Which other scriptures emphasize the importance of knowing Christ personally? Longing to Know Him—Philippians 3:10 “That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death.” Paul isn’t chasing ideas, credentials, or experiences; he craves a firsthand, living relationship with Jesus. Scripture repeatedly sounds the same note. Verses That Define Eternal Life as Knowing Christ • John 17:3 — “Now this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent.” • 1 John 5:20 — “We know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true—in His Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.” Jesus Invites Personal, Relational Knowledge • John 14:6-7 — “I am the way and the truth and the life… If you had known Me, you would know My Father as well.” • John 10:14-15, 27 — “I am the good shepherd. I know My sheep and My sheep know Me… My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me.” • John 15:4-5 — “Remain in Me, and I will remain in you… apart from Me you can do nothing.” Tests of Genuine Knowledge • 1 John 2:3-4 — “By this we can be sure that we have come to know Him: if we keep His commandments.” • Hosea 6:6 — “For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.” The Spirit Deepens Our Knowledge • Ephesians 1:17 — “That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ… may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in your knowledge of Him.” • Colossians 2:2-3 — “…so that they may know the mystery of God, namely Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” • 2 Peter 1:2-3 — “Grace and peace be multiplied to you through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through the knowledge of Him…” Knowing Christ Transforms Us • 2 Corinthians 3:18 — “And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into His image…” • 2 Corinthians 4:6 — “For God… has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” Old Testament Foreshadowings • Jeremiah 9:23-24 — “Let him who boasts boast in this: that he understands and knows Me.” • Psalm 63:1 — “O God, You are my God; earnestly I seek You…” The New-Covenant Promise • Hebrews 8:10-11 — “I will put My laws in their minds and inscribe them on their hearts… They will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest.” These passages, woven together, echo Philippians 3:10: life’s highest pursuit is to know Christ personally—experiencing His power, sharing His sufferings, and being shaped into His likeness every day. |
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