Knowing Jesus

Knowing Christ Jesus

But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order 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 comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. Philippians 2:7-11

The most important thing in all the world is knowing Christ Jesus. And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. 1 John 5:11-12

God says you have three deadly problems!

You have an evil and rebellious
heart, like that of a cobra.

We have the heart of a cobra from birth
The heart is deceitful above all things, and is desperately wicked. Who can know it?" Jeremiah 17:9
Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. Genesis 6:5
Even from birth the wicked go astray; from the womb they are wayward, spreading lies. Their venom is like the venom of a snake, like that of a cobra that has stopped its ears Psalm 58:3-4

You have a vile and filthy past, like that of dung - excrement,
or a bloody bandage.

All our righteous actions combined together, look to God like the bandage from a leper's sore, full of blood, pus, and dead flesh, repulsive and corrupt
All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags... Isaiah 64:6
Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel. Zechariah 3:3
Paul wrote: 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 (dung), that I may gain Christ Philippians 3:8
Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. James 1:21

You live a selfish, toxic,
and destructive life!

All around us we see:

Lying, cheating, and stealing
Adultery, fornication, and corruption
Racism, terrorism, and death

As it is written: There is no one righteous, not even one....there is no one who does good, not even one... their tongues practice deceit. The poison of vipers is on their lips. Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood; ruin and misery mark their ways. Romans 3:10-16 select verses

This is the bad news. We have created a sin debt and God, the creator of all things, is holy, righteous, and just, and God must punish sin.

For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Ephesians 5:5-6
The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness. Romans 1:18
The one who sins is the one who will die.. Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, people of Israel? For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent and live! Ezekiel 18:20 & 31-32
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23

But the good news is that God is also gracious and Christ paid the sin debt.

When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. Colossians 2:13-14

By grace, God provides three living giving solutions
God gives you a new heart,
the pure heart of Jesus.

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. Ezekiel 36:26
But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. 1 Peter 1:3
God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:21

God cleanses your filth,
by the cross of Jesus.

I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols Ezekiel 36:25
For in Him (Christ) all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. Colossians 1:19-20
And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. Colossians 2:13-14

God puts His Spirit in you,
the Holy Spirit of Jesus.

And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. Ezekiel 36:27
But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. John 14:26
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. Romans 15:13

You must call upon
the name of the Lord in
repentance and faith.

In prayerful confession (acknowledging and expressing sorrow for you sin), in repentance (express a desire to turn from your sin and walk with Jesus), and claim the life, death, and resurrection of Christ as God’s gift.
If you declare with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved...for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Romans 10:9-10 & 13
But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.' Luke 18:13
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast Ephesians 2:8-9

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You have an evil and rebellious heart, like that of a cobra.
We have the heart of a cobra from birth The heart is deceitful above all things, and is desperately wicked. Who can know it?" Jeremiah 17:9 Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. Genesis 6:5 Even from birth the wicked go astray; from the womb they are wayward, spreading lies. Their venom is like the venom of a snake, like that of a cobra that has stopped its ears Psalm 58:3-4
You have a vile and filthy past, like that of dung - excrement, or a bloody bandage.
All our righteous actions combined together, look to God like the bandage from a leper's sore, full of blood, pus, and dead flesh, repulsive and corrupt All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags... Isaiah 64:6 Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel. Zechariah 3:3 Paul wrote: 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 (dung), that I may gain Christ Philippians 3:8 Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. James 1:21
You live a selfish, toxic, and destructive life!
All around us we see: Lying, cheating, and stealing Adultery, fornication, and corruption Racism, terrorism, and death As it is written: There is no one righteous, not even one....there is no one who does good, not even one... their tongues practice deceit. The poison of vipers is on their lips. Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood; ruin and misery mark their ways. Romans 3:10-16 select verses This is the bad news. We have created a sin debt and God, the creator of all things, is holy, righteous, and just, and God must punish sin. For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Ephesians 5:5-6 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness. Romans 1:18 The one who sins is the one who will die.. Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, people of Israel? For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent and live! Ezekiel 18:20 & 31-32 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23 But the good news is that God is also gracious and Christ paid the sin debt. When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. Colossians 2:13-14 By grace, God provides three living giving solutions
God gives you a new heart, the pure heart of Jesus.
I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. Ezekiel 36:26 But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. 1 Peter 1:3 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:21
God cleanses your filth, by the cross of Jesus.
I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols Ezekiel 36:25 For in Him (Christ) all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. Colossians 1:19-20 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. Colossians 2:13-14
God puts His Spirit in you, the Holy Spirit of Jesus.
And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. Ezekiel 36:27 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. John 14:26 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. Romans 15:13
You must call upon the name of the Lord in repentance and faith.
In prayerful confession (acknowledging and expressing sorrow for you sin), in repentance (express a desire to turn from your sin and walk with Jesus), and claim the life, death, and resurrection of Christ as God’s gift. If you declare with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved...for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Romans 10:9-10 & 13 But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.' Luke 18:13 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast Ephesians 2:8-9