Pastor's Power Points

That I May Know Him

Eternal life is a designation not just of duration (forever, without end), but of an unsurpassed quality of life as well.  Jesus’ words were: This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent (John 17:3). Eternal life is knowing the triune God.

As Paul moves ahead in outlining the surpassing worth of knowing Christ, we recognize a progression in his knowledge, experience and ambition: …that I may gain Christ; …and be found in Him; …that I may know Him (Phil. 3:8-10). His union with Christ incited the passion to know Him more.  A maxim of personal success is whatever skill you want to develop, spend time with those who are excellent at it. I admire Abraham Lincoln and would like to emulate his virtues of leadership, confidence and compassion. But knowing about the 16^th president could not be the same as knowing him, speaking with him personally, or working along side of him. Paul’s statement in regard to Christ presents Him as the objective and the means to that objective.  To know Christ means to know His life, His character, His unwavering ambition to glorify the Father, His compassion, His strength…. Paul recognized that what Jesus Christ was in His strength and perfection was, in fact, the objective of Paul’s life and existence. What better way to become like Christ than by knowing Him – knowing in the sense of acquaintance and communion. Spend time with, walk with, do life with the One who is excellent in every way – the One who is altogether lovely, in whom you will never find disappointment.

Paul’s recognition of Christ as his life objective developed in him the consuming ambition to know Him. Therein is the means of becoming like Him. This path is reflected in John’s statement: When He is revealed we shall be like Him for we shall see Him as He is. This is full and first-hand acquaintance and presence as well as full conformity to the perfections of His character.  John continues: Everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.  I like the question that J.A. Motyer poses: “Ánd does it not stand to reason that if we are satisfied with Christ for salvation, we will not rest until we are like the One who satisfied us so?”  David wrote: I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness.  Our prayer should be as the words of the song: “burn all desire, ‘til You are my one delight.”  As I know Jesus Christ with my whole being, He becomes the architect of my whole being.