The Process of Faith

Scripture Verses that caught my attention today: Philippians 3:10-11 I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death, 11 if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

Observation: Strange verses in a way, since one would assume that Paul already knows Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings.

Application: Often times people in some evangelical circles will ask people if they know Christ or if they know Jesus. The question is usually asked with the expectation of a relatively simple yes or no answer. If the answer is yes, they might ask for a few more details and, if satisfied, offer their congratulations and best wishes. If the answer is no, they will likely offer a relatively simple plan (usually 4 points) of how they might know Christ. Simple, right?

Not so fast. According to Paul, knowing Christ is a process more than an accomplishment.

Do you know your spouse? Your child? Even yourself? The answer is yes and know. We know something about the people we are close to…probably considerably more than we know about other people. But there is also much that we do not know. Much that we discover with each passing day. There are surprises here and there (some welcome, some maybe not so much). The process of knowing is indeed a process.

Paul was in eagerly in the process of knowing Christ, even as he was already known by Christ. Same goes for getting to know the power of Christ’s resurrection and—swallow hard if you must—the sharing of his sufferings.

It’s a worthy process, perhaps the most worthy process of all. But process it is, even as God’s claim on our life through our baptism into Christ is already completed.

Prayer: Lord, life itself is a process with joys and challenges just about every day. Help us all in this process of knowing you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

(Readings today included: 1 Kings 13-14, 2 Chronicles 12, Philippians 3)