One of the most vital teachings of Scripture is that God can be known.  The highest knowledge to which men and women can attain is a personal knowledge of God (Jeremiah 9:24 "But let him that glories glory in this, that he understands and knows me,  that I am the Lord which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, said the Lord.)  Our only comfort in trouble will be that we have done our duty.  People do not naturally possess this knowledge (Romans 3:10, 11 "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one.  There is none that understands, there is none that seeks after God."),  There is none righteous, none that has an honest good principle of virtue, or is governed by such a principle, none that retain anything of that image of God, consistiing in righteousness, wherein man was created; no not one; implying that, if there had been one, God would have found him out, even though they know that He exists (Romans 1:19, 20  "Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God has shown it unto them.  For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:").  Hence they had these discoveries:  God has shown it to them.  Those common natural notions which they has of God were imprinted upon their hearts by the God of nature himself, who is the Father of lights.  This sense of Diety, and a regard to that Diety, are so connate with the human nature that some think we are to distinguish men from brutes by these rather than reason.  Knowing that God exists is not the same as knowing God personally.  This Knowledge of God is crucial, however, since to know Good personally is to be saved and have eternal life (John 17:3  "And this is life eternal, that they might know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ, who you have sent.").  The great end which the Christian religion sets before us, and that is, eternal life, the happiness of an immortal soul in the vision of fruition of an eternal God.  This he was to reveal to all, and secure to all that were given him.  By the gospel life and immortality are brought to light, are brought to hand, a life which transcends this as much in excellecny as it does in duration.  People should rejoice in the fact that God earnestly wants them to attain this knowledge.  That is why He has spoken to us in His Word, revealing Himself and disclosing the means by which we may know Him.

   While God surely can be known, there is always more to be learned about Him.  There are many Scriptures "unsearchable" (Psalm 145:3 "Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; and His greatness is unsearchable.) When we speak honorably of God, the is graciously interpreted and accepted as an extolling of him; Romans 11:33 "O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom ans knowledge of God! how searchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!) The apostle having insisted so largely and, through the greatest part of this chapter, upon reconcling the rejection of the Jews with divine goodness, he concludes here with the acknoeledgement and admiration of the divine wisdom and sovereignty in all this.  Here the apostle does with great affection and awe adore,  "infinite" (Psalm 147:5 "Great is our Lord,and of great power: his understanding is infinite).  He mentions thsi as one instance of many, to show that great is our Lord and of great power (he can do what he pleases), and of his understanding there is no computation, so that he can contrive everything for the best.  Since our knowledge of God better (Phillipians 3:10 "That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;")  That he might be comformable unto him, and this also is meant of his sanctification.  We are then made conformable to his death when we die to sin, as Christ died for sin, when we are crucified with Chrsit, the flesh and affections of it mortified, and the world is crucified to us, and we to the world, by virtue of the cross of Christ.  This is our conformity to his death.  We are even commanded to grow in the knowledge of Christ (2 Peter 3:18 "But grow in grace, and in knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  To him be glory both now and forever.  Amen.")  We must grow in grace.  He had in the beginning of the epistle exhorted us to add one grace to another, and here he advises us to grow in all grace, in faith, and virtue, and knowledge.  The development of one's intimate knowledge of God constitutes one of the greatest delights of the of the Christian life.

   The Bible also reveals that God cannot be known personally apart from His Word.  It contains the gospel which must be believed (Ephesians 1:13 "In whom you also trusted, after that you heard the word of truth, the gospel of you salvation: in whom also after that you beleived, you were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise.)  The seal and ernestod the Spirit are of the number of these blessings.  We are said to be seled with that Holy Spirit of promise, and the gospel brings forth saving faith in itself  (Romans 10:17 "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.)  The word of God is therefore called the word of faith:  it begets and nourishes faith.  God gives faith, but it is by the word as the insrument.  Hearing is by the word of God.  It is not hearing the enticing words of man's wisdom, but hearing the word of God, that will befriend faith, and hearing it as the word of God.

  The gospel can therefore be called "the power of God unto salvation" (Romans 1:16 "For I an not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believes; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.)  The part that the Scriptures and the gospel contained within them play in bringing men to know God is described in three important illustrations: the gospel is the agent of the new birth (James 1:18 "Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be kind of first fruits of his creatures.)  The original of this good work is here declared: it is of God's own will; not by our skill or power; not from any good foreseen in us, or done by us, but purely from the good-will and grace of God, that is, it is like the implanted seed without which the conception of new life results in salvation (2 Timothy 3:15 "And that from a child you have known the holy scriptures, which are able to make you wise  unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.)  That you have had good teachers.  Consider of whom you have learned them; not of evil men and seducers, but good men, who had themselves experienced the power of the truths they taught you, and been ready to suffer for them, and thereby would give the fullest evidence of their belief of these truths.