To Know Christ
To know Christ is first to belong to Him. This is brought about by the singular power and worth of the blood of Christ, as it is applied to the sinner. When there is cleansing from sin, and the coming of the Spirit of God to dwell in the heart, the elements of true fellowship with Christ are in place to know Him, and the revealing of Him in and according to His word. Christ not only is the Life, but one comes to live by faith in that Life.
The Indissoluble Bond
There are some things that cannot be changed, and one of them is the spiritual bond of the believer with His Maker and Redeemer. When the Spirit of God came to indwell the believer at the new birth, the individual was placed forever IN CHRIST. The Holy Spirit was the seal of that bond, that new relationship, that new creation. God's work was forever settled in heaven, in that nothing would henceforth separate him from the love of God in Christ.
The Greatest Endeavor
What is the greatest endeavor of man from heaven's standpoint? Is it not the pursuit of God, in Christ Himself, to know Him, love and serve Him? There is no higher privilege or responsibility of man than to see the One who is Holy, Good, and Perfect in all His ways, to know the love of God in its fulness, and to express and demonstrate that love on earth, as it is in heaven.
Interaction With God
Can there be true interaction with God? We have only to study the Scriptures to discover that man was created to KNOW God, to know the very Life of God by the Spirit of Christ. Communion with Christ, or fellowship, is that act and attitude by which man receives all from God by faith, and then gives to Him the offering of praise, blessing, and thanksgiving. A life of obedient faith is a testimony to the reception of the blessed goodness and faithfulness of God.
God's Ways Not Our Ways
The ways of men are as numerous as are the minds of men. The problem with them is that invariably they begin with the heart of sinful man, and even though they might be influenced for good by the example or power of Christ, they are not truly good and acceptable in the sight of God because they do not originate in Him. God's way is Christ, and the written expression of that way is the Word of God. He is the great Originator and Author of faith.
For Some Have Not The Knowledge Of God
In Paul's letter to the Romans he asks the question: "And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard?" The knowledge of the truth of Christ is essential if God would work to save the soul. This is why the Lord Jesus, in dealing with men, revealed who He truly was. If men were to believe on Him for salvation, they needed to trust wholly in Him who was, and is God, alone able to save the lost soul.
The Wall That Was Meant To Be
In the days of Nehemiah, when living and serving God in a foreign land, the condition of the city of Jerusalem, far away, were disastrous, as the walls were torn down and the gates burned with fire. There was born in the heart of Nehemiah, not only a desire to see that wall rebuilt, but again show forth the glory of God by it. God would use this one man, and many who were praying with him, to bring about the rebuilding of the wall, and a spiritual revival along with it.
The Judge Of All The Earth
There is only one being who is qualified to be the Judge of all the earth, and it is not sinful man. The bent of sin in the heart of the sinner will always discern badly the truth in any situation or person, for he cannot but see the surface of the matter in the physical realm. God alone looks at the heart, and knows the mind. He alone knows the true motive, and every circumstance surrounding an individual or a occurance. He, being perfect in truth, love, goodness, faithfulnes and righteousness, alone can truly judge...and judge He will, according to His Son.
The Holiness Of God
The dominant, all-encompassing attribute of God, which permeates all that He is in His nature and essence is His holiness. The word "holy" designates and describes His separateness and distinction, or difference, from all of His creation. He alone is Creator and Redeemer. He transcends the dimensions of creation, and yet, has revealed Himself most perfectly in His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Here is holiness personified.
The Assurance Of Victory
Where does assurance come from when one is faced with a spiritual battle? It comes first from knowing something of our Lord, who He is, and what He will do to reveal His glory. Christ has never lost a battle, and certainly not the greatest battle of all, that which was won on the cross. Our hope, based upon His faithfulness is this, He will remain victorious. We are to by faith share in that victory for His glory. Herein lies the assurance, the testimony of the Spirit of truth to our hearts.