GINOSKO: TO KNOW AS ONE IS MARRIED
Listen to me on this—there is a knowing that goes beyond intellect, beyond information, beyond casual acquaintance. The Greek word Ginosko is not about knowing of something. It is not familiarity. It is not theory. It is oneness. This word, used throughout Scripture, speaks of the kind of knowing that exists between a husband and wife. Intimate. Experiential. Covenantal.
And yet, this is the word Jesus uses when He speaks of how we are to know Him.
THE MOST TERRIFYING VERSE IN SCRIPTURE
Look at Matthew 7:22-23:
“Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew (GINOSKO) you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’”
Did you catch that? These people thought they knew Him. They called Him “Lord.” They cast out demons. They did miracles in His name. They had fruit. And yet Jesus looks at them and says, “I never knew you.”
That is terrifying. That means you can work in ministry, you can serve in church, you can know the Bible, you can walk in spiritual gifts—and still be a stranger to Jesus.
Do you understand what I’m saying? You can spend your whole life doing things for Him and still hear, “Depart from me.”
Because listen to me—He is not impressed with your works. He is after your heart. He is after your soul. He is after marriage, not a business partnership.
THIS IS ABOUT INTIMACY
The first time Ginosko appears in the New Testament is in Matthew 1:25:
“And did not know (GINOSKO) her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name Jesus.”
This is speaking of Joseph and Mary—Joseph did not know her in the way a husband knows his wife until after she gave birth. That’s the level of intimacy we’re talking about here. A knowing that marks, a knowing that produces, a knowing that changes identity.
This is the kind of knowing Jesus is talking about in Matthew 7. Not Did you acknowledge me? Not Did you serve me? Not Did you talk about me?
But Did you become one with me?
Did you give yourself to me fully? Did I become the very essence of your life? Or were you just wearing my name like a label while still living for yourself?
MARRIAGE, NOT COHABITATION
Ephesians 5:31-32 makes it clear:
“For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
Paul is saying that marriage—real, covenant marriage—is a prophetic revelation of what it means to Ginosko Christ. It is oneness. It is union.
Listen—there is a difference between being married to Jesus and just living with Him.
Some of you have been cohabitating with God. You visit Him on Sundays. You acknowledge Him in crisis. You pray when you need something. But there is no covenant. There is no forsaking of all others. You still belong to yourself.
And I’m telling you—He is not coming back for a girlfriend. He is not coming back for a situationship. He is coming back for a Bride.
SPIRITUAL ADULTERY
This is why James 4:4 says:
“Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.”
Did you hear that? Adulterers. You can’t be married to Christ and still be in bed with the world.
You can’t say you love Him and still chase everything He died to set you free from. You can’t carry His name and still flirt with sin like it’s an old flame you just can’t let go of.
Marriage to Christ means forsaking all others. No other lovers. No other idols. No other pursuits that compete with Him.
Some of you have been saying you’re His while secretly being in a love affair with your own desires. Your own ambitions. Your own life. And one day, you will stand before Him, expecting to hear, “Well done.” And instead, you will hear, “I never knew you.”
And at that moment, nothing else will matter. Not your career. Not your bank account. Not your reputation. Not your platform. Not your ministry. The only thing that will matter is whether or not you were His.
BUT HERE’S THE GOOD NEWS
If you’re still breathing, there’s time.
If you’re reading this and you feel that weight in your chest, if you feel conviction stirring, that means Jesus is calling you deeper. He is standing at the door knocking, saying, “Come be mine. Not just on paper. Not just in name. But truly, fully, forever.”
He wants you. He is not trying to push you away. He is not waiting to reject you. He is waiting to receive you. To make you one with Him. To bring you into a love so deep, so consuming, that everything else loses its grip on you.
You don’t have to be one of the ones who hears, “I never knew you.” You can hear, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.” You can hear, “Enter into the joy of your Lord.” You can hear, “This one is mine.”
Hear me, the invitation is open. The door is still unlocked. And the Bridegroom is still saying, “Come.”
But don’t wait.
There is a day coming when the door will close. When the Bridegroom will return. And on that day, the only thing that will matter is whether or not you were His.
So right now, choose Him.
Lay down everything else. Every other love. Every other idol. Every bit of self-preservation. Every fear. Let go.
And step fully, completely, permanently into the only love that lasts.
Because there is no greater joy than belonging completely to Jesus.
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