Knowing Christ

Knowing Christ

(The Phases of Salvation)

(Php 3:8-14)

In this passage Paul describes the two important phases of salvation. One, to be justified by Christ through the righteousness that comes by faith (v9). Then to be sanctified (or to "know Christ") by striving to know Jesus Christ by experiencing his power of resurrection and fellowshipping in his suffering and somehow "attaining" (arriving at) the resurrection from the dead.

• Gaining Christ and Being Found in Him - the first phase

"Gaining Christ" is a phrase used here to describe the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ's atoning work. The word "gain" is used here in contrast to the word "loss" (gain/loss combination). Gaining Christ amounts to losing all other things. And Paul considered that loss as "rubbish" - meaning not loss at all! The gain of Christ was infinitely more valuable than losing all those things.

"Being Found in Him" means having a continuous relationship till the time Jesus returns or till death (whichever is earlier). And we can be "found in him" not by a legalistic righteousness that comes from Law (as Paul described earlier) but by a righteouness that is by faith in Christ (v9). This righteousness is from God and is based solely on faith and not works. ( Rom 1:16. 17, Rom 3:20 -22)

Paul stressed on the righteousness by faith to counter the Judaizers who were stressing on being righteous according to the Law.

Summary, I can gain Christ and be found in him only by faith. I can neither gain Christ by a righteousness from Law or be found in him by striving to righteous according to the law after having come to know him. It is by faith from first to the last (Ro 1:17)

This is the first phase of salvation. It is called Justification. God imputes the righteousness of Jesus Christ on anyone who believes in him (or has faith, in other words) and declares him legally righteous - fit to enter heaven, a place reserved only for the righteous.

• Knowing Christ Even More - the second phase

Just possessing the saving knowledge of Jesus' atoning work is not the end of the road. It is not God's will for us to stop here in this stage and start relaxing.

Paul continues on, after describing the first phase of salvation, what he is pressing towards in his Christian life. He wants to know Christ even more. Paul's view of things must be our standard.

Paul wanted to

- Know Him

Not just knowing the facts about Jesus and his life and his work on the Cross. But, knowing Him. It means knowing him more intimately - like how a son might know his Father or a wife might know his husband - his attitude, his personality, his victories, his failures etc.

- Power of His Resurrection

Power of his resurrection here may just not imply to the power which effected the physical resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Its implication includes many other things.

a) It is the power by which we will gain an imperishable, glorious and a spiritual body. (1 Cor 15:22-24)

b) The power of his resurrection helped us to be born again to a living hope (1 Pet 1:3)

c) It is the power which saves us from Second Death ( Rev 20:6 )

- Fellowship of Sharing in His Suffering

It is granted that we should suffer for Jesus name.(Php 1:29, John 15: 20). It is to be counted as a honor (Acts 5:41)

However, fellowhiping in the suffering of Christ includes not just getting physically beaten up, or getting martyred. It includes a host of other things:

a) Insults (Mat 5:11)

b) Physical persecution (Mat 5:11)

c) False accusations (Mat 5:11)

d) Going to Jail (or even being house arrest as Paul; Luke 21:12)

e) Bringing before Kings and Governors (Luke 21:12)

Most of this happened to Jesus. But through suffering Jesus

a) was made perfect (Heb 2:10)

b) learnt complete obedience (Php 2:8)

So, our fellowship in Christ's suffering will only be complete when we learn the same things as Jesus learnt through his sufferings. Suffering should produce in us:

a) Endurance, Character and Hope (Rom 5:3)

b) Joy (James 1:4, Acts 5:41)

c) Steadfastness (James 1:4)

All these things will help us become more obedient and perfect like Jesus. This is fellowship in sharing in his suffering. If we get persecuted for wrong things, and then suffer for it, it is not sharing in Christ's suffering. (1Pet 2:20)

- Becoming like him in his death

This is an expression which describes the unity of a believer with Christ even in his death. When we believe in Jesus, we not only share his resurrection, but also his death. We are baptised in his death (Rom 6:2). we are crucified along with him (Gal 2:20)

Becoming like him in his death

- makes us die to sins, that is we are no longer its slave (Rom 6:2)

- makes us live by faith and not according to the law (Gal 2:20)

-Somehow, Attain Resurrection from the Dead

Even though Paul is assured of his resurrection Paul uses the word "somehow" out of humlity. He does not want to sound presumptuous but strives for the perfection of Jesus that lead to his (Jesus') resurrection from the dead.

All these things constitute our sanctification -the process of becoming more like Jesus Christ and knowing him - holy, upright and blameless (1 Cor 1:30, Rom 6:19)

• Conclusion

It is important to be sanctified along with being justified. Although it is only our justificaton by the righteouness of Christ that saves us from God's wrath, sanctification, in the way which Paul has described, helps us to know Christ deeply. Let us not stop with knowing elementary truths about Christ but press on towards that upward call which God has called us.

There may be a lot of hindrances in the form of sin, devil, circumstances etc., but let us not look back but look forward and press on.