0628 REALLY KNOWING CHRIST

JUNE 27 = PHILIPPIANS 3

KNOWING CHRIST

In Christian circles, and especially in Christian songs, we talk about “knowing Christ” a lot. Here are two examples: “Do you know my Jesus? Do you know my friend? Have you heard he loves you and that he will abide to the end?” “I want to know you, I see your face, I want to know you more. I want to touch you. I want to hear your voice, I want to know you Lord.”

What does Paul say it means to know Christ? Hint: It has much more to do with the kind of radical, absolute standards that Christ set by his example! 

“I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.” 

You might say, if you want to know Christ, you will need to take the whole Chiasm to get there. You want resurrection? Become like him in his death in order to get it. Have you done that yet? I hope not, because we are still alive here on earth! 

“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.” 

So, if we aren’t there, “knowing” Christ in all his glory, what do we do? We press on. We take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of each of us. What do we take hold of, exactly? I’m not sure. Eternal life. Heavenly perspective. Spiritual power. Jesus took hold of me so that I could take hold of what he had. (Notice another Chiasm here?) Have we done it yet? Have we arrived once we are saved? Let’s see what Paul says:

“Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

So, there is more to press on toward. We may have eternal life in our future, but we have not obtained the ultimate victory yet. So forget what is behind. There has never been better advice than this. Have we failed in the past? Have we fallen short? Is our record tainted? Is there shame? Of course! But forget all that. It is behind you. 

Rather than focus on failures of the past, give your effort toward learning and improving and becoming more like Jesus in your character. Paul would say, Strain toward what is ahead. Press on toward the goal. This is not a walk in the park; it is a race, and all-out race to which you must give every ounce of your energy. Elsewhere, Paul talks about running as if it were a competition and only one can win. That’s how we pursue Christ. 

There is a prize when we arrive. We win it when God has called us heavenward in Christ Jesus. May you win the prize. Amen!