To know God is the purpose of human life. The Orthodox Church does not teach that God is an idea to study from a distance, but the living Lord who created us, loves us, saves us, and calls us into communion with Himself.
When we speak about knowing God, we must begin with humility. God is not something we master. He is the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, the one true God, who reveals Himself to us in Jesus Christ, in Holy Scripture, in the worship of the Church, and in the life of prayer, repentance, and holiness.
God Reveals Himself to Us
The Orthodox Church teaches that God is the Creator of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible. He is eternal, holy, all-powerful, all-knowing, and everywhere present. He has no beginning and no end. He does not depend on anything for His life. Everything that exists receives its life from Him.
At the same time, God is not cold, distant, or impersonal. He is not simply “the universe,” “energy,” “the force,” or a religious feeling. God is personal. He speaks, loves, acts, judges, forgives, heals, and saves. He knows us more deeply than we know ourselves.
Holy Scripture begins with this simple truth: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). The world did not come from nothing by accident. It exists because God freely and lovingly brought it into being. Creation is not God, but it belongs to God and is held in existence by Him.
This matters for daily life. If God is the Creator, then our lives are not random. Our bodies matter. Our choices matter. The world around us matters. We are not spiritual souls trapped in useless bodies. We are created as whole persons, body and soul, called to love God with our whole life.
The Holy Trinity
The Orthodox Church confesses one God in three Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. This is not three gods. This is not one God wearing three masks. The Father is truly God, the Son is truly God, and the Holy Spirit is truly God. Yet there is one God, one divine nature, one glory, one kingdom, and one worship.
This is the faith given by Christ to the Apostles and preserved in the Church. At every Divine Liturgy, we confess the Nicene Creed: “I believe in one God, the Father Almighty,” and then we confess Jesus Christ as “true God of true God,” and the Holy Spirit as “the Lord, the Giver of Life.” The Creed is not a poem or a slogan. It is the Church’s faithful confession of who God has revealed Himself to be.
Jesus commands His Apostles to baptize “in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19). Notice that He says “name,” not “names.” There is one divine name, and yet the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are personally distinct. This is why Orthodox Christians are baptized in the name of the Holy Trinity and why every prayer begins and ends with the sign of the Cross.
St. Athanasius taught clearly that the Son is not a creature, but truly God, begotten of the Father before all ages. This matters because only God can save us. If Christ were only a holy man or an angel, He could not unite us to God. But because the Son of God became man, we can be healed, forgiven, and brought into communion with God.
The Holy Trinity is not a puzzle for clever people. It is the life of God revealed to us. God is love, not because He became loving after He created the world, but because love is eternally true in God. The Father loves the Son, the Son loves the Father, and the Holy Spirit rests in this eternal communion of divine life.
Knowing God in the Life of the Church
Many people think knowing God means having private opinions about spiritual things. Orthodoxy teaches something deeper and safer. We come to know God by entering the life of the Church, where Christ teaches, heals, feeds, corrects, and forms us.
We know God through worship. In the Divine Liturgy, we do not gather to watch a religious performance. We stand before the living God. We hear His Word. We offer thanksgiving. We receive the Body and Blood of Christ. The Church’s worship teaches us who God is because worship is where the truth of God is prayed, sung, and received.
We know God through prayer. A catechumen should begin with a simple prayer rule and keep it faithfully. Morning prayers, evening prayers, the Jesus Prayer, and reading the Psalms slowly teach the heart to turn toward God. Prayer is not about producing a feeling. It is about standing before God honestly, with attention, repentance, and trust.
We know God through repentance. Sin darkens the heart. Pride, anger, lust, greed, resentment, and self-will make it harder to see God clearly. Repentance is not self-hatred. It is the return of the heart to God. When we confess our sins, receive correction, fast, forgive others, and struggle faithfully, we begin to see more clearly.
We know God through Holy Scripture as it is read within the Church. The Bible is not a private codebook where each person invents his own meaning. It is the inspired Word of God given to the people of God. We read Scripture with the mind of the Church, with the Fathers, the saints, the services, and the whole life of Holy Tradition.
We also know God through His creation, but creation must be understood rightly. The beauty of the sea, the order of the stars, the goodness of food, the gift of family, and the quiet of the heart can all point us toward God. But creation is not God. We do not worship nature. We give thanks to the Creator through the created world.
A common misunderstanding is that God is so mysterious that we cannot really know Him at all. It is true that God’s essence is beyond our understanding. We cannot grasp God like we grasp a fact in a textbook. But God truly reveals Himself, and we truly know Him by grace. We know Him not by controlling Him, but by communion with Him.
Another misunderstanding is that knowing God is mainly about emotions. Feelings can come and go. Sometimes prayer feels warm and peaceful. Sometimes it feels dry and difficult. The Orthodox Christian does not chase feelings. He remains faithful, trusting that God is present even when the heart feels heavy or distracted.
This is why the Church gives us a concrete way of life. Pray daily. Come to the services. Keep the fasts as you are able and under guidance. Confess your sins. Receive the sacraments properly. Forgive quickly. Give alms. Read Scripture. Ask questions. Stay close to the parish. This is how knowledge of God becomes real and not just talk.
Most Commonly Asked Questions
Can we really know God?
Yes, but not by reducing Him to an idea we can control. We know God because He reveals Himself to us, especially in Jesus Christ and in the life of the Church. We know Him by faith, worship, prayer, repentance, and grace.
Why does the Orthodox Church teach the Holy Trinity?
The Orthodox Church teaches the Holy Trinity because this is how God has revealed Himself. Christ speaks of the Father, reveals Himself as the Son, and sends the Holy Spirit. The Church worships one God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Is God a force or energy?
No. God is personal, not an abstract force. He is the living God who knows us, loves us, commands us, forgives us, and calls us into communion with Himself.
How is God related to creation?
God created the world freely and lovingly. Creation is not God, but it is good and belongs to Him. We are called to receive the world with thanksgiving and offer our lives back to God in worship.
How do I start knowing God in a real way?
Start with the life of the Church. Come to services, begin a simple daily prayer rule, read the Gospels, speak with your priest or catechist, and take repentance seriously. Do not try to figure everything out alone.
A Pastoral Word
Knowing God is not a quick lesson to finish. It is a life to enter. Be patient, be faithful, and stay close to the Church. God is not hiding from you. He is calling you to know Him, love Him, worship Him, and become truly alive in Him.
If you’re working through this and need guidance, reach out to Fr. Stephen at frsteve@savannahorthodox.com AND Anthony at anthony@anthonyally.com. CC us both.
