Q4. Knowing Christ

[WinstonY]

Q4. (3:8-10) What does it mean to "know" Christ?  

 

 

To know Jesus is not a knowledge of something. It is rather knowing of some one, a person. To know their modes, what they want, to understand what they want, to listen when they talk and to respond to these wants and needs. Like a hand and a glove. A husband and wife for that is the imagery often portrayed in the book of Revelation.

 

 to have faith? Or to have a personal relationship? Is it possible to have a personal relationship with Christ without faith? Is it possible to have faith without a personal relationship?

 

No but to know some one well, to be a friend or spouse than you must have faith and believe in that person. It is the same with Jesus.

 

Where are you on your quest to know Christ? 

Wonderful.

[Aleezah]

Q4. (3:8-10) What does it mean to "know" Christ? Does this mean to have faith? Or to have a personal relationship? Is it possible to have a personal relationship with Christ without faith? Is it possible to have faith without a personal relationship? Where are you on your quest to know Christ?

 

• 1.  "Know" is the Greek verb ginōskō, "to arrive at a knowledge of someone or something -- know, know about, make acquaintance of." To have a clear understanding of whom Jesus is, what he has done for us. 2. Yes, we must have faith. [Hebrews 11:6 (KJV) - But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.] 3.  Yes we need both, your personal relationship begins when we first put our faith in Christ and continually grows over a lifetime.  4. No, [Hebrews 12:2 (KJV) - 2  Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; 5. No, [Galatians 2:20 (KJV) states, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”] I am smack in the middle of it, walking with him, daily. 

[Old Jerry]

I think to “know” Christ means that we have faith and that we have a personal relationship with him. In order to have one we must have the other. I am still working on my quest to know Christ.

[DebLam3teach]

Knowing Christ is an intimate relationship.  It requires faith.  However, we ourselves determine how close and intimate we are with Him. God will not force Himself upon us.  The more we want Him, the more we are to seek Him.  I have a long way to go!  I want to feel His presence, but my flesh wants to avoid anything unpleasant.  I admire Paul's desire to experience Christ's sufferings as well as His resurrection power.  I hope some day I can follow Christ as devotedly as Paul did.  The Holy Spirit is still working on me!

[charisbarak]

To know Him and His sufferings, to try to get a handle on how vast His love is for me, really understand all He suffered for me--to have the mind of Christ.

Without faith you could not get to know Christ.

It's a personal relationship with our loving Lord. It is impossible without faith-our faith can grow, however.

It has been years, yet there is so much more!!.......Praise God--I grow til I go to be with Him!

[hanks]

Q4. (3:8-10) 

What does it mean to "know" Christ? 

Does this mean to have faith? 

Or to have a personal relationship? 

Is it possible to have a personal relationship with Christ without faith? 

Is it possible to have faith without a personal relationship? 

Where are you on your quest to know Christ?

To know Christ is to participate in His sufferings, and to gain practical day-by-day acquaintance with Him, in such an intimate way that we would become more Christlike.

Yes, to know Christ, does mean that we have to put our trust in Him, and have a close personal relationship with Him as well.

We are in a right relationship with Him because of our faith. It is through this faith in Christ that we receive our righteousness.  

Without faith in our Lord, and without trusting Him for who He is, we can never have a personal relationship with Him.

Yes, it would be possible to have faith without a personal relationship with our Lord.

But, as we mature as Christians, our relationship with Jesus will grow more and more. 

In the end we find ourselves acknowledging Him in everything we do. 

I feel I have a good relationship with Jesus Christ, but I hunger for more!

I long to know Him better and better.

 

[blezed]

(3:8-10) What does it mean to "know" Christ? Does this mean to have faith? Or to have a personal relationship? Is it possible to have a personal relationship with Christ without faith? Is it possible to have faith without a personal relationship? Where are you on your quest to know Christ?   

To know Christ means to give up everything for him.  We must grow a personal relationship with him by putting our faith in him.  You cannot have a personal relationship with Christ without faith nor can you have faith without a personal relationship.  They both work together.  I am still working on my quest to know Christ, but I am much better than I use to be.

[Nikka]

During WWII, I started to understand "faith" through my parents. their faith was unshakable and that's why I am alive today.

 

My relationship with God is very personal. I speak to God all day long, through mini-prayers. I love my Lord and I totally agree with Paul: To live is Christ, to die is gain (Phil.1:21).

 

I am not morbid, I love life. There is so much to do. The harvest is so huge and I try to convey my feelings about Christ to everyone I meet.

 

I surely am a Jesus follower.

[ducminh]

There are billions of Christians in the world today who have faith in Jesus Christ but don’t like to read the word of God.  They prefer to spend an hour in the service of their churches; they may listen to the preaching of their pastors; they praise God and pray together with great emotion and gestures.  But once going home, they continue with their usual way of life.  The way of life that Paul has described as:

 

Gal 5:19  Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,

Gal 5:20  Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,

Gal 5:21  Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

 

That is the way of life I can see in the Christian world.  There is no difference to the pagan world at all.  The issue is in the false doctrines that teach people to do away with God’s commandments.

 

I know many Christians who hate the Bible, but adore their pastors, priests and ministers.  They praise them for their inspiring sermons.  They do what their churches tell them to, but they don’t want to know what God say in His word.

 

Is it possible to be followers of Jesus Christ and not knowing His will?  I would say, “No”.

Is it possible to declare Jesus Christ is my Lord and my God, and rejecting His commandments?  I believe, “No”.

Is it possible to build intimate relationship with Jesus Christ, and not liking His word? Again, definitely I say, “No”.

 

God has given free choice to men.  He allow them to make their own decision in their life to listen and obey to His commandments, or to follow their own ways.  God has allotted a time for the wheat to grow and He will send His angels to do the harvest in due time.  Are we cultivating God’s wheat or the tares of His enemy?

[van]

In order to know Christ, you must believe the being God's only Son, came here to pay the price for humans through shedding His blood on the cross. So, you most definitely got to have faith. Yes you must have faith in Him. When you become born again, each believer must develop their own personal relationship with Jesus. My personal relationship with Christ is this, I always want to know a little more about Jesus.

[van]

In order to know Christ, you must believe the being God's only Son, came here to pay the price for humans through shedding His blood on the cross. So, you most definitely got to have faith. Yes you must have faith in Him. When you become born again, each believer must develop their own personal relationship with Jesus. My personal relationship with Christ is this, I always want to know a little more about Jesus.

[lighthouse2014]

Q4. (3:8-10) What does it mean to "know" Christ? Does this mean to have faith? Or to have a personal relationship? Is it possible to have a personal relationship with Christ without faith? Is it possible to have faith without a personal relationship? Where are you on your quest to know Christ?

The meaning of to "know Christ" for me is to know his love and for him to fill me with that love, even though it is unfathomable to even try to realize this love. To know his very heart and will for me.

This also means that our understanding of him would be generally increased as he reveals himself to us.

With all the above, it would be a personal relationship with risen Christ and know his power.

it would be impossible to know Christ without faith. This faith begins when we accept Christ as our Savior and Lord.

A personal relationship with Christ is not even possible without faith. Once we come to know the Lord and hid love for us, we would only want a greater relationship with him.

I have a personal relationship with Christ, but everyday I pray to know him and his will for me greater than ever before.  

[forgivenforgivenforgiven]

Shalom to the Saints by FAITH in Messiah Yahshua.

GREETINGS,

1. To know Messiah is to be like Him. It is to act like He did, it is to say what He said, it is to die to the flesh and to lay down your life for a friend. It is a life's journey on this earth. Even when you die you would still have a long way to go to know Him.

2. Yes in order to know Messiah we must walk by FAITH not by sight. If we choose to know Messiah then we must learn to walk opposite to the flesh to walk in the Spirit as He did. This is what Messiah did to walk sinless.

3. You have to have both faith and relationship to know the Messiah.

4. No you can't have one without the other. Faith and relationship go hand in hand.

5. Where am I on my quest to know Messiah?

I am learning daily to die to self, the flesh. When I come to a cross road in my life where I can't decide I yield my will to Yahweh by casting a lot. I pray ask the petition write on piece of paper, "Yea" or "Nay." I ask my petition and pray not my will be done but His. I shake the cup and Yah draws out His will for my life and I am content on the decision He has made. I exercise fruits meet for repentance every day. I ask forgiveness to Yah and to man and I give forgiveness to man. I take every thought captive to the obedience of Messiah to avenge (punish) all disobedience. I study the Word to learn more of His ways and be obedient to His commands. I am memorizing His words so I can use them in my speech to say to others. I purpose to give to the needy, to help the widow and give to the poor. I also at each meal ask the Father to forgive me of any sins so that whatever I eat does not defile my body for He says, "who ever eats unworthly shall shall eat and drink damnation to himself, for this cause many are sick among you and many sleep."

I look to Him to convict me of my wrong and to humbly yield my life to do His will.

Many Blessings

FAITH

[haar]

Q4. (3:8-10) What does it mean to "know" Christ? Does this mean to have faith? Or to have a personal relationship? Is it possible to have a personal relationship with Christ without faith? Is it possible to have faith without a personal relationship? Where are you on your quest to know Christ?

Paul already knew Christ but wanted to be more intimate with Him and to be transformed to be like Him in action and mind.

Wanting to know Christ did not mean Paul didn't have faith in Christ. He wanted to have an intimate personal relationship that makes him more like Christ.

One cannot have an intimate relationship with Christ without faith in Him.

I believe however one can have faith in Christ without cultivating a personal relationship with Him. This what many Christians are today. Intimate personal relationship is developed through fellowship with Him through prayer, worship, Bible study and fellowship with other believers.

[haar]

Q4. (3:8-10) What does it mean to "know" Christ? Does this mean to have faith? Or to have a personal relationship? Is it possible to have a personal relationship with Christ without faith? Is it possible to have faith without a personal relationship? Where are you on your quest to know Christ?

Paul already knew Christ but wanted to be more intimate with Him and to be transformed to be like Him in action and mind.

Wanting to know Christ did not mean Paul didn't have faith in Christ. He wanted to have an intimate personal relationship that makes him more like Christ.

One cannot have an intimate relationship with Christ without faith in Him.

I believe however one can have faith in Christ without cultivating a personal relationship with Him. This what many Christians are today. Intimate personal relationship is developed through fellowship with Him through prayer, worship, Bible study and fellowship with other believers.

[Commissioned]

Q4. (3:8-10) What does it mean to "know" Christ? Does this mean to have faith? Or to have a personal relationship? Is it possible to have a personal relationship with Christ without faith? Is it possible to have faith without a personal relationship? Where are you on your quest to know Christ?​

 

To "know" Christ comes with a personal relationship with Him.  Having a personal relationship with Christ brings you to trusting and having faith in Him, because you know Him and your fellowship with Him causes you to mature in your total dependence on Him and more and more your faith is exercised naturally.  It is possible to have faith without a personal relationship with Christ because that is the starting point for salvation.  However as you continue in the journey of walking according to His Word (in obedience), your hunger and thirst for Him (to "know" Him) will enlarge your relationship and you will live in the flow naturally.  Praise God!

[Debra Grant]

Q4. (3:8-10) What does it mean to "know" Christ? Does this mean 

to have faith? Or to have a personal relationship? Is it possible to 

have a personal relationship with Christ without faith? Is it possible 

to have faith without a personal relationship? Where are you on 

your quest to know Christ?

 

1. To have a growing personal relationship. The relationship begins 

when we first put our faith in Christ and grows over a lifetime. We 

should be like Paul: Striving to know Christ and the power of his 

resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming 

like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection 

from the dead. (3:10-11)

 

2. We cannot have a personal relationship with Christ and do not have faith. 

We must have faith to please God Hebrews 11:6.

 

3. We must have faith Hebrews 11:6 tells us it is impossible to please God 

without faith. We must know him and that is part of having a relationship with 

him. Faith is trusting him in whatever is necessary.

 

4. I am a firm believer and I trust God for everything. I have faith in him and 

without it that is sin. I look on the things he has done for me and for my family. 

[Stanley Tavaziva]

Q4. (3:8-10) What does it mean to "know" Christ? Does this mean to have faith? Or to have a personal relationship? Is it possible to have a personal relationship with Christ without faith? Is it possible to have faith without a personal relationship? Where are you on your quest to know Christ?

 

After Paul considered everything he had accomplished in his life, he said that it was all “worthless” when compared with the greatness of knowing Christ. This is a profound statement about values: A person’s relationship with Christ is more important than anything else. To know Christ should be our ultimate goal. Consider your values. Do you place anything above your relationship with Christ? If your priorities are wrong, how will you reorder them?

 

 

Paul gave up everything—family, friendship, and freedom—in order to know Christ and his resurrection power. We, too, have access to this knowledge and this power, but we may have to make sacrifices to enjoy it fully. What are you willing to give up in order to know Christ? A crowded schedule in order to set aside a few minutes each day for prayer and Bible study? Your friend’s approval? Some of your plans or pleasures? Whatever it is, knowing Christ is more than worth the sacrifice.

 

[RD35]

Q4. (3:8-10) What does it mean to "know" Christ? Does this mean to have faith? Or to have a personal relationship? Is it possible to have a personal relationship with Christ without faith? Is it possible to have faith without a personal relationship? Where are you on your quest to know Christ?

 

To know Christ means to have a close relationship with him, such a personal relationship as to cause have communion with him.  and this relationship we can have when we have faith in Him.  To know Christ is to consider giving up everything else to have him. 

 

The relationship begins when we first put our faith in Christ and grows over a lifetime.

 

My relationship with Christ - I just cannot have enough of him, I am really longing to know him better.

[brucerobert]

Q4. (3:8-10) What does it mean to "know" Christ? Does this mean to have faith? Or to have a personal relationship? Is it possible to have a personal relationship with Christ without faith? Is it possible to have faith without a personal relationship? Where are you on your quest to know Christ?

 

To know Jesus Christ is to have a deep Personal Relationship with Him. When we want to know someone, we spend endless time with that person. We converse with him; we cry with him; we laugh with him; we obey what he asked us to do and do it in a way that he is the only one we so care about; we trust in him with all our heart, with all our strength, with all our mind, and with all our soul. How we get to know Christ is by reading God's word and praying to Him in praising God and glorifying God always. Read His word and meditate on it. And really serve Him with our heart content.  It really means that we have to have faith in Him 100%.  John 14:6 said that no one comes to the Father except through Him; so it is absolutely necessary to have faith with a relationship with Jesus Christ.

 

My quest to know Jesus Christ is that I read His word daily, pray daily, meditate on His word daily.  I am also part of the Bible Translation project within the community as one of the translators and typist. And I was anointed in 2013 as a Reverend.  Praise be to God in the highest.

[joey felipe]

Q4. (3:8-10) What does it mean to "know" Christ?

 

Answer: It means to have a personal relationship with Him.

 

Does this mean to have faith? Or to have a personal relationship?

 

Answer: You can know somebody without having a personal relationship but you can not have a personal relationship without knowing the somebody first.

 

Is it possible to have a personal relationship with Christ without faith?

 

Answer: Romans 11:6 says, "Without faith, it is impossible to please God".

 

Is it possible to have faith without a personal relationship?

 

Answer: NO.

 

Where are you on your quest to know Christ?

 

Answer: God knows me, after some years of being a Christian, I am still far below for what I am supposed to be. May God have mercy on me.

[Rod Beenleigh]

To have a knowledge of Christ goes beyond head knowledge it requires forming a relationship which will become more intimate over time and maturity.

 

We put our our faith in Christ then our relationship begins.

 

No, personal relationship and faith goes hand in hand.

 

Have not progressed as much as I would like. I have to learn to talk to Christ more often and surrender to Him.

[Karen11]

On 4/18/2005 at 11:55 AM, Pastor Ralph said:

Q4. (3:8-10) What does it mean to "know" Christ? Does this mean to have faith? Or to have a personal relationship? Is it possible to have a personal relationship with Christ without faith? Is it possible to have faith without a personal relationship? Where are you on your quest to know Christ?

Having a personal relationship with him wanting to know him better(seeking him). Having that longing to seek him, faith comes. Both

To have a personal relationship with Christ is to have Faith in him, you long to be closer to him.

I have Faith in Jesus my Lord and Savior, I long to know him more every day.

[Krissi]

These are question with which I struggle often. 

The relationship I have with Christ is unlike the relationships I have with people.

For one, I don't see him. In this way, it's like emailing someone from another country I'll never meet.

Secondly, He doesn't talk back. Conversations have a give and flow, but with God, it's different. I talk frequently and too much -- He does not. Some people are blessed to hear his audible voice, but I have never heard Him. So, there's a bit of a tentativeness in my heart when I think he may be whispering to my soul that doesn't exist with flesh-and-blood human relationships.

Thirdly, I don't wish for my friends to suffer or suffer with me. If I am hurting, I shield my friends from my pain, and don't try to involve them in it. I do things to try to mitigate their pain, but often there's nothing I can do other than hand them kleenex and cry with them. Our God is all-powerful, so why doesn't He doesn't take our pain and suffering from us, and not expect us to share His.

Yes, this troubles me...

--

I have an almost constant, running monologue with Jesus, telling Him whatever I'm thinking, asking Him to correct my thoughts or give me the words and ideas that I'll need to compete a project. I ask often for a changed character and to be more like Him ... except for the suffering. I've had enough of that!

Is this a relationship? When people upthread speak of Jesus as their "friend" or even "best friend" it makes me feel as if my relationship with God is tepid and selfish. Do I "walk in His shoes"? Really, I don't know. Is this a "personal" relationship?  Well, yes, but it's not like a marriage, for example, even a good one. 

For me, it's simply the case that there's a gap between God and myself that cannot be bridged. He's God ... I'm just a human. His thoughts are so much greater than mine that I"m not sure it's even possible to participate in them. We're talking about a "relationship" between an earth-bound human and God: should this be called relationship? I can understand deference, obedience, honour, worship, even desire, but the sort of intimate, back-slapping, God-is-my-buddy descriptions upthread are not something I've ever had.