Knowing Christ

One of my problems is that I make Christianity more difficult than it actually is. In my mind, I think it is like a complicated mathematical process or deep philosophical inquiry. In actuality, Christianity is simply about knowing Christ.

I love John 15. We are told to abide, or remain, in Christ. Then, Jesus gives us a simple strategy for how to abide in Him: abiding in his love and his word, which is evidenced by our love for others.

The New Testament is filled with exhortations to simply know Christ.

Paul tells us in Ephesians that the goal of the church to is to work together to grow in unity of faith and knowledge of the Son of God (Ephesians 4).

Peter tells us to grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3).

Both Paul and Peter tell us in Colossians and 2 Peter, respectively, that the knowledge of Christ is what produces spiritual growth and character.

We all want to experience the fruit of the Spirit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control. However, we think that these fruits will come by some strategy of our own making. Fruit is not produced by the work of our hands (or wills). Again, in John 15, Jesus clearly tells us that his Father is the gardener...we are merely the branches. Fruit will naturally appear when we remain, abide, in Christ. On Sunday, we looked at the exhortation in 1 Thessalonians, where Paul tells us it is God's will that we be sanctified (made more like Jesus). And then, in the end, Paul tells us that it is God who sanctifies us.  

What is your means for knowing Christ? How are you abiding in Christ?

I hope to know Christ better today than I did yesterday, and I hope I know him better tomorrow than I do today.