"That I May Know Him"
Philippians 3:10
We rejoice in and give
thanks to God for the finished work of Christ. Our election in Christ in
eternity, our redemption by the blood of Christ, our justification by the
imputed righteousness of Christ, our regeneration by the Spirit of Christ, and
our preservation by the power and grace of Christ, are all themes of delightful
meditation, praise, and thanks- giving to our God. But the work of Christ is
not the object of our faith. The object of our faith is Christ himself.We know,love,trust,adore, and worship a Person, the Lord Jesus
Christ himself. We preach him "who his own self bare our sins in his own
body on the tree." We fellowship with him who is one
with the Father. We wait in hope for the coming of him who loved us and
gave himself for us. We long to be conformed to the image of him who is the
image of God. The object of our faith is a Person, Jesus Christ the Son of God.
IT IS THE PERSON OF CHRIST
THAT GIVES MERIT AND EFFICACY TO ALL THAT HE HAS DONE, IS DOING, AND SHALL DO
FOR HIS ELECT. Were Jesus Christ not who he is, both almighty God and perfect
Man, his work would be of no effectual value to either God or man. His blood
could not atone for sin. His righteousness could not merit heaven. His intercession
would have no basis for acceptance. But because he is both God and Man in one
Person, Jesus Christ is able to save to the uttermost all who come to God by
him (Heb.
ETERNAL
LIFE IS THE KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST'S PERSON (John 17:2-3). Do you know the
Son of God? That is the one issue that is vital. It is essential that we know
what Christ has done. But you may know all about his work and not know him. We
must know him, whom to know aright is life eternal.
YET, NO ONE CAN KNOW THE
LORD JESUS CHRIST EXCEPT BY DIVINE REVELATION (Matt.
Don Fortner