Since God is omniscient, He knows everything and everyone. Would it surprise you to know that the Lord might not know you?
Describing Himself as the Good Shepherd, Jesus states that He knows His sheep and is known by His own (John 10:14). In verse 27 of this same context, the Lord says, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” Closely related to knowing Him is following Him as sheep do their shepherd.
The solid foundation of God that stands is as follows: “’The Lord knows those who are His,’ and ‘Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity’” (2 Tim. 2:19). Again, those who are His have departed from iniquity (lawlessness) and are thereby known by Him.
Still, despite our belief that we are amongst those known to the Lord, He still might not know us. Jesus said, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!” (Matt. 7:21-23).
How sobering the thought that though we might profess to know the Lord, and even do works, “in His name,” that He might not know us due to the lawlessness in which we engage.
Jesus said, “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able. When once the Master of the house has risen up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door, saying ‘Lord, Lord, open for us,’ and He will answer and say to you, ‘I do not know you, where you are from,’ then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets.’ But He will say, ‘I tell you I do not know you, where you are from. Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity’” (Luke 13:24-27).
Does the Lord know you? If you are practicing lawlessness (in other words, living outside of His law, or without it), then you have your answer! If you want to know the Lord, and more importantly, be known by Him, perhaps the following two statements by Jesus will encourage you in that direction.
“If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me” (John 14:23-24).
“Then Jesus said to those who believed Him, ‘If you abide in My word, you are My disciple indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free’” (John 8:31-32).