Impact of Past Experiences on Understanding God's Character
Understanding God's character is profoundly shaped by personal experience, which moves beyond mere intellectual assent to a deeper, more intimate knowledge [6, 9]. The Bible frequently describes God in ways that allow human minds to grasp His nature, even employing anthropomorphisms and anthropopathisms to represent divine attributes on a human level [5]. However, the full import of God's attributes, such as His infinite knowledge and foreknowledge, remains beyond complete human comprehension [1, 3]. As Job 11:7 asks, "Can you fathom the deep things of God or discover the limits of the Almighty?" [1]. Similarly, Romans 11:33 exclaims, "O the depth of the abundant wisdom and knowledge of God: how unsearchable are his judgments and his ways past finding out" [2].
The concept of "knowing" God in scripture often signifies a personal and experiential relationship rather than just intellectual awareness [6]. For instance, Isaiah 53:11 refers to the servant's "knowledge" not as intellectual understanding, but as the sum of his experiences in obedience, suffering, and intimate relationship with God [9]. This experiential knowledge is crucial for spiritual growth. John Gill, commenting on Romans 5:4, notes that tribulations can lead to patience, and this patience, in turn, "enlarges the saints' stock and fund of experience" of God's love, grace, faithfulness, and power [7]. Such experiences teach humility, thankfulness, and resignation to God's will [7].
The apostle Paul, despite his profound spiritual experiences, including being "caught away unto the third heaven" [4], still expressed a desire for deeper knowledge of Christ. In Philippians 3:10, he states his longing "That I may know him," indicating that his existing knowledge, though great, was imperfect and he desired to know more of Christ's person, riches, and salvation [11]. This pursuit of deeper knowledge through experience is a continuous journey for believers. The "pure in heart" are promised that "they shall see God," a spiritual vision that, while not fully possible in this life, is a privilege experienced by saints even now [10]. This process of knowing God through experience also involves self-discovery, as the "secrets of his heart" are made manifest by the "sword of the Spirit," revealing one's true character [8].
Sources
- Job “Job 11:7 (BSB) — Can you fathom the deep things of God or discover the limits of the Almighty?”
- Romans “Romans 11:33 (Tyndale) — O the depnes of the aboundaunt wysdome and knowledge of God: how vnserchable are his iudgementes and his wayes past findyng out.”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Foreknowledge of God — Acts 2:23; Rom. 8:29; 11:2; 1 Pet. 1:2), one of those high attributes essentially appertaining to him the full import of which we cannot comprehend. In the most absolute sense his knowledge is infinite (1 Sam. 23:9-13; Jer. 38:17-23; 42:9-22, Matt. 11:21, 23; Acts 15:18).”
- II Corinthians “II Corinthians 12:2 (YLT) — I have known a man in Christ, fourteen years ago--whether in the body I have not known, whether out of the body I have not known, God hath known--such an one being caught away unto the third heaven;”
- Deuteronomy (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Deuteronomy 8:2: 8:2 to prove your character (literally to know what is in your heart): God already knew the Israelites’ innermost thoughts (Pss 51:6; 139:1, 4, 23); he wanted their character to come out in their actions. • to find out whether: The Old Testament often describes God in human terms, even in ways that appear to limit God. Anthropomorphism (assigning human characteristics to God) and anthropopathism (assigning human feelings or emotions to God) are ways of representing God on a human level so the human mind can better grasp his ways, but God is not limited in his ”
- Amos (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Amos 3:2: 3:2 The word translated been intimate indicates personal and experiential knowledge that often extends beyond mere intellectual awareness. It can indicate formal recognition and acknowledgment (Exod 1:8; 5:2), personal experience (Gen 2:17), or sexual relations (Gen 4:1). This word is frequently used of God’s relationship with Israel (Hos 5:3) and of Israel’s ideal relationship with God (Hos 2:20). Because of Israel’s privileged status, God would hold them accountable for all their sins, not just some of them. God holds people accountable in terms of what has been gi”
- Romans (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Romans 5:4: And patience experience,.... As tribulations tend to exercise and increase patience, so patience being exercised and increased, enlarges the saints' stock and fund of experience; of the love and grace of God communicated to them at such seasons; of his faithfulness in fulfilling his promises; of his power in supporting them; and of their own frailty and weakness; and so are taught humility, thankfulness, and resignation to the will of God: and experience, hope; hope is a gift of God's grace, and is implanted in regeneration, but abounds, increases, and becomes more s”
- 1 Corinthians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 Corinthians 14:25: And thus--omitted in the oldest manuscripts and versions. secrets of his heart made manifest--He sees his own inner character opened out by the sword of the Spirit (Heb 4:12; Jam 1:23), the word of God, in the hand of him who prophesieth. Compare the same effect produced on Nebuchadnezzar (Dan 2:30 and end of Dan 2:47). No argument is stronger for the truth of religion than its manifestation of men to themselves in their true character. Hence hearers even now often think the preacher must have aimed his sermon particularly at them. and so--”
- Isaiah (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Isaiah 53:11: 53:11 his experience (literally his knowledge): This clearly does not refer to intellectual knowledge but to all that the servant would experience in his obedience, suffering, and intimate relationship with God. • The servant’s righteous obedience enables people to be put right with God (see Gen 15:6; Rom 5:18-19), for he will bear all their sins.”
- Matthew (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Matthew 5:8: Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God--Here, too, we are on Old Testament ground. There the difference between outward and inward purity, and the acceptableness of the latter only in the sight of God, are everywhere taught. Nor is the "vision of God" strange to the Old Testament; and though it was an understood thing that this was not possible in the present life (Exo 33:20; and compare Job 19:26-27; Isa 6:5), yet spiritually it was known and felt to be the privilege of the saints even here (Gen 5:24; Gen 6:9; Gen 17:1; Gen 48:15; Psa 2”
- Philippians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Philippians 3:10: That I may know him,.... The Ethiopic version reads "by faith"; and to the same sense the Syriac. The apostle did know Christ, and that years ago; he knew whom he had believed; he knew him for himself; he knew his personal interest in him; nor did he know any but him in the business of salvation: but his knowledge of Christ, though it was very great, it was, imperfect; he knew but in part, and therefore desired to know more of Christ, of the mystery and glories of his person, of the unsearchable riches of his grace, of his great salvation, and the benefits of it,”