Knowing God

This morning I was reading in John 16 and something caught my eye. In verses 1-3 I read, "All this I have told you so that you will not fall away. They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, the time is coming when anyone who kills you will think they are offering a service to God. They will do such things because they have not known the Father or me." 

Two things stuck out to me: 1} anyone who kills you will think they are offering a service to God." The Jews that persecuted the early Christian church actually believed with all their heart they were serving God (Even though they broke the Commandment - Thou Shalt Not Kill.}

2} Jesus gives us the reason behind their actions; because they have not known the Father or me."  They were religious, they were educated but they did not have a true relationship with the Father or Jesus. We know from Church history that thousands have been killed in the name of God.

Some time later, these two things came together in the person of Saul of Tarsus. Saul [later called Paul] was on his way to Damascus to wreck havoc on the Christians, when he encountered Jesus Christ. Acts 9:4-5 "“Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked."  

In Paul's own words he said that he had been jealous for God - He thought he was serving God but he did not know God, hence "Who are you, Lord?”

Application: Whenever we feel like God is leading us to do something (especially controversial things) we had better make sure that our actions are truly from God.