How can I know Jesus? What does it mean to know Him?

TL;DR:

Knowing Jesus isn’t just believing He exists—it’s entering a living, personal relationship with Him. This can only happen by first receiving His offer of salvation and allowing Him to transform you from the inside out.

what does the bible say?

When Jesus prayed in John 17:3, He stated that eternal life is knowing the one true God and the Son whom He sent. Knowing Jesus means far more than recognizing His name—it’s entering into a living, personal relationship with the Savior who loves and redeems us (John 10:14-15; Revelation 3:20). Jesus invites us not just to learn about Him but to walk with Him through faith, prayer, and obedience (John 14:15, 15:4; 1 John 2:6). When we believe that Jesus died and rose again for our sins, we are welcomed into God’s family and given eternal life (John 1:12, 3:16). This relationship transforms us from the inside out, as His Spirit teaches us, comforts us, and molds us to reflect His character (2 Corinthians 3:18, 5:17; Galatians 5:22-23). To truly know Jesus is to experience His grace, live in His truth, and find lasting purpose in His presence.

from the old testament

God made man in His image to have a relationship with Him and know Him in a perfect garden (Genesis 1:27). Adam and Eve broke that relationship when they disobeyed God (Genesis 3).
God promised to restore His people so that they would know Him again (Exodus 6:7, 29:46; Deuteronomy 4:39, 7:9).
The heavens declare the existence and majesty of God (Psalm 19:1). God’s handiwork communicates His love and care for all creation.
Our very existence proves that we are hand-crafted by Him (Psalm 139:13-14). We can never be fully complete without Him.

from the new testament

Jesus said that eternal life was in knowing Him (John 17:3). Without Christ, our lives would be meaningless, and our death would be eternal separation from His goodness and grace.
Peter committed to following Jesus because he knew Jesus was the Christ, not merely a wise man as some today would say (John 6:68-69).
The apostle John ties belief in Jesus to eternal life (John 20:30-31).
Paul “suffered the loss of all things” to know Jesus fully (Philippians 3:8). Knowing Christ is worth more than any other pursuit in life.
Knowing Jesus begins with believing that He is our Savior who defeated death. Paul wrote to the Romans, "If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved" (Romans 10:9).
Knowing God is also believing that He died to save us from our sin: "He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed" (1 Peter 2:24).
When you believe in the message of Christ, you are accepted into His family (John 1:12).
Those who believe in Jesus are also promised that they will "not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16).
Knowing Jesus is not based on our works but based on placing our faith in Him. Our understanding of Christ is only possible through Jesus' death for our sins. Romans 5:8 teaches, "God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
We don’t come to know Christ through our works but through the grace that Jesus bought for us with His life. Ephesians 2:8-9 also explains, "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast."

implications for today

To know Christ personally means developing a relationship with Him. To do that, you spend time with Him and have vulnerable conversations. Talking regularly is an important part of a relationship. To know Jesus is not just to read about Him educationally, but also to spend time understanding who He is. First John 5:20 says, "And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life." We should pray for understanding so we can know Jesus and, consequently, know God.

Knowing Christ is also about relinquishing control from yourself to Him. We can’t control everything in life—but God can and does. When we think we are in control, we may think that our salvation depends on us, but it doesn’t. It depends solely on the grace of God when we place our faith in Christ.

If you believe that Jesus is who He said He is and want to accept His offer to be your Savior, you can pray something like this: "Dear God, I know that I am a sinner and apart from you deserve only judgment. I believe that Jesus Christ is God's Son who came to earth to live the perfect life that I couldn't. He died on the cross to pay the penalty for my sin. Then He rose again after three days, proving He is true, and offering salvation and eternal life to all who put their faith in Him. Please forgive me for my sins and help me live for you. I want to know Jesus personally. Thank you for accepting me and giving me eternal life."

If you have put your faith in Jesus today because of what you've read here, please click the "I have accepted Christ" button below. We would love to help you as you begin your journey of trusting in Jesus.

understand

Knowing Jesus begins by accepting His gift of salvation and believing He is Lord.
A true relationship with Jesus grows through prayer, Bible reading, and dependence on Him.
Knowing Jesus changes our hearts, gives us purpose, and draws us closer to God’s love and truth.

reflect

What does your relationship with Jesus currently look like, and how could it grow deeper?
How does spending time in God’s Word help you understand who Jesus truly is?
How have you personally experienced Jesus’ love and forgiveness?

engage

How can we help each other grow in truly knowing Jesus, not just knowing about Him?
What are some barriers that often prevent people from developing a genuine relationship with Christ?
How does knowing Jesus personally shape the way we relate to others and live out our faith together?