Page 8 - April 2025 - Truth & Tidings

n Philippians 3:9, Paul has been look- bitions, he first makes the general state-
ing back to Christ for that perfect righ- ment “that I may know him” (v10). He
Iteousness obtained by faith in Christ. knew Christ as his personal Lord and
This is positional salvation truth, the basis Saviour from the moment of salvation,
of our justification before God. In verses as expressed in verse 8 (“the excellency
10-14, Paul is looking presently to Christ of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my
for sanctification, with a view to being Lord”). But Paul desired to know much
separated unto Christ, knowing Him more more of His blessed Person experientially
experientially, enjoying closer fellowship through personal communion and practi-
with Him, and becoming increasingly cal daily living in fellowship with Christ.
morally conformed to the Saviour. These Such deepening experiential knowledge
verses repeatedly express the apostle’s of our blessed Saviour is based upon the
singular spiritual ambition, the absolute conscious appreciation of His abiding
priority for his life, even above his great presence with us. It means being continu-
apostolic service for Christ. The apostle’s ally captivated by the beauty, glory and
example should be a challenge to all majesty of Christ, as revealed to us in the
believers; Paul says in verse 15, “Be thus Word of God. Christ becomes everything
minded,” and in verse 17, “Be followers to us, as we “grow in grace, and in the
[imitators] together of me.” We should knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus
1
have spiritual desires and ambitions that Christ” (2Pe 3:18). The apostle John says
are centred upon Christ as the supreme twice of the spiritually mature fathers in
object of our lives. God’s family, “because ye have known
The position of being placed in Christ him that is from the beginning” (1Jn 2:13-
(v9) speaks of our eternal union to Him 14). May we all be challenged to go in for
through salvation. The striving for pro- knowing more of Him each day.
gressive sanctification of life (vv10-14) is Knowing the Risen Exalted
based upon the believer’s spiritual iden- Christ
tification or association with Christ. God
views us from the time of our salvation as Paul further wanted to know more of
identified with His own beloved Son, in being identified with the present heavenly
particular with His death, burial, resurrec- life of Christ, and the power and ministry
tion and heavenly exaltation. But like the of the risen Christ experienced in daily
apostle in Philippians 3, we all should be life, that is, “the power of his resurrection”
exercised about the practical implications (Php 3:10). Ephesians chapters 1-2 teach
and spiritual challenge of this positional that we experienced that resurrection
truth in our lives. power when we were saved, spiritually
quickened from being dead in sins, raised
Knowing Christ Experientially and seated together in heavenly places in

As Paul expresses these spiritual am- Christ. That same resurrection power is
to empower us daily, knowing that we
1 Bible quotations in this article are from the are vitally linked with the risen Man in
KJV. heavenly exaltation who lives in the power

104 TRUTH kTidings April 2025