of knowing Christ and being like Him Philippians 3:10 (NIV) 10 I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,” The challenge of knowing Christ and being like Him

Let’s pray…

to know Christ and be like Him. There is a Challenge to know Christ and be like Him. “Knowledge of Christ” Supreme message of the letter to the Philippians “The Epistle (Letter) of the Experimental Knowledge of Christ”.

I. The goal of the Christian life is to know Christ. “What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ.” Philippians 3:8 (NIV) Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. John 17:3 (NIV)

“We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” Romans 6:4 (NIV) It’s possible to gain knowledge about Christ through studying His Word, and yet not grow to know Christ Himself through His Word.

“Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me “Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.” John 14:21 (NIV) So our goal when we study the Bible is always growing obedience so that we can get to know the Lord Jesus better.

II. The goal of the Christian life is to be like Christ. a) To be like Christ we need to know the power of the resurrection. “One of the most dangerous forms of human error is forgetting what one is trying to achieve” (Paul Nitze, in Reader’s Digest [7/92], p. 137).

When Harvard was established in 1636, their statement of purpose said, “Every student’s main aim is to know Jesus Christ, and to recognize that Christ is the foundation of all learning.” When Yale was founded in 1701, they said that “God is the source of all wisdom.” And they required all their students to attend morning and evening [Christian] prayer services every day.

b) To be like Christ we need to know the “the fellowship of His sufferings”. “…and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,” “For a believer to share Christ’s suffering involves such a complete identification with him that it can only being explained as a death to the former life. The theological import of union with Christ must be experientially demonstrated. This is the process of sanctification and is intended to bring the believer’s present state into ever increasing conformity to Christ” Frank E. Gabelein, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary Volume II, (Ephesians – Philemon), Zodervan Publishing House, 1978, p141

Romans 6:6 (NIV) For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Philippians 3:12 (NIV)

What is our highest goal What is our highest goal? Do we want to be money-making machine, which can never buy lasting happiness? Or do we want to become more like Jesus? Vernon C. Grounds

of knowing Christ and being like Him Philippians 3:10 (NIV) 10 I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, The challenge of knowing Christ and being like Him