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NASB | Philippians 3:10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Philippians 3:10 And this, so that I may know Him [experientially, becoming more thoroughly acquainted with Him, understanding the remarkable wonders of His Person more completely] and [in that same way experience] the power of His resurrection [which overflows and is active in believers], and [that I may share] the fellowship of His sufferings, by being continually conformed [inwardly into His likeness even] to His death [dying as He did]; |
Bible Question: how important was it to paul to know christ? what did paul have to do to attain to the resurrection from the dead, to reach the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. |
Bible Answer: Hello PJ, Welcome to the Forum and I hope you don't mind my shortening your handle :) I'm assuming you read the verse in context of it's surrounding verses and chapter :) The question was answered very well by Paul in my opinion. First of all, the "importance" of Paul knowing Christ was and is the same as it is for every believer. Without knowing Him as personal saviour Paul, you, me, and everyone else is eternally lost. As for what Paul had to "do" that too is the same for each of us. Paul had to believe. The problem with the explanation though is in the language. We say Paul had to believe as though this was an effort of Paul's doing that resulted in his knowing Christ as Saviour. So we are guilty of misguiding others when we attempt to simplify it in this way. Paul certainly did give a a whole lot in coming to know Christ. A whole lot of "rubbish" as he himself put it (v8). But this giving up did not RESULT in his coming to know Christ, but rather, his coming to know Christ resulted in his GIVING UP the customs and rituals of religion. As for "choosing" this, it's debatable but I'm of the opinion not. The Bible teaches that God is sovereign and that He chooses us, not the other way around. It is His efforts and the work that He does through His Spirit that calls us to Himself and allows us to "know" Him. We do not even have the capacity within us to believe outside of it being given to us. Nothing at all that we can do can effect that. If salvation is through faith in Christ, and that faith depended on my choices and/or efforts, well that would be salvation by works which the Bible clearly denies. See verse 9 Paul teaches that righteousness "comes from God on the basis of faith". And that faith is in Jesus Christ. Then there is the tendency to think or believe that we have the responsibility of mustering up enough faith. But Paul, earlier in the same letter, clearly teaches that even that faith through which we believe is not that of our own, but given us by God. "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;" (Eph 2:8) NASB Hope this helps and God bless, Jeff |