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“And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’”

Matthew 7:23 [ESV]

God knows all. He knows Everything. He knew you before you were born. But does he “know” you? What on earth do I mean by that you ask?

Let me explain what brought this on. Jesus talks about His sheep knowing His voice. Right?

“I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, “

John 10:14 [ESV]

This sounds like Jesus is only speaking about His sheep. His own. No one else. Which brings to mind the question what about the ones that are NOT His? Does He know them? If Jesus knows everything, AND HE DOES, then He would know His and the ones that aren’t His. At least that is how it appears when you first glance at this verse.

Further more, the bible says that God foreknew us. So not only does He know who we are, He has known from the beginning who we are. So why would He say he never knew them?

“For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.”

Romans 8:29.30 [ESV]

He knows His sheep. He knew them before time. And knowing that God is all knowing, one has to ask, what about the ones that aren’t His. Did he know ahead of time that they were destined for hell? When you look at both of those verses together you have to wonder what is the state of the lost when it comes to His foreknowledge. If He knew they were going to hell why would He bother creating them? This is often a question one hears from the Atheist side.

You know that God knows all, so what is this all about? Does He just know His sheep? Is it only the Christian that He knows about? That doesn’t sound right, and it isn’t.

The key is in the word know.

Know.

Jesus never knew them? Yes. That is, like I said, the key to this whole dilemma.

When the bible speaks about Jesus knowing His sheep, and not knowing those that are workers of lawlessness, it is referring to the type of knowing that is mentioned in Genesis 4:1. Although it is not the exact same word, it has a similar meaning. It is a Jewish idiom for sexual intercourse between a man and a woman, as well as to know, understand, perceive, or have knowledge of something. It is more intimate.

“Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, “I have gotten a man with the help of the LORD.””

Genesis 4:1 [ESV]

Jesus wants to get to know you personally. Not just be aware of you. This is critical for salvation. If Jesus only knows who you are, you are very possibly still lost. He needs to have intimate knowledge of who you are. You two need to bond.

Once you have bonded you will hear His voice. You will understand who is calling you. Who is and who WAS calling you.