DEEPER KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST - PART 7

THURSDAY 18 JANUARY 2024

As this topic comes to an end with this article, I believe that you've gained the spiritual understanding of Paul's personal prayer in relation to knowing Christ. More below!

Reference: Philippians 3:10-11 New King James Version (NKJV)

"I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to Him in His death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.…"

Remember that apostle Paul wanted to know Christ...and the expression, "I want to know," suggests the Greek phraseology "théleis na xéreis" which implies that "you really want to know." In other words, it is a fixed inward desire. Got it?

In the very beginning of this topic, I stated that Pauline expression of such desire according to our Scripture reference, is the sum total of eternal life, which I instantiated with the versified statement numbered as John 17:3, where the Lord Jesus asserted, "Now this is eternal life: that they may know You, the only true [supreme and sovereign] God, and [in the same manner know] Jesus [as the] Christ whom You have sent" (AMP).

Eternal life is "to know" the only true God, and Jesus Christ wholly. To that effect, 1st John 5:20 reads, "And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life" (NIV).

Notice that in this Scriptural expression, John acknowledged that Jesus has given us "understanding" in order to know...! Got it? He is simply assuring us that the spirit of understanding is at work in us. And that's the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit. Hallelujah! So all you have to do is to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18 KJV).

Now this is how to know Christ:

2 Peter 1:5-8 (NIV), "Make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ."

Beloved, I believe that the above Petrine epistolary emphasis is self-explanatory, and it absolutely divulged the advantageous obligation to be activated and observed in the process of grasping the full knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Did you notice that I imprinted the phrasing, "process of grasping the full knowledge of Christ" in my parlance? Why so? It is because knowing Christ is a continual process of spiritual growth until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ (Philippians 4:13 NLT).

In conclusive view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus, this is how to check, examine and assure yourself that you are gaining the true knowledge of Christ:

1st John 2:3-4, "And this is how we know [daily, by experience] that we have come to know Him [to understand Him and be more deeply acquainted with Him]: if we habitually keep [focused on His precepts and obey] His commandments (teachings). Whoever says, "I have come to know Him," but does not habitually keep [focused on His precepts and obey] His commandments (teachings), is a liar and the truth [of the divine word] is not in him (AMP).

Simply put, we know that we are gaining the true knowledge of Christ: By keeping His commandments. The one who claims, "I know Him" while not keeping His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in that person. But the love of God is truly perfected in whoever keeps His word.

Oh my greatly beloved, grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, Amen. Shalom!

Scripture Reading - Colossians 1:19; Philippians 3:8; Colossians 3:10; 2 Peter 3:18.

Guided Prayer:

Heavenly Father, thank you for the Spirit of understanding graciously working in me and with me, and assisting me in gaining the accurate knowledge of Christ, thereby granting me all the good success that you've planned for my life in Jesus' Name, Amen!