“…whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I CONSIDER EVERYTHING A LOSS BECAUSE OF THE SURPASSING WORTH OF KNOWING CHRIST JESUS MY LORD, FOR WHOSE SAKE I HAVE LOST ALL THINGS. I consider them garbage, that I MAY GAIN CHRIST and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God ON THE BASIS OF FAITH. I WANT TO KNOW CHRIST—YES, TO KNOW THE POWER OF HIS RESURRECTION AND PARTICIPATION IN HIS SUFFERINGS, BECOMING LIKE HIM IN HIS DEATH, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead…I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I PRESS ON TOWARD THE GOAL TO WIN THE PRIZE FOR WHICH GOD HAS CALLED ME HEAVENWARD IN CHRIST JESUS.” (Phil. 3:7-11, 13-14)
Christianity is definitely not a religion of rules and rituals that we must work at keeping in order to climb the ladder to heaven. Rather, it is a PERSONAL, GROWING RELATIONSHIP with the risen, living Lord Jesus Christ that results in our growing conformity to Him. Our goal is to know Him and to become like Him. “Now this is eternal life: THAT THEY KNOW YOU, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” (John 17:3)
As with all relationships, it begins with an initial meeting or introduction. In Paul’s case, it was not a planned or polite introduction, at least from his point of view! He wasn’t seeking after Christ, inquiring as to how he could become a Christian. Far from it! “Breathing threats and murder,” he was on his way to Damascus to arrest men and women who were followers of Jesus, when suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” He answered, “Who are You, Lord?” The Lord said, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting” (Acts 9:1-6). So Paul met the risen Lord Jesus Christ. That was how he was converted and greatly used of God to write over half of the New Testament.
LET GOD USE YOU WILL, YOU’LL BE AMAZED AT WHAT HE WILL DO WITH YOUR LIFE…
-Bill Stockham