Do You Know Jesus or Just Know About Him? Understanding True Discipleship
It is possible to know every Bible story, recite correct theology, and still not truly know Jesus. This is one of the most important distinctions a Christian can wrestle with, and it is where a life of genuine discipleship begins.
What Does It Mean to "Know the Word"?
When we talk about knowing the Word, we are not simply talking about reading the Bible. John 1:1 makes this clear: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." And then in John 1:14: "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son who came from the Father, full of grace and truth."
Knowing the Word means knowing Jesus personally. It means relationship, not just information.
Can You Know About Jesus Without Actually Knowing Him?
Think about a famous person you follow. Maybe an athlete, an actor, or an author. You might know their stats, their movies, their interviews. You could recognize their face and voice instantly. But if you knocked on their front door, they would not welcome you in. You know a great deal about them, but you do not actually know them.
It is possible to approach Jesus the same way. We can know what He did, memorize what He said, and still never enter into a real relationship with Him.
Jesus Himself gave a sobering warning about this in Matthew 7:21-23: "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you.'"
These people had impressive religious resumes. They used the name of Jesus. But their confidence was in their own actions, not in Christ. They were devoted fans of Jesus, not people who truly knew Him.
Jesus Is the Source, Not a Resource
In John 15, Jesus gives us a picture of a vine and its branches. He says, "I am the true vine and my Father is the gardener."
A branch does not create its own nourishment. It does not produce fruit through sheer determination. It only lives and grows because it is connected to the vine.
Our relationship with Christ works the same way. Church attendance, Bible reading, and theological knowledge all matter. But none of those things can replace a living relationship with Jesus. They are meant to draw us deeper into that relationship, not substitute for it.
What Does the World Offer Instead?
The world tells us that life is found by looking within ourselves. Trust yourself. Follow your desires. Define your own identity. Build the life you want.
That can sound freeing. But it places an enormous weight on us. If we are our own source, we have to prove our lives matter. We have to hold everything together on our own. When our plans fail, we feel like we are the failure.
Jesus offers something better. He does not say to manufacture life on your own. He invites us to receive life from Him. Christianity is not the message that you need to look deeper within yourself. It is the good news that the life you cannot produce for yourself is found in Christ.
A branch does not earn its place in the vine by producing fruit. It produces fruit because it is already joined to the vine. In the same way, obedience and spiritual fruit do not earn our relationship with Jesus. They grow out of the new life we have already received through Him.
What Is God's Pruning and Why Does It Matter?
Jesus also describes the Father as the gardener who prunes the branches that bear fruit so they can become even more fruitful. Pruning is not comfortable. God sometimes confronts what is unhealthy in us, exposes what is holding us back, or removes something that is keeping us from growing.
His correction is not His rejection. It is evidence that He is lovingly tending to us and forming us into what we could be.
A gardener does not prune a branch because he hates it. He prunes it because he sees what it can become. This is the posture the Pharisees lacked. They knew the scriptures. They did all the religious things. But their pride kept them from truly knowing Jesus. They believed they were already good enough, so they could not see how desperately they needed Him.
What Does It Mean to Remain in Jesus?
In John 15:4-5, Jesus says: "Abide in me and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."
The word "remain" in this passage comes from the Greek word meno , which can be translated as stay, continue, dwell, or abide. Jesus is not giving His disciples another religious task to complete. He is inviting them into a continuing relationship with Him.
This is not a brief spiritual experience or an occasional visit. It is an ongoing relationship. Remaining in Jesus requires surrender. We cannot receive His life while insisting on being our own source and authority.
What Fruit Does a Real Relationship with Jesus Produce?
Paul describes it in Galatians 5:22-23: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control."
Notice Paul calls it the fruit of the Spirit. Not the fruit of trying harder. Not the fruit of appearing more righteous. It is what the Holy Spirit begins to produce in us as we remain connected to Jesus.
Here is a key distinction worth holding onto: the fruit does not create the relationship. The fruit reveals the relationship.
As we know Jesus, His character begins to shape our character. His love reshapes the way we love. His patience changes how we respond to people. His peace steadies us in difficult seasons. His faithfulness makes us more faithful.
How Do We Measure a Relationship with Jesus?
Do not measure your relationship with Jesus by whether you had an emotional high. Relationships are built through continued presence. Not every time you spend with a close friend is dramatic or deeply meaningful. Sometimes you are just together. But those ordinary moments build trust and connection over time.
The same is true with Jesus. Not every prayer will feel dramatic. But each time we return to Him, we are remaining. We are staying. We are dwelling with Him.
As Tim Keller put it: "The purpose of prayer is not that we would bend God's will to meet ours, but that we would melt and soften our will into God's."
We do not only pray because we want something from Jesus. We pray because we want to know Jesus.
Practical Ways to Remain in Jesus This Week
- Try journaling your prayers. Writing slows us down and helps us stay focused when distractions pull us away.
- Set a timer and commit to that time in prayer. Even starting with three to five minutes and building from there is a meaningful step.
- Pray through Scripture. Speak God's promises back to Him. Let His words shape your prayers and your heart.
- Begin with this simple prayer: "Jesus, help me see who You are. Help me know Your character, trust Your heart, and recognize what You are asking of me."
- Bring everything to Him. Your gratitude, your fears, your frustrations, your questions, your needs. He already knows it all. Tell Him anyway.
Do not settle for knowing about Him when He has invited you to remain in Him.
Life Application
This week, choose one new way to spend intentional time with Jesus in prayer. Not to check a box, but to remain. Set a timer, open a journal, or pray through a passage of Scripture. The goal is not to perform. The goal is to stay connected to the vine and let Him do what only He can do in you.
As you do, ask yourself these questions:
- Am I spending more time doing things for Jesus than actually spending time with Jesus?
- Is my confidence in my own religious activity, or is it truly in Christ?
- Are there areas of my life where I am still trying to be my own source instead of surrendering to Him?
- What might God be pruning in my life right now, and am I willing to let Him?
The life you cannot produce for yourself is found in Christ. Stay connected to the vine. Remain in Him.