I Know Jesus Christ

So last night I had an extended conversation / intellectual discussion with one of my wife's brothers. By intellectual discussion, I mean mostly that he had a lot he wanted to say to me about what I believe, and did so by posing strategic questions and not being very happy with how I answered them until he finally gave a short speech caricaturing the Christianity he had heard in Christian schools (and saying nothing at all about Christianity as I had described it).

On the plus side, I came to realize some things about myself. When he asked me how I could be so sure of what I believe, I did not say it was because of the logical consistency of the Christian system (I believe it is logically consistent, but so are a lot of things). I said I was sure because I know Jesus Christ. He didn't understand what that meant, which is fair since it's not an easy thing to explain. But I've been thinking about it, and I'd like to try.

"I know Jesus Christ" is not all that different than if I were to say "I know Joel P.", which is the kind of thing people say all the time. What does it mean to say I know someone? Does it mean I have conversed with him on a variety of issues? Does it mean I have driven him to pick up his girlfriend at the airport? Does it mean I have sung karaoke with him the night before his wedding?

I think the statement "I know Joel P." is a claim about someone's story: I know Joel's story. I know things about Joel's past, even before I knew him; similarly, he knows things about mine. I don't know everything about his past, but I know enough to understand him to some extent. Not only that, but I have become a part of Joel's story, and he a part of mine. When certain parts of Joel's story are told now, I will come up. Joel comes up when I tell parts of my own story. Even though I don't see or directly interact with Joel right now, I don't need convinced of who he is. I know Joel P.

It's not so different when I say I know Jesus Christ. I know about his past before I came along. Not only that, but Jesus Christ lives, and his story still continues. I have become a part of His story, and he of mine. I am as confident of who He is as I am of who Joel is. I know Jesus Christ.