The four week series we have just finished: “Are You Safe,” had the subtitle: “How Can You Know if You’re a Christian.” Therefore, the term “know” is vital to understanding our relationship with God. A key to reading the Bible is to find out the words John uses and the way he uses them to convey meaning. So, how does John use this word “know” in his writings? There are two words for “know” that John favors: “ginosko” and “oida.” “Ginosko” generally speaks to “knowledge by experience,” while “oida” refers to “knowledge that is immediate and absolute.”

Note: As a matter of fact, the Apostle uses “know” 27 times in I John – 13 times John uses “ginosko” and 14 times He uses “oida.” In other words, John likes this word and we need to know (no pun intended) why.

How John uses the word “know” in all his writings helps us understand his intent and development of thought in I John.

For example, in John 8:55, Jesus says, “Though you do not know(ginosko) him, (i.e. “begun to know,” or “experienced”) “I know(oida) Him.” (i.e. “know Him perfectly” or “absolutely”).

Another example. In John 13:7, Jesus says, “You do not realize(“oida”) what I am doing, (i.e. Peter did not perceive at the time, “oida,” the significance of the action), “but later you will understand (ginosko),” (i.e. get to know, be sure of, at a later time.)

What’s the payoff?” In 5:13, John writes,

“I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know (oida) you have eternal life” (NIV).

Note: John uses an “epistolary aorist” (“I write these things to you”)to draw attention to the statement by putting Himself in the shoes of the reader – very significant since John is an Apostle who “knows” Christ. John is equating His “knowing” with their “knowing” based on their common belief. In other words, as I go in the faith, you go if you believe in Jesus (i.e. There is no seniority for me, I know the same way you do, see 1:1-4). This point is also reinforced throughout the letter when John speaks of having “fellowship” with one another (see 1:6-10), based on a common trust. John is reassuring those who are following Jesus that they are in the real church and the false teachers and fake christians were the ones out of “fellowship.”

Why “oida” and not “ginosko” in 5:13?

Because John has given the evidence in the previous chapters of who, in their character, evidence the Spirit and draws the conclusion that these characteristics give a person an absolute or positive knowledge of one’s relationship with God. When a person, “believes in the name of the Son of God” (royal title), it is evidenced in one’s life which leads to an absolute knowledge. John does not see these tests as wrecking ball’s to one’s faith, but actually as evidences of God’s grace that is produced by His Spirit (see 3:17-24; 4:1-3, 13-18; 5:4; c.f. Rom.8:12-17).

Bottom Line? We can be sure of our faith as we see the Holy Spirit evidencing particular things in our life. Our knowing is based on the Spirit shining through our life to walk in confessing our need (week 1 – we are sinners), we desire to obey Christ (week 2), we express that desire by doing what He says – loving others in God’s family (week 3), because of who Jesus is (week 4 – was a literal person, is Christ, is the Son of God).

Our confidence rests on Jesus, via the Spirit He told us He would send, working through us since that is what He promised for all His disciples. Since Jesus always fulfills His promises, we will experience and express characteristics that evidence we are His children.

God is not a gambler. Our salvation is not based on chance. It is so sure that John says we can “know” we have it. However, those who do not have the desires previously mentioned cannot be confident of being in the fellowship since God-authored faith always shines through the human life because of the Spirit of God being resident in those who have trusted in Christ. It is the nature and operation of saving faith.

We serve an amazing God who deserves to be made famous for the grace He has shown to us through Jesus Christ!