Philippians 3:7-11 - That I May Know Him

Philippians 3 is one of those transcendent passages in the New Testament. Grasp it and you will understand who Paul was and what made him tick. Grasp it and you will understand what the Christian life is all about. Understand this passage and you will begin to understand why you are here, what your purpose is, what God is doing in you and what God is doing through you. It is also some of the more beautiful writing in the New Testament.

We get caught up in this idea in our culture that Christianity is about a set of moral values. Large portions of the Church have bought into this notion, too, and while the values may differ slightly in detail and emphasis it is hard to escape the notion that American Christianity is a set of rules to keep. Paul knows nothing of this sort of Christianity and rejects it.

Oh, yes, of course, our faith includes rules. It includes God's moral standards and precepts. But these are not the center of our faith. The center of our faith is Christ. And Christianity is not about rules, it is about relationship.

that I may know him 

and the power of his resurrection, 

and may share his sufferings, 

becoming like him in his death, 

that by any means possible I may attain 

the resurrection from the dead.

These are the words of Paul in verse ten and they summarize what the Christian life is all about. It is about knowing Christ and pursuing that relationship with Christ through the gospel all our days. It is about taking up our cross daily and following him. It is about embracing his gracious will for our lives, including suffering. It is about having our eyes set, not on this world, but on the next.

This is the third lesson from chapter 3 and is part of a larger study that covers every verse of Philippians from beginning to end. I hope you will take the time to listen and be blessed in doing so. Just click the link below.

Click here:  Philippians 3:7-11


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