Do You Know God?

Donald Whitney, author of "How Can I Be Sure I'm a Christian?" gives some evidences from 1 John that help us discern if we know GOD. Here they are:

Do you share the intimacies of the Christian life with other believers? Do you love talking about the Bible and how to live as a Christian? Do you hunger to learn from other believers so you can grow in grace and get closer to Christ and live more in obeidence to Him? See 1 John 1:6-7

Do you have a deep awareness of your sin against the word and love of God? Are you aware of your sin daily? Does this grieve you, not because you will be disciplined but because you have disappointed your Father in heaven? See 1 John 1:8,10.

Do you live in conscious obedience to the word of God? Do you seek out the Word of God and find yourself compelled to obey it. Do you try to live out what you encounter in the Bible? See 1 John 2:3-5.

Do you despise the world and its ways (world meaning the world system not creation)? Do you immerse youself in the things of this world and love this world more than God? See 1 John 2:15.

Do you long for the return of Jesus Christ and long to be made like Him? Do you dream about a time when you will be with Christ? Do you ever longinly wonder what it will be like to never think another sinful thought or sinful act? See 1 John 2:2-3.

Do you habitually do what is right more and sin less? Are you growing and fighting sin in your life? See 1 John 3:7-8,10.

Do you love other Christians sacrifically and want to be with them? Do you sacrifice money, time, comfort because of the depth of your love for your Christian brothers and sisters and God? See 1 John 3:14.

Do you discern the presence of the Holy Spirit within you? Does the Holy Spirit make himself known in you through speaking assurace through your mind, cause you to love God and hate the world, look forward to Christ's return, sacrifice for other Christians, or become overjoyed in your thoughts of God? See 1 John 4:13.

Do you enjoy listening to the doctrines the apostles taught? Are you hungry to hear the bible taught in depth? Do you love to discuss the Bible with other Christians? See 1 John 4:6.

Do you believe what the Bible teaches about Jesus Christ? Resurrection, sinless, divinity, humanity, etc. Do you treasure Jesus Christ and love reading about Him in the Bible?

Do these evidences describe you? If not then no previous experience should hold any weight in determining whether you know God or not. If these evidences from 1 John do describe you (not perfectly of course but for the most part) then you can rest in God's promises of 1 John.