And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things says the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;
I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot: I would you were cold or hot. So then because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue you out of my mouth.
Because you say, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and know not that you are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
I counsel you to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that you may be rich; and white raiment, that you may be clothed, and that the shame of your nakedness do not appear; and anoint yours eyes with eyesalve, that you may see. - Rev 3:14-18
The WrittenWord reveals the IncarnateWord by the SpiritOfTruth.
Can a person know Christ without 'knowing' His Word?
This is a rhetorical question because 'knowing' is a continuum.
My concern is that some people have settled for an image of Jesus that was painted with broad strokes. In some instances it is a photo-shopped image. Thy Word is Truth and Jesus is the Truth.
I believe the 'gold' of Rev 3:18 is the Word, that the 'white raiment' is a transformed mind and that we 'buy' both of them through hearing/studying/meditating on the Word coupled with Spirit revelation of it and submission to it.
The Spirit of Truth reveals the True Christ to us in that seeking.
The True Christ in us is the One who makes us more than Conquerors.
Those who hold a broad-stroked image of Christ find their 'abundant life' through materialism rather than the Power of the New Creature who operates by Faith in God.
Because they have divorced themselves from the WrittenWord they are Weak, Fearful and Unbelieving.
The one thing that perturbed our Lord wrt His Disciples was their Fear and Unbelief.
It is that which still perturbs Him.