Sermons
June 1st, 2025 by Pastor Solley060125AM That I May Know Him
Sub. Paul & God
Theme: Paul getting to know God.
Text: Phil 3:10-14
“That I May Know Him” Phil 3:10-14
Introduction
I want to speak to you this morning about getting to know the Lord. – Phil 3:10-14 – We find here the desire of the apostle Paul, to get to know Christ. – Phil 3:10 – “That I may know Him” indicates that Paul had not arrived at that point as of yet in his life. Paul at that time had been saved for over thirty years. Surely Paul knew the Lord. Paul at that time had been an evangelist, a missionary, for well over twenty years. Surely Paul know the Lord. Yet the Bible says, Paul says, “That I may know Him”. – Phil 3:10 We might say that to us Paul knew the Lord better than any of the apostles with the possible exception of the beloved John. But Paul wants to know God, wants to know Jesus Christ. – Phil 3:10
I. The Bible is stating here that we can come to an ever deepening knowledge of God: The Greek word for know in this verse is the word “GIN-O-SKO” and the form in which it is given indicates this is a knowledge that began in the past, the moment we were born again, is active or growing, and has no end in sight. It indicates that we as born again believers in Christ can know Him better than we did yesterday and that we can know Him still better, still deeper tomorrow. It is an every growing knowledge of God.
ILL. The best illustration I can think of is between a husband and wife, the relationship between my wife and my self. We have known each other from the age of six as we attended the same grade school and were in the same grade. We began to know each other better our senior year in High School and our knowledge one of the other began to deepen. Then as we began to court after High School our knowledge of each other deepened more. We were married Feb 9, 1980 and we discovered we really didn’t know each other as well as we thought but our knowledge deepened more and more as years past. I can say I know my wife. But even today, after knowing her for at least sixty years, after forty five years of marriage, she still surprises me from time to time, I am still getting to know her. That is the knowledge the Bible is speaking about, an ever deepening, an ever growing knowledge and the deeper the better…
A. The desire of the apostle Paul should be the goal of every born again child of God, to get to know Him: Phil 3:10 To know Christ.
1. Not just to know who Jesus Christ is: Even the lost acknowledge Jesus and most that Jesus is the Son of God.
2. Not just to know Jesus as our personal savior: That is the beginning of knowledge.
3. Not just to know that we can trust Jesus: He is the truth, the life and the way, but to know we can trust Him beyond that.
4. Not just to know of His power: But to experience that power, to know that power in our own lives.
5. That should be the goal, the desire of every born again child of God: To get to know Him, to know God, to know Christ.
B. It is a goal that can, a desire that can be reached: Phil 3:10 Not that we will ever fully know Him but that our knowledge of God, our knowledge of Christ, our knowledge of our savior can grow deeper and deeper each day. That is why we have the last command that is given in 2 peter. 2 Peter 3:18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen. Our knowledge of Christ can grow deeper and deeper day by day.
II. The Bible sets forth how this knowledge of Christ can grow through the book of Philippians: From chapter one though chapter four the book of Philippians sets forth how our knowledge of Christ can grow but especially here in chapter three we find the pathway for a growing knowledge of God, a growing knowledge of Christ. What the Bible states is possible the Bible also gives a clear path to that end. That is true of everything in the Bible, what the Bible states as possible the Bible also gives a clear path to that end.
PROP: Is that your desire this morning, to get to know Him, to grow in your knowledge of Christ? TS. The pathway to that end is set before us here in Philippians chapter three.
Body
I. In order to grow in our knowledge of Christ there are some things we will have to put off: There is a Biblical principle of putting off before we can put on. (1) Col 3:9-10 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; 10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: We must put off the old man, the old nature before we can put on the new man, the new nature. Eph 4:22-24 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; 23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; 24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. The old must be put off before the new can be put on. There is the Biblical principle of putting off before we can put on. Philippians chapter three list many of the things we are going to have to put off if we are going to know God, to know Christ. – Phil 3:1-8 – Notice again that some things are going to have to be lost. – Phil 3:8 – If it will hinder our knowledge of God, our knowing Christ it must be lost, it must be put away, it must be put off. We are now warned about several things that can hinder our getting to know God.
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A. We are to beware of dogs: Phil 3:2 In the Bible you do not find good things being said of dogs and the Jews compared the heathen and Gentiles to dogs. In the Bible dogs were not highly thought of, not like in our society today were dogs are highly thought of and treated as one of the family. (I am not preaching against having dogs or loving dogs, or being attached to dogs.)
1. You can liken these dogs to approaching a residence and seeing a “Beware of dog” sign: Something is there that is going to hurt you. Those are the dogs of Rev 22. – Rev 22:15 – Something that is going to hurt you, beware of the dog that will bite.
2. Dogs come in all short of shapes and sizes, different breeds, some look furious, some look harmless: But they all have teeth and they all can bite, even those that seem harmless.
3. Anything, as harmless as it may seem, that is not in agreement with the Word of God is a dog that can bite: Beware of dogs.
a. These dogs are the little foxes that spoil the vine in Song of Solomon 2:15.
b. According to Jesus wolves can often be found in sheep’s clothing.
(1) That evil thing, harmless it may seem, that you set before your eyes can bite and hinder your closeness with Christ.
(2) Those places that others go, the things they do that seem harmless can bite and hinder your closeness with Christ.
4. We all know to stay away from the dog that is snapping and growing, but they are not the only ones that can bite: If it is not in agreement with the Word of God, if you can’t do it in a way that can glorify Christ, if you wonder if God would be pleased with what you are about to do, it is a dog that you need to be aware of.
5. Beware of the dogs: Phil 3:2
B. Beware of the evil workers: Phil 3:2 These ones easier to spot, or at least they should be. They are one step beyond the dogs and they are usually found where dogs have been allowed. Notice the progression. – Phil 3:2 – Beware the evil workers, they hinder.
1. Evil workers are openly opposed to what the Bible says: In a parable of Jesus in Matt 21 they worked against the owner of the vineyard and His Son.
2. They work to corrupt that which is good: 1 Cor 15:33 As they choose to disobey the Word of God they seek out others to follow.
3. They are found proclaiming to know Christ but choose not to follow His Word: 2 Peter 2:1-2 Pernicious here means to claim a freedom to disobey and disregard the Word of God.
4. We are clearly warned to beware of such ones: 3 John 11 When we allow those who have chosen to disobey the Word of God to influence us it hinders are ability to know God.
5. Beware the evil workers: Phil 3:2
C. Beware the concision: Phil 3:2 These one step beyond the evil workers, two steps beyond the dogs that we ignored. Concision as it is used here speaks of a mutilation of the Word of God and the things of God.
1. This is the perversion that we see in society today that is being welcomed into many denominational churches: Many in religion today see it as a badge of honor to accept and promote any and all perversions.
2. Like Jehoiakim in Jer 36 they take and cut and burn what the Bible clearly condemns and they choose to embrace: God does love every sinner and will forgive any sin, but our Holy God does not embrace sin or the sinner until that sin is confessed, repented of, and one asks for forgiveness.
3. How can anyone know God who embraces what society promotes today? They can’t because they have been influenced by the concision. – Phil 3:2 – It began when they let the dogs in and they in turned let the evil workers is.
4. Beware the concision: Phil 3:2
D. Beware of self confidence and heritage: Phil 3:3-5 I know we recently touched on this but it is something we need beware of. No man other than Jesus did more than Paul did or had a greater heritage than Paul did. Speaking after his salvation…
1. No one did more for the cause of Christ than Paul: The churches the Holy Spirit used Paul to start, the Word of God the Holy Spirit gave Paul to write down, the missionaries journeys Paul went on, the revivals started by Paul, no one did more than Paul.
2. No one had a greater religious heritage than Paul did: Phil 3:3-5 Not Peter, James, or John had Paul’s heritage.
3. But those things had to be lost for Paul to get to really know Christ and to serve Christ: Phil 3:7
4. Brothers and sisters, on our own we can do nothing: John 15:5…For without me ye can do nothing.
5. Neither can we depend upon a religious heritage as many seem to want to do:
6. Beware of self confidence and heritage: Phil 3:3-5
E. In order to grow in our knowledge of Christ there are some things we will have to put of: Phil 3:7-9 Whatever is hindering you from really getting to know Christ needs to be put off. But are we willing?
II. Having put off, now we can move forward in our desire to know Christ: Phil 3:10 Not only do we find that which we need to put off in order to know Him we also find that we must be willing to put on. – Phil 3:10-14
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A. Put on the truth that we have not fully arrived: Phil 3:12 The word perfect in this verse means to be finished. None of us, no matter how long we have been saved, no matter how many things we have put off, no matter how spiritual we see ourselves have fully arrived, none of us are a finished product this morning. Why do so many act as if they are?
1. Salvation in Christ is a finished work: Nothing can be added to the blood of Jesus, to the finished work of Christ on the cross. When I in faith and believing called out to Jesus Christ to save me, salvations work was finished. I couldn’t do anything to gain forgiveness of sin and salvation and I cannot do anything to keep it, Jesus did it all and salvations work is finished.
2. But to grow in Christ, to get to know Him is an ongoing process: We are commanded in 2 Peter 3:18 Grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ…That is an ongoing process. I find things that are to be added to faith in that same epistle. – 2 Peter 1:4-8 – Note those things are to be added if I really want to know Him. – 2 Peter 1:8 – This is an ongoing process.
3. Christian, you have not fully arrived, you have not attained, you are not a finished product: Phil 3:12 I echo the children’s song “He’s still working on me to make me what I ought to be” I am not a finished product and neither are you. I am thankful this morning that salvation is a finished work, that nothing needs to be added, that in Christ salvation is finished.
4. But I am just as thankful that there is more to learn, more to do, more growing in Christ: Phil 3:12 It would break my heart I believe to think there is no more to learn, nothing else to do, no more room to grow in the Lord Jesus Christ.
a. There are times it seems every time I open my Bible I learn something new, every time I hear a Sunday School lesson or message I learn something new, every time I bow in prayer that I learn something new. I praise God for an ongoing process.
b. I want to be swift to hear, to learn and to grow. – James 1:18-19
c. I want to be that sponge soaking up more and more.
d. It would break my heart to think there is no more to learn, nothing else to do, no more room to grow in the Lord Jesus Christ.
5. Put on the truth that we have not fully arrived: Phil 3:12
B. Put on some forgetfulness: Phil 3:13 We are to forget the things that are behind. – Phil 3:13 – There are some great things to remember and are never to be forgotten. The day I was born again is worth remembering. The day God gave me a special helpmeet is worth remembering. The day our children were born and then born again is worth remembering. The day God permitted me to baptize my children and then grandchildren is worth remembering. The blessings of God are well worth remembering.
1. But there are some things that are to be forgotten: My sins that have been washed away by the blood of Jesus are to be forgotten.
2. My failures after salvation are to be forgotten: And I have failed my Savior many times. Those things are not to be repeated over and over again and neither are they to be remembered to the point they hinder me.
3. Hurts, disappointments and discouragements of the past are to be forgotten: We all have them and they are to be forgotten. We need to forget the things that will kinder our grown in the Lord and our knowledge of Christ.
a. Too many believers hold onto sins of the past and think they are not worthy to know Christ or serve Christ.
(1) In the first place none of us are worthy apart from Christ.
(2) In the second place if we have settled with Christ He is satisfied and ready to move on and so should we be.
b. Too many Christians hold onto the hurts of the past. I know people who profess salvation but we have nothing to do with church because of something took place twenty, thirty years ago or longer. Let it go.
c. Too many Christians hold onto the disappointments of the past. We may have had a broken heart but Jesus is still the cure.
4. We need to put on some forgetfulness: Phil 3:13
C. We need to put on a reaching hand: Phil 3:13-14 If we are not a finished product, and clearly we are not, then there must be something in front of us, something we can attain. – Phil 3:13-14 – There must be something I can reach for, a prize to attain and this is present tense, not future. I am to have a reaching hand, be pressing toward a mark right now.
1. There are things set before us right now that I need to reach for, press for: Heb 12:1 Like those in Heb 11, like others around me, I am to be pressing on for the prize, reaching up.
2. What can be set before me today, what can I reach for, what is the prize I can press toward? There are many thing I can press toward, reach for because I am not a finished product.
a. I can press toward a deeper and richer prayer life. That just takes time in prayer and devotion to prayer.
b. I can press toward a deeper knowledge of His Word. That just takes time in the Bible and devotion to reading His Word.
c. I can press toward a greater filling of the Spirit. That just takes an emptying of self and the world.
d. I can press toward a greater desire to share the gospel. That just takes a burden for the lost.
e. I can press toward a greater walk of obedience to His Word. That just takes a desire to obey my Savior.
f. I can press toward a greater love for the brethren. That just takes placing others before self.
g. I can press toward being more forgiving. That just takes following the example of Christ.
h. I can press toward to being more thankful. That just takes being satisfied with what God has already given.
3. When I determine to have a reaching hand, to press toward the mark and prize before me it shows me just how much I need to grow in the Lord and my knowledge of Christ:
4. We need to put on a reaching hand:
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III. Then the rewards set before those who desire to know Him: Phil 3:10 Three things in this verse alone set before the one who is will put things off, put things on, in order to know Christ. – Phil 3:10
A. The power of God in our lives: Phil 3:10 I can read of His power in the Bible. The power to part the Red Sea, the power to press the walls of Jericho into the ground, the power to make dead bones live, the power to raise the dead. I can read of these things in the Bible. I can even see the power of God in those around me.
1. But to experience the power of God, to know the power of God in my own life is a greater thing: Phil 3:10
a. Paul saw that power, experienced that power in his life.
b. I can and have experienced that power in my life as well.
(1) I can show you miracles in our family because of prayer and the power of God.
(2) I stand this morning where the flesh fails and the power of God takes over.
2. If you want to experience the power of God you must get to know Christ: Phil 3:10
B. Fellowship and rejoicing in suffering: Phil 3:10 The Word rejoice is not in the verse and I don’t intend to put it there or to say that it should be there. This verse reads exactly as God wants it to read. – Phil 3:10
1. But the Bible does say that Jesus endured the cross for the joy that was set before Him: There can be rejoicing in suffering.
2. The apostles praised God because they were found worthy to suffer for Christ:
3. We can find that peace that passes understanding as we suffer in Christ in this world:
4. We fellowship with Christ when suffering hardships and heartaches in this world: That does bring a certain joy as well.
C. To become more like Christ: Phil 3:10 To be conformed to Christ. That word means to share a likeness.
1. That is the will of God for you and me, to be conformed to the image of Christ: Rom 8:29 The Calvinist applies this to salvation and that is wrong. But I am predestined to be conformed to His image. – Rom 8:29 – That will be complete when we are in heaven with Him but the process is to begin right now.
2. We can become more Christ like day by day: To be known as a Christian, to be seen as one who follows Jesus, that is a great reward in this world.
3. We will be like Christ in heaven, but we can become more Christlike right now:
D. The rewards set before those who desire to know Christ: Phil 3:10
Conclusion
Christian, is that your desire today to know Christ?
I. There will be things that you must first put off: Phil 3:2-7
II. There are things you must put on: Phil 3:10-14
III. And then there are rewards: Phil 3:10