THE UNKNOWN GOD

To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not. Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew Him not. 

For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, Him declare I unto you. Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.

Then said they unto him, Where is thy Father? Jesus answered, Ye neither know Me, nor My Father: if ye had known Me, ye should have known My Father also. The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts. All things are delivered to Me of My Father: and no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and He to whom the Son will reveal Him. 

O righteous Father, the world hath not known Thee: but I have known Thee, and these have known that Thou hast sent Me. The world cannot hate you; but Me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil. If the world hate you, ye know that it hated Me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. But all these things will they do unto you for My name's sake, because they know not him that sent Me. I never knew you, depart from Me, ye that work iniquity.

They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. And they that know Thy name will put their trust in Thee: for Thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek Thee. Yet ye have not known Him; but I know Him: and if I should say, I know Him not, I shall be a liar like unto you: but I know Him, and keep His saying. yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service. And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor Me. Then cried Jesus in the temple as He taught, saying, Ye both know me, and ye know whence I am: and I am not come of Myself, but He that sent me is true, Whom ye know not. 

Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth Him: but ye know Him; for He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.  

And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient. We are of God: He that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error. Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God. In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods. But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God. 

For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. And hereby we do know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He that saith, I know Him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial; they knew not the Lord. 

And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know Him that is true, and we are in Him that is true, even in His Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.