Thirsting Souls Bible Teaching

(Php 3:12) “Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.”  The key to this verse are the words, “….I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.”  There is a sweet little girl in our church whom I have befriended. When she sees me, she runs to me and gives me a hug (that’s Christ apprehending us). I immediately hug her back (that’s “…but I follow after, if that I may apprehend…” ). Paul is saying, “I hug the Lord back. I’m not there yet, but the Lord has hold of me and I seek to hold, to hug Him back !”

(Php 3:12) “Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.”  Here the Holy Spirit is not having Paul say, “I’m not sure I am saved”. He is saying, “I’m still here in this flesh. As long as I am in this flesh I will seek always to live the life my Savior wants me to live! Period.  

(Php 3:10) “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; (11) If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.”  Sometimes we come across phrases in the KJV that throw us off, like, “If by any means….”. It is being used in an interrogative manner, “how the resurrection is achieved”! It is achieved by having a time and place where I embraced salvation through faith in His dying for me!  

Php 3:9 “And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: (10)  That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;”  This is a Bible truth so many have yet to enter into; God the Judge of all flesh sees the Born Again Child of God as having been crucified with Christ. The person who committed those sins has died in the mind of God and made new, alive in His Son: (Gal_2:20) “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.”  The skeptic asks, “How can that be?” Answer: once you say “God” all things become possible.

(Php 3:9) “And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: (10) That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings,….”  In context, the fellowship of His sufferings is not our willingness to suffer for His Name (which we should be willing), but instead the fact that His suffering on the cross was the bearing of our individual sins – the acknowledging of that fact.

(Php 3:9) “And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: (10)  That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection,…..”  The fact that the grave did not hold our Lord is evidence that He was accepted as substitute in our place. For death to have held Him would have said He had sin, for “the wages of sin is death”. The power of His resurrection is eternal life bestowed upon those who turn from their sinful lives and embrace the Lord Jesus’ payment on the cross for them!

(Php 3:9) “And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: (10)  That I may know him,…”   Friend, you cannot “know Him” until your faith is “only” in Him, in His righteousness alone! Paul wanted only to know the One Who gave Himself for Him. His thoughts were past self in every way. But that is “why” He longed to know Him, for Paul knew he could not save himself. Jesus loved him (you and me) that much!