if only it were so simple. but look around . . . life is very complicated.
Matthew 11
27All things have been entrusted to Me by My Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him.
28Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
29Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
30For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
come to me, take my yoke. why come, why take, why not just be? because we are not totally IN Him unless we come and take the yoke (as in oxen - hauling a cart).
John 14:23
Jesus replied, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make Our Home with him.
and how do we keep His Word?
John 14:21
Whoever has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me. The one who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and reveal Myself to him."
aha. so if we keep Jesus's Commandments - then we will be loved by the Father (moreso than orhers? for God loves the Whole World) and Jesus will Reveal Himself to that person. Wonder what That means?
1 John 2:3
By this we can be sure that we have come to know Him: if we keep His commandments.
ah, so THIS is how to be SURE. IF we keep His Commandments we Have Come to Know Him. So, it would follow that any who are not keeping the Commandments or wanting to or trying to - do NOT really Know Him as Well as those who Keep The Commandments, or want to, or try to. maybe the more you keep the Commandments, the more you come to know Him.
1 John 5:3
For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome,