The knowledge of Jesus Christ

Many people know the name of Jesus and know something about his life. They celebrate his birth and commemorate his death. But the knowledge of the Son of God goes much deeper. Shortly before his death, Jesus prayed for his followers for this knowledge: "But this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and whom you have sent, Jesus Christ" (John 17,3).

Paul wrote the following about the knowledge of Christ: "But what was gain for me, I have counted for harm for Christ's sake; yes, I now also consider everything to be harm against the all-superior knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord, for whose sake I forfeited everything and I regard it as filth, that I may win Christ "(Philippians 3,7-8).

For Paul, knowing Christ is about the essential, everything else was unimportant, everything else he regarded as rubbish, as garbage to be thrown away. Is the knowledge of Christ as radically important for us as it is for Paul? How can we get it? How does it express itself?

This knowledge is not something that only exists in our thoughts, it includes a direct participation in the life of Christ, an increasing communion of life with God and his Son Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit. It is a becoming one with God and his Son. God does not give us this knowledge in one fell swoop, but gives it to us bit by bit. He wants us to grow in grace and knowledge. (2. peter 3,18).

There are three areas of experience that enable our growth: Jesus' face, God's Word, and service and suffering. 

1. Grow in the face of Jesus

If we want to know something exactly, then we look at it exactly. We observe and investigate whether we can draw conclusions. If we want to get to know a person, then we look especially at the face. So it is with Jesus. In the face of Jesus one can see much of him and God! The recognition of Jesus' face is primarily a matter of our heart.

Paul writes of “the eyes of the heart being enlightened” (Ephesians 1,18) who can perceive this image. What we look at intensely will also influence us, what we look at with devotion into that we will be transformed. Two biblical passages point to this: "For the God, who called light to shine out of the darkness, he also made it light in our hearts for enlightenment with the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ" (2. Corinthians 4,6).

"But we all reflect the glory of the Lord with bare faces and are transformed into the same image, from glory to glory, namely by the Lord's Spirit" (2. Corinthians 3,18).

It is the eyes of the heart that, through God's Spirit, give us a glimpse of Jesus' face and make us see something of the glory of God. This glory is reflected in us and transforms us into the image of the Son.

Just as we seek knowledge in the face of Christ, we are transformed into his image! "That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, so that you, rooted and founded in love, may understand with all the saints what is breadth, length, height and depth, and know the love of Christ, all of them Knowledge transcends, so that you may be filled to the fullness of God. Let us now turn to the second area of ​​experience for growth in grace and knowledge, the Word of God. What we know and can know of Christ, we have experienced through his word " (Ephesians 3,17-19).

2. God and Jesus reveal themselves through the Bible.

“The Lord communicates himself in his word. Whoever receives his word, receives him. In whom his word abides, in him he abides. And whoever stays in his word, stays in him. This cannot be emphasized enough today, when people are so often looking for knowledge or want community without unconditional submission to the guidelines of his word. Sound knowledge of Christ is linked to the sound words of the Lord. These alone produce sound faith. That is why Paul says to Timothy: "Hold fast to the pattern (pattern) of sound words" (2. Timothy 1:13). (Fritz Binde "The Perfection of the Body of Christ" page 53)

With God, words are not "just" words, they are alive and effective. They develop tremendous power and are sources of life. God's word wants to separate us from evil and purify our minds and spirits. This cleansing is arduous, our carnality must be held in check with heavy artillery.

Let us read what Paul wrote about it: "For the weapons of our knighthood are not fleshly, but mighty through God to destroy fortresses, so that we destroy rationales (fallacies) and every height that arises against the knowledge of God, and everyone Capturing thoughts for obedience to Christ, are also ready to avenge any disobedience once your obedience has become complete (2. Corinthians 10,4-6).

This obedience that Paul is addressing is an important part of purification. Purification and knowledge go hand in hand. Only in the light of the face of Jesus can we recognize defilement and we must get rid of it: "If God's spirit shows us a lack or something that does not agree with God, then we are called to action! Obedience is required. God wants this knowledge is realized in a godly walk. Without real change everything remains theory, true knowledge of Christ does not come to maturity, it withers "(2. Corinthians 7,1).

3. Grow through service and suffering

Only when we look upon and experience Jesus' ministry to us and his suffering does human meaning and service to others have meaning. Serving and suffering are excellent sources for recognizing Christ, the Son of God. Serving is a passing on of the received gifts. That is how Jesus serves, he passes on what he received from the Father. In this way, we should also see our ministry in the church. The ministry that Jesus does is the pattern for all of us.

"And he gave some to apostles, some to prophets, some to evangelists, some to shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of service, for the edification of the body of Christ, until we all come to the unity of faith and knowledge of the Son of God "(Ephesians 4,11).

We are straightened by mutual service to the right place and position in the body of Jesus. But he as head, distracts everything. The head employs the various gifts in the church to bring unity and understanding. The realization of the Son of God not only involves personal growth but is also growth in the group. The tasks in the group are manifold, and in the service of others there is another aspect that leads to growth in the knowledge of Christ. Where served is also suffering.

“Such mutual service brings suffering, both personally and with and for others. Undoubtedly, those who wish to avoid this triple suffering suffer a loss in growth. We must personally experience suffering, for in being crucified, dead, and buried with Christ, we must lose our own complacent life. To the extent that the Risen One grows in us, this self-denial becomes a fact” (Fritz Binder “The Perfection of the Body of Christ” page 63).

Summary

"But I want you to know what a great struggle I have for you and for those in Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face in the flesh, so that their hearts are admonished, united in love and enriched with complete certainty, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, which is Christ, in whom all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden "(Colossians 2,1-3).

by Hannes Zaugg