I know Jesus. What does that mean? Many things to different people. It can be a head knowledge or a heart knowledge. (Head equals intellectual--know about, know of; heart equals an intimate knowledge that changes us, makes us a different person, impacts our life.)
The Hebrew idea of "knowing," at least one idea, was that of intimate knowledge, commitment, genuine relationship. It was an exclusive "knowing" that caused one to be so committed that other relationships were much less or even not existing. In Exodus 20, where the Ten Commandments were given to Moses, God said, "You shall have no other gods before me." (Before meaning besides me, ahead of me, more important than me, in my place.)
We find other places such in Isaiah (I believe chapter 43 or 46) where God spoke through the prophet to say "there are no other gods." A quite exclusive statement.
Conservative Christians believe that Jesus was the Messiah (Anointed One) sent from God to His people but also to everyone. They also believe that he was God's Son, unique and different from every other person who lived (or lives) on the earth. That indeed this Jesus was both God and human, mixed. Therefore, not only representative of God, but God in human flesh.
Therefore, to be true to Christian Scripture, in John 14:6, when Jesus said, "I am the way and the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father (God--Yahweh) but by (or through) me," then they take it to be exclusive. There is one way to this God and that is through His Son (and God also) Jesus Christ (or Messiah, Anointed One).
Even many Christians do not like this statement of Jesus, explaining it away with various sorts of ideas--"It was not really spoken by Jesus," or "He didn't mean "the only" way to God." But many would refute those ideas as well and take the Christian Scripture from John as what Jesus actually said. Each person must make that decision for themselves.
So knowing Jesus would mean trusting Jesus as God's Son and part of God. It would mean placing our faith in Him as the only way to this loving God who loves everyone in the world. It would mean living life changed by this relationship of love and trust in Jesus. It would be "transformation" to His way of life and making it my way of life. He would be our exclusive Lord and Master, not allowing other people, beliefs, or things to take His rightful place. (Living that out is very, very hard--impossible, in fact, without God's help. We are never perfectly able to live that out, or we would be Jesus.)
I believe it also would mean respecting the beliefs and faiths of others, even if I do not believe those are right. But each of us have the right to make our own choices in life, whether for Jesus or against Jesus. Jesus did not kill people by their rejection of Him, but he wept over their unwillingness or their missing him and his way.
I love people of many world faiths, and I have exemplified that in the love and compassion I have shown to internationals for much of my ministry. But I also may believe that Jesus' way is the right way, even while they may believe their ways are right. I believe God allows that choice.
To know Jesus then would be to trust him, to have faith in him in an exclusive way, that he is the one way to relationship with Yahweh God. It would impact all of life, but since John also said in 1 John, that "God is love," then love would be the "knowers" most basic characteristic because that was the most basic character of God and Jesus as well.
If Jesus is really "known" then people will "know we are Christians by our love" because that represents God and Jesus' teaching more than anything else. And that love is a sacrificial, compassionate, selfless love. Paul mentioned it in 1 Corinthians 13.
If you know Jesus, it should show forth in your love and respect of others, even if we do not agree with them. We need to "learn to disagree agreeably."
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