In this article/sermon you will learn what the knowledge of God includes and how it impacts your life on a daily and personal level.

We are in a series of messages called “God Is Closer Than You Think.” We are spending a few weeks looking at some attributes of God. We want to see God more accurately and understand Him at a greater level.

Last week we looked at the presence of God and learned that God is everywhere at the same time and there are no limitations to His presence. Because of God’s presence we have the greatest opportunity to experience true satisfaction and real peace. We have the greatest motivation to pursue godliness, to experience God anywhere at any time and the greatest opportunity to be used by God anywhere at any time. We looked at all that last week.

Today we are going to examine the knowledge of God. We are going to get a small glimpse at what God knows and how that impacts our lives at a daily level.

The Knowledge of God Defined

Let me give you a Biblical definition for God’s knowledge. A Biblical definition is a definition compiled by looking at what the Bible says about a subject. A definition of God’s knowledge could read, “God fully knows Himself and all things actual and possible in one simple and eternal act” (Wayne Grudem, 190 Systematic Theology). To help us understand God’s knowledge, let’s unpack this Biblical definition into four parts.

God’s knowledge is comprehensive: “God fully knows”

First, God’s knowledge is comprehensive. Our definition begins by saying, “God fully knows….” Psalm 147:5 tells us, “His understanding is infinite” (HCSB). God’s knowledge and understanding has no limit. His intelligence has no barriers.

Hebrews 4:13 puts it this way, “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before His eyes, and He is the one to who we are accountable” (NLT). There is no detail that goes unnoticed by God. Nothing is hidden from Him. He knows everything about everything and everyone. He knows everything about you.

Look carefully at what David wrote in Psalm 139:1, “O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me” (NLT). He knows you better than you know yourself.

  • Look at verse 2, “You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I’m far away. You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do” (NLT). God knows where you have been, where you are and where you are going. He knows what you have done, what you are doing, and what you will do. God knows your actions, whether they be good or bad.
  • Look at verse 2 again and notice we are told that God “knows my thoughts” (NLT). God knows what we think every moment of the day. He knows what you think about your spouse, your children, your boss, your pastor, yourself, and neighbors, etc. God knows your every thought. He knows what you are really thinking about right now.

God’s ability to know what others are thinking is demonstrated in the life of Jesus. After Jesus had healed a crippled man some of the people who saw it were thinking evil thoughts about Jesus. Matthew wrote, “Perceiving their thoughts, Jesus said, ‘Why are you thinking evil things in your hearts?” (Matthew 9:4, HCSB; see also 12:25).

  • God knows our actions and He knows our thoughts, but He also knows your motives. God knows the real reasons why you do what you do, even if you are not sure yourself, God knows. God always knows why we do what we do. In 1 Chronicles 28:9, David gives advice to his son Solomon saying, “And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve Him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts” (NIV 84). God knows why we obey Him and why we do not. He knows why we tell the truth and why we lie. He knows why you do what you do. He knows why you don’t do what you don’t do. God knows your motives.

God’s knowledge is intuitive: “Himself”

God’s knowledge is comprehensive, but secondly, God’s knowledge is also intuitive. We see this in Isaiah 40:13, where the prophet is asking a series of rhetorical questions about God’s knowledge: “Who has directed the Spirit of the Lord, or who gave Him His counsel? Who did He consult with? Who gave Him understanding and taught Him the paths of justice? Who taught Him knowledge and showed Him the way of understanding?” (HCSB).

To put it in our terms, where did the Lord go to school? Where did God get His incredible education? Isaiah is raising the question to demonstrate that God does not gain knowledge by learning. He does not need to study, read, or analyze.

We have to listen to others, read and have experiences for us to gain knowledge and learn. God does not have to listen, read or have any experience to increase His knowledge. Everything that can be known, everything that has ever been known, and everything that will ever be known, He already knows. God never discovers anything new.

For example, the Bible says in Matthew 10:30, “Even the very hairs of your head are all numbered” (NIV 84). I realize for some people that is a low number, but did God have to count the hairs on your head to gain the knowledge of how many hairs are on your head? No. God just simply knows the number. His knowledge is intuitive.

God has innate knowledge of all data at all times. All knowledge past, present, and future resides in Him. All that is known, has been known, will be known, could be known or has been forgotten by man, God knows right now. What God knows now, He knew before the world existed. Hannah said it correctly in 1 Samuel 2:3, “The Lord is a God who knows” (NIV 84).

Because of God’s intuitive knowledge, He knows that you are listening to this message at this moment. He knows what you are thinking about as His Word is being taught. He knows if you would rather be somewhere else. He knows what you plan to do when you leave church. He knows what you did last night and He knows what you will do tomorrow.

All information in all the libraries past, present, and future; and all the information on all the computers that will ever be, God knows perfectly and completely right now.

The source of God’s knowledge is not from some teacher or a book, but the source of His knowledge is Himself. He knows everything simply because He knows.

God’s knowledge is practical: “all things actual and possible”

Third, God’s knowledge is practical. Our Biblical definition of God’s knowledge states, “God fully knows Himself and all things actual and possible….”

God knows “all things actual.” This means all things that exist and all things that happen.

  • This applies to creation, Hebrews 4:13 says, “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before His eyes, and He is the one to whom we are accountable” (NLT).
  • God also knows the future, for He is the only one who can say, “I alone am God! I am God, and there is none like me. Only I can tell you the future before it even happens” (Isaiah 46:9-10, NLT).
  • God knows the tiny details of every one of our lives, for Jesus tells us, in Matthew 6, “your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask Him!” (v.8, NLT).
  • God knows what we are going to say before we say it. Psalm 139:4 says, “You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord” (NLT).
  • God knows everything about every day of your life. Psalm 139:16, “You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed” (NLT).

God knows everything that is going on. He knows all things actual, but God also knows “all things possible.” God knows what would have happened if….

  • This is why Jesus could say that Tyre and Sidon would have repented if Jesus’ own miracles had been done there in former days. Jesus said in Matthew 11:21, “What sorrow awaits you, Korazin and Bethsaida! For if the miracles I did in you had been done in wicked Tyre and Sidon, their people would have repented of their sins long ago, clothing themselves in burlap and throwing ashes on their head to show their remorse” (NLT).

“God fully knows Himself and all things actual and possible….”

God’s knowledge is unified: “in one simple and eternal act”

A fourth aspect of God’s knowledge is, God’s knowledge is unified. It’s complete. Our Biblical definition states, “God fully knows Himself and all things actual and possible in one simple and eternal act.”

The word “simple” means in this sense “not divided into parts.” This means that God is always fully aware of everything. If He should wish to tell us the number of grains of sand on the seashore or the number of stars in the sky, He would not have to count them all quickly like some kind of giant computer, nor would He have to call the number to mind because it was something He had not thought about for a time. Rather, He always knows all things at once. All of these facts and all other things that He knows are always fully present in His mind. He does not have to reason to conclusion or ponder carefully before He answers, for He knows the end from the beginning, and He never learns and never forgets anything (cf. Ps. 90:4; 2 Peter 3:8).

But God’s knowledge is not only a simple act but it is also an “eternal act.” This means that God’s knowledge never changes or grows. God does not learn anything new. He does not have new thoughts or discovers something that He did not already know. He has eternal knowledge about everything.

The Results of God’s Knowledge

What is the significance about God knowing everything? How does that impact my life? How can knowing an all knowing God help me? What’s so important about God knowing everything? Let me give you four answers.

God’s knowledge is big enough to give me right answers

First of all, God’s knowledge is big enough to give me right answers. God knows all truth. He knows all the right answers. Job 37:16 describes God’s knowledge as “perfect knowledge” (HCSB). Then in 1 John 3:20 we are told that God “knows all things” (HCSB). God knows all the right answers about marriage, about parenting, about growing old, about life, and about death. He knows all the right facts about creation, about the end of time, about salvation, about heaven and hell. He knows all the right answers about worry, about stress, about sickness and about health.

And God has given us, out of His perfect knowledge answers to life’s most difficult and complex questions in His Word. When God gives us instructions regarding a matter, you can rest assure it comes from the perspective of someone who knows everything. What God has to say in His Word comes from an all-knowing mind. This makes God’s Word perfect and exactly what we need.

God’s knowledge is big enough to know about my needs

What is so significant about God knowing everything? Number two, God’s knowledge is big enough to know about my needs. Because God knows everything, He knows about your needs, even before you do. Jesus said, “…your Father knows the things you need before you ask Him” (Mathew 6:8, HCSB). He knows about your need for a friend, a job, and encouragement. He knows about your need for rest, hope, or deliverance from a sin. He knows about your needs and how to best meet them and when to meet them and where He needs to take you in order to meet them. None of your needs take your God by surprise.

God’s knowledge is big enough to know about my concerns

Number three, God’s knowledge is big enough to know about my concerns. God knows everything that you are concerned about. He knows about your concern regarding your marriage, your spouse, and your kids. He knows about your worries regarding your health. He knows what you are discouraged about, disappointed about and He knows the answers to your concerns. Whatever He tells you to do regarding your concern is the right answer.

God’s knowledge is big enough to know everything about me and still love me

Number four, God’s knowledge is big enough to know everything about me and still love me. Even though God knows everything about me… my thoughts (good and bad), my motives (good and bad), my actions (good and bad), my moments of faith and my moments of doubt, my times of obedience and disobedience, my times of generosity and my times of selfishness. God knows everything about me, everything I do, everything I say, every attitude I have but He still loves me. Even though He knows all about my imperfections, all about my weaknesses and all about the sin in my life, He still loves me and accepts me.

Romans 5:8 sums it up nicely, “God proves His own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us!” (HCSB). How big is God? How great is His knowledge? God is big enough to know everything about me and still love me and accept me.

Conclusion

  • If you are struggling with a sin in your life, go to God right now about it. Talk to Him about. He already knows about it, so don’t try to hide it. Confess your sin and accept His forgiveness (1 John 1:9).
  • If you have a concern or situation you don’t know what to do about, God to God in prayer and listen to His Word and do what He says. You can trust Him to give you the right answer, the right course action, and the right advice.
  • Thank God that He knows you so thoroughly and loves you so completely. No one will ever know you better or love you more!
  • Give to the Lord that situation in which you were misunderstood, that incident in which someone misread your motives. Forgive the people involved if that’s needed, and rest your case with God, realizing that He knows your heart.
  • Read Psalm 139:1-18, then take a look at yourself. Remember that you were created by God whose knowledge is infinite and who had an infinite number of options to choose from. He knew exactly what He was doing when He chose to create you. Nothing about you is an afterthought!