Phil. 3:8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,
For Paul, the Christian faith was an ongoing race towards inward conformity to Christ. It may surprise many that he still sought to win Christ even after many years of being a follower of Christ.
Phil. 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;
Jesus came to us to teach us about a new kind of faith....the faith of Christ. This is a kind of faith that reconciles us to being in the presence of God. It also wields supernatural power...as attested to in the bible accounts.
Jesus said that even a small amount of this faith could do powerful works...miraculous works.
Phil. 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.
There was no "done deal" salvation scheme in Paul's time. Paul was an athlete for God.
Hebrews 12
12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of (our) faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Actually Jesus is the author and finisher of faith....not OUR faith. (the "our" was added in).
I believe Jesus said that to show that His faith could take us places we have never known...directly to be with God. Jesus told us to seek first the kingdom of God. But how do we do that? By faith!
So then everything hinges on having this kind of faith.
For Paul, the Christian faith was an ongoing race towards inward conformity to Christ. It may surprise many that he still sought to win Christ even after many years of being a follower of Christ.
Phil. 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;
Jesus came to us to teach us about a new kind of faith....the faith of Christ. This is a kind of faith that reconciles us to being in the presence of God. It also wields supernatural power...as attested to in the bible accounts.
Jesus said that even a small amount of this faith could do powerful works...miraculous works.
Phil. 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.
There was no "done deal" salvation scheme in Paul's time. Paul was an athlete for God.
Hebrews 12
12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of (our) faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Actually Jesus is the author and finisher of faith....not OUR faith. (the "our" was added in).
I believe Jesus said that to show that His faith could take us places we have never known...directly to be with God. Jesus told us to seek first the kingdom of God. But how do we do that? By faith!
So then everything hinges on having this kind of faith.
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