Friday, April 10, 2009
The Knowledge of Him
(Ephesians 1)
Personal faith in Christ marks the beginning of one’s relationship with the Savior. As such, we should hallow the moment of our personal salvation, never losing the wonder of simply being saved by the grace of God. Beyond salvation, however, there is the all-important matter of Christian growth.
Having come to hear of their faith in Christ, Paul prayed that the church at Ephesus would experience the “spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge” of Christ (17). You see, Paul viewed personal salvation not as an end but as a beginning. In fact, after one has come to Christ, the real work of grace has just begun!
Why should believers grow in their knowledge of Christ? The answer is given in verse 18. Paul explains that full knowledge of Christ brings an enlightened understanding. How we desperately need understanding in our day! Confusion, it seems, is the watchword of the hour; though it is cloaked in many terms: toleration, pluralism, political correctness, etc.
Knowing Christ also brings hope. In addition to saving us, God calls us with a hopeful purpose for our lives. The fact that God has a specific purpose for our lives gives us hope through difficult times. We can make it through anything if we know that God has a plan and is in control!
From our text we may intimate that revival is all about knowing Christ in a deeper way. Is that the desire of your heart? Are you willing to pay the price for a deeper knowledge of Him?
