine grace that a person seeks through spiritual struggle and humility.
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