A boy was knocking on doors. He knocked on one door, and a woman answered it. “Do you know Jesus?” the boy asked. The woman, unaccustomed to being quizzed about her faith, was a little befuddled. “I go to church every Sunday,” she told the boy. “Yes ma’am, but do you know Jesus?” he asked again. How well do you know Jesus Christ? Is He real to you?
Philippians 3:10 reads, “that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death” (NKJV). Note verse 10 says, “that I may know Him.” How does one get to know Christ? Not by observance of the Mosaic covenant. Not by fleshly alliances. The apostle Paul would have been saved already as a Jew if the Mosaic Law or earthly circumstances were how one knows Christ; note Paul’s advantages (4-6). As a Jew, Paul did not know Jesus. How may we know Jesus better?
We must make much of God’s Book. Psalms 1:1-3 teaches that happy is the man who is acquainted with God’s Book. We must take time for meditation. We need a quiet time when we can let God speak to us through His Word. By studying the Bible, we get to know more about Jesus (2 Timothy 3:14-15; Luke 24:44; Acts 18:28; 8:35). We need to get back into the Bible.
We must magnify the daily habit of prayer. Jesus taught much about prayer. He taught that we should pray for our enemies (Matthew 5:44), and that we should not pray to be seen of men (Matthew 6:6). He taught that men should never cease to pray (Luke 18:1). Our Lord taught that prayer is a deterrent to temptation (Matthew 26:41), and Jesus practiced what He preached. The Christ prayed often (Matthew 14:23; Luke 6:12; 9:29). He prayed for others (Luke 22:32; John 17:20-21; 17:9), and Jesus even prayed for His enemies (Luke 23:34). Like Daniel of old, we need to open our windows toward Jerusalem spiritually (Daniel 6:10).
We must watch uncompromisingly against sin. This, in fact, is what Paul was urging the Philippians to do: “Beware of dogs” (Philippians 3:2; Matthew 7:6), “Beware of evil workers” (Philippians 3:2; Matthew 7:15) and “Beware of the concision” (Philippians 3:2; Galatians 1:6-9).
These about whom the apostle wrote were mutilating the Gospel. One of the saddest spectacles to behold is a Christian who has made a compromise with sin. Christ was the most uncompromising man who ever lived.
We must make much of the companionship with the right kind of people. Jesus loved all men. He was criticized for associating with sinful men (Luke 15:1-2), but Jesus never allowed sinful men to lower His standard of conduct. As Christians, we are likewise to love others (Matthew 22:39), but it goes without saying that our closest companions should be Christians. We are in fellowship with one another (1 John 1:7), and we are members of the same spiritual family (1 John 3:1). Think of the strength that we receive by associating with those of like precious faith. We get to know Jesus better by getting to know one another better.
We must be busy for Jesus. If Jesus were still in the world today, what would He do? While in this world, He was busy (Luke 2:49; John 9:4; Acts 10:38) doing His Father’s will (John 6:38).
Frequently, some of the important values of life are lost because we are “too busy.” The kingdom of God should be a beehive of activity. It is a vineyard where men work (Matthew 20:1). The Lord is asking, “Why stand ye here idle all day?” I am convinced that if Jesus were in the world today (and He is, isn’t He, in the lives of Christians?) that He would march forthrightly into the field of service; our Lord would not retire from the labor until the last sinner had been saved.
We must pay the price. Paul paid the price of knowing Christ. He gave up every advantage he had (Philippians 3:5-6). What was gain to him he counted loss for Christ. Many were not willing to pay the price of getting to know Christ. The rich young ruler was such a one (Matthew 19:16-21). Think of what he could have meant to the cause of Christ, but he would not pay the price.
Dear Reader, “Do you know Christ?” How do you answer now?
