Phil 3:10 … that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection… (NKJV).

We see in this text Paul’s passion to know Christ more. This desire was in no way related to any insecurity over his salvation; he was sure of that. (See Romans 8:35-39). It was not related either to any man-centered-religion as he writes in the previous verses about the things he once had which were of huge value to a works based religion, but how he now regarded these things as rubbish. (See Philippians 3:6-7).

But there was something about his passion to know Christ and the power of His resurrection that speaks to us today.

The fundamental element of our faith is faith in the power of Christ’s resurrection – not the fact of that resurrection, (many books have been written proving the resurrection as a fact!), but also in it as a work of power, of re-creation. We begin our Christian life by believing in Christ and His work of redemption sealed by His resurrection. That is where we begin. We’re made new through the work of the Cross and Christ’s resurrection.

As believers we already share positionally with Christ in His death and resurrection. Paul says to the Romans and to the Ephesians that we have been united with Christ in His death, His resurrection, and seated with Him in heavenly places. (See Romans 6:4-5, Ephesians 1:20, 2:6). So our positional standing is not in question, and the security of our salvation is not in question.

I believe Paul is on to something here when he says, Phil 3:10 … that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection… He knew the resurrection brought about a supernatural creative power. He knew his salvation was secure and that all his past efforts to earn his way to eternity were useless. But he was pressing in to know Christ more and more, because he knew that in relationship with Him was power. For Paul to be who he was meant to be and do what he was meant to do, he knew that it would take something more than human ability. It would take something divine, something supernatural.

What a huge lesson for us today, in this window to Paul’s passion to know Christ more. We learn three things. Firstly, that our salvation is not in question. But how many good and faithful Christians today still have doubts about their salvation. But because of Christ and His work at the Cross and our simple trust in Him, He has secured for us eternal life! Death no longer has a hold on us, we are SAVED! Nothing can separate us from the love of Christ. It’s a done deal! We need more often to remember and worship and be thankful for that amazing fact.

Secondly, we can’t earn our way into a better place with God or His favour. But too often after a while in our Christian walk we can easily slip into a works based religion. Trying to do the right thing, trying to be better, trying to be the best, trying to make a great impression, diligently striving to feel worthy of going to heaven. All the other religions of the world are based on this philosophy, of having to earn one’s way to heaven.

Thirdly, and most importantly, Paul WAS striving after something. What was that? He was pressing in, striving, leaning forward, to know Christ intimately. Christianity is not a religion, it is a relationship. Paul wanted to have a better relationship with Christ, because he knew the power of that relationship! He knew that in that relationship was the source of everything he needed to be who he was meant to be and do what he was meant to do.

Paul knew that Christ’s death and resurrection was redemptive. So he was striving that he too would be able to be united with Him in the same way so that his life would be in some way redemptive. He knew that is his own strength and everything he could do on his own, was worth nothing. But he also knew that there was a supernatural power through his union with Christ that would enable him to serve the Lord and live a life pleasing to Him.

Most of us know those well known words in, Acts 1:8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. (NKJV).

The word Power in the Greek is the word, “dunamis”. (Pronounced “doo’-nam-is”). A related word is dynamite, which creates explosive power. A big bang and a big mess to clean up! Another related word is dynamo, (or generator) which creates electric power. It creates energy (electricity) but you have to put in and keep putting in the work or some other outside resource. But “dunamis” means miraculous power! No mess to clean up and no energy needed to put in.

Then the word Witnesses in the Greek is the word “martus”. (Pronounced “mar’-toos”). This word literally means a martyr; a record, a witness.

So, reading Acts 1:8, with those word meanings in mind, we could read it like this: But you shall receive miraculous power, when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; to die. Wow! No wonder Paul was striving to know the power of Christ’s resurrection! As is the case with most things in our Christian walk, the key to life, is, death! His death and ours. We must die, then, He raises us! No wonder Paul was pushing in to know Christ more and more.

There’s a lot to be said for the Westminster Shorter Catechism completed in 1647 by the Westminster Assembly which starts with these words: “Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy Him for ever”. What a great confession! We were designed for relationship not religion. We were designed to be in communion and intimate relationship with the Father. How’s yours going right now? Our heavenly Father longs for an intimate relationship with us and He’s paid the ultimate price to achieve that. My prayer is “To know God and enjoy Him forever”. May it be yours as well!