That I may know him

Background

Paul, in verse 10 states that he may know him, this may imply to us that Paul does not yet know Christ. However this is not the case.

The Apostle Paul wrote this Epistle in prison in Rome, this is an epistle that Paul wrote after the last chapter of the book of Acts. So Paul already has great Knoweldge of revelation of Christ more than any individual of his Time. Peter himself acknowledged this.

Paul has realised over time two things,

The knowledge of Christ is exceeding deep, its like a deep sea without a bottom,

Romans 11:33 “33 Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!”

1 Corinthians 8:2 “2 And if anyone thinks that he knows anything, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know.”

The value of the Knowledge of God, he uses the word “excellence” in comparison to what he had lost for the knowledge of Christ. He has realise the excellence of God’s knowledge, the exceedingly great value of the knowledge of Christ.

So if he had to lose what he has to gain the knowelge of God, it is not a loss but a bargain.

Its like exchanging trash for treasure.

Knowedge of God.

Though there is so much to know about God, the Knoweldge of God can be categorised in to two groups

God’s Nature,:- Who he is, how he is,

God’ charcter: How he bahaves, his characteristic attributes, He is love, Good, gracious, jelouse, patience, kind, merciful, powerful, faithful, glorius.

Two elements (levels ) of Knowing God.

Mind: mental knowledge: knowing based on observation, reading and study.

Heart:- personal knowledge, knowldge based on personal experience.

Illustration

Creation (mental knoweldge )

We know that there is a creator because what we observe from what we see around us, God’s creation (mental

Psalms 19:1-4 “1 The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork. 2 Day unto day utters speech, And night unto night reveals knowledge. 3 There is no speech nor language Where their voice is not heard. 4 Their line has gone out through all the earth, And their words to the end of the world. In them He has set a tabernacle for the sun,”

Romans 1:20 “20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,”

We know there is a God who has created everything because we read about it in his word.

We know God is one, because when God creaton man his own likeness and image, he did not creat him as a being with three personalities or persons. He created him as one individual, one person.

Creation ( heart knowedge)

We know that there is God, because we have personal experinece of his existence in our life, this knoweldge is personal to us, no one can take it from us.

Other example,

That god is Good

(mind knowledge) by what we see in creation and read in his word

(heart Knowledge) by experiencing God’s goodness in our life)

That God is merciful

That God is patient

That God is love,

That God is

The purpose of God work

Just like the puspose of creation to reveal declare the knowledge of the creator. The purpose is that we may know him

Even so whenever God works, the purpose of the works is always to reveal something about him.

In the Old testamen there is a phrase that God states oever and over again when he proclaims to acomplish a works “then You will know that I Am the Lord”

Jesus Christ work

When God came in the flesh, he came with exceedingly great revelation, a knowledge to give to humanity. The Knowlenge of His manifestation, and the purpose of his manifestation. Through this revelation, the depth of God’s love and mercy towards humanity is revealed.

This Knoweldge came packaged with other things (works) ( signs, miracles, healings and deliverence)

God’s puspose was not for people to put emphasis or value on the works but rather to the knowledge which the works point to or reveal.

Jesus was working and doing all this miracles os that people may know him.

John 10:29–33 NKJV

29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. 30 I and My Father are one.” 31 Then the Jews took up stones again to stone Him. 32 Jesus answered them, “Many good works I have shown you from My Father. For which of those works do you stone Me?” 33 The Jews answered Him, saying, “For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy, and because You, being a Man, make Yourself God.”

John 10:37–39 NKJV

37 If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; 38 but if I do, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in Him.” 39 Therefore they sought again to seize Him, but He escaped out of their hand.

John 14:7–11 NKJV

7 “If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.” 8 Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.” 9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. 11 Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves.

The envelope and the cheque in the enevelope.

When God heals you the emphasis should not be on the healing but on what God is revealing about himself through that healing.

When God blesses you, the value is not on the blessing but rather what God reveals about himslef through that blessing.

Other examples

Pamphos

Acts 13,. In the Island of Paphos, the Apostle Paul preaches the Gospel to a Proconsul, sergius Paulus, whom the scriptures describe as Inteligent (prudent) man.

Acts 13:12 “12 Then the proconsul believed, when he saw what had been done, being astonished at the teaching of the Lord.”

Lystra

Acts 14:16–18 NKJV

16 who in bygone generations allowed all nations to walk in their own ways. 17 Nevertheless He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good, gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.” 18 And with these sayings they could scarcely restrain the multitudes from sacrificing to them.

Philippians 3:10–11 (NKJV)

10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,

11 if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.

There is something that we learn about God, as we fellowship with him in different circumstances and situation.

Example ( Lazarus family)

John 11:23–25 (NKJV)

23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”

24 Martha said to Him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”

25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.

Is it worth the circumstance, the cost

Aks the Apostle John, who was in Patmos when God gave him aan exceedingly great revelation.