JesusWalk Bible Study Forum: Q4. Knowing Christ - JesusWalk Bible Study Forum

Q4. (3:8-10) What does it mean to "know" Christ? Does this mean to have faith? Or to have a personal relationship? Is it possible to have a personal relationship with Christ without faith? Is it possible to have faith without a personal relationship? Where are you on your quest to know Christ?

In considering my answer to these questions, the cry of Mark 9:24 came to mind – “I believe; help my unbelief!” A few years ago, I struggled to understand what seemed to be a contradiction in this plea. How can you believe, and yet not believe? The Lord gave me a helpful insight. I think the father who was asking Jesus to deliver his child from demons knew of Jesus with a mental agreement. In saying, “I believe”, he confessed an intellectual, but unsure belief in what he’d heard about Jesus from others. He realized that wasn’t enough when he cried, “…help my unbelief”. He needed a belief of the heart that Jesus could indeed do anything. He didn’t have a life-changing faith deep within that comes from really knowing and experiencing Jesus for himself. In his request, I see a link between knowing Christ and having a believing faith.

The gift of faith is the power that enabled me to believe in the first place. Knowing Jesus in the sense of having an intimate relationship with Him results in growing, greater faith. The more I know His character and mind and will and ability, the more faith I have in Him. And the more I have faith in who He is, the better I really know Him as He reveals more of Himself to me.

Without the development of a personal relationship, you end up with head knowledge that never affects the heart (a factor in legalism??). A personal relationship that doesn’t lead to greater faith is going to be shallow. A faith without a personal relationship is going to be immature and underdeveloped

At this stage of my journey, I am longing for deeper heart-knowledge of Jesus as I get to know Him more and more through His Word. My faith is growing because of that. “I believe, but help my unbelief!”

Knowing means to have faith in and experience a relationship with Him. We cannot expect to know someone if we don't believe in them. It's possible to have faith without a personal relationship, because that's where we all start. In time we have a relationship which brings more knowledge of Him. In my quest to know Him, I read His Word and pray almost daily (99%) and have experienced His working in my life. I have discovered in my own personal experience that He is an awesome, kind, gentle, loving, mercifiul, not afraid to discipline, and funny God. He does have a sense of humor. I know that I need to trust and depend on Him much more. I can honestly say I know Him better today than I did one year ago.

Q4. (3:8-10) What does it mean to "know" Christ? Does this mean to have faith? Or to have a personal relationship? Is it possible to have a personal relationship with Christ without faith? Is it possible to have faith without a personal relationship? Where are you on your quest to know Christ?

Satan knows Christ - we must have faith and call Him LORD. That implies that whatever Jesus/God calls us to do we do. In Hebrew thought obedience brings intimacy. We must have that personal relation with Jesus in order to get to know him. say I know Him better today than I did one year ago.

Faith and relationship go hand in hand. The original greek word for faith implies an action to show our faith - - our founding faithers, the patriarchs all stepped out in faith - - Abraham especially - - coming from pagan origin and leaving all he knew to God with God's lead.

I desire everyday to do it better than the day before by the Holy Spirit. I study His Word daily and have a Bible Study group in my home. I hunger and thirst after HIs ways - I came to faith late in life and desire to draw near!

To know Christ is to develop a close personal relationship with him, through his word, through prayer, to become Christ-like ourselves. Before we can develop a relationship at that level, we must have faith in Christ. Without faith, he will be a mere acquaintance, and his power will not be seen in our life. Conversely, if we aren’t seeking a personal relationship with Christ, our “faith” is empty.

Though mature in years, I am young in my trek with Jesus. I seek him through his word—and with his word in my heart, I seek to be more closely involved with him through service to others. My journey is hardly begun—I have “miles to go before I sleep”.

Seek the LORD and his strength; seek his presence continually! (Psa 105:4)

Lesson 6 Q 4
(a) What does it mean to "know" Christ?
It means a person's relationship with Christ is more important than anything else. To know Christ should be our ultimate goal. We need to consider our values. To "Know" Christ means we do not place anything above our relationship with Christ. Our priorities need to be right.
(b) Does this mean to have faith? Or to have a personal relationship?
I believe it means both. We have to have faith in Christ to begin a relationship.
© Is it possible to have a personal relationship with Christ without faith? No. We need faith to begin our relationship.
(d) Is it possible to have faith without a personal relationship? No. If we have faith in Christ we will want a personal relationship with Him. If we are truly Christians we will be like Paul and long for an even greater intimacy with Jesus. Our relationship will grow over a lifetime.
(e) Where are you on your quest to know Christ?
I am trying to spend more time in the Word and Prayer. Asking for the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. I want my life to be totally for Christ. To Know Him in every way and above everything. Making Christ my top priority.

Q4. (3:8-10) What does it mean to "know" Christ? Does this mean to have faith? Or to have a personal relationship? Is it possible to have a personal relationship with Christ without faith? Is it possible to have faith without a personal relationship? Where are you on your quest to know Christ?

To know Christ means to have more than faith! The devil believes that God in Christ exists--and trembles!! He knows at the end, he will lose and Christ will win! If all we have is faith that He exists--even that He is God and will reign--we are lost. We MUST have a personal relationship with Him.
No, we cannot have a personal relationship with Christ without faith. How can you have a relationship with someone you don't believe exists and is worthy of your faith? But, unfortunately, you can have faith that He exists and, like the devil, you refuse to bend your knee to Him! Like the devil, you are lost without this obedient, personal relationship.
Praise His Name, He has brought me to a personal relationship with Him! It is all His doing, and I trust Him to hold me fast in His precious Hands, guiding me, giving me ability to do whatever He desires me to do, and finally, bringing me to live with Him for an eternity of serving Him in heaven!

Quote

[color=blue]4a.) To be in an intimate (spiritually) relationship with him.[/color]
4b.) (3:8-10) Does this mean to have faith?
[color=blue]4b.) Paul writes: "[/color][color=purple]Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ[/color][color=blue]." (Romans 5:1)[/color]
4c.) (3:8-10) Or to have a personal relationship?
[color=blue]4c.) Both.[/color]
4d.) (3:8-10) Is it possible to have faith without a personal relationship?
[color=blue]4d.) I don't think so. You can have intellectual assent but this is not saving faith.[/color]
4e.) (3:8-10) Is it possible to have faith without a personal relationship?
[color=blue]4e.) The writer of Hebrews tells us: "[/color][color=purple]Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see[/color][color=blue]." (Hebrews 11:1) It is a matter of the heart as the Psalmist writes: "[/color][color=purple]he knows the secrets of the heart[/color][color=blue]?" (Psalm 44:21b)[/color]
4f.) (3:8-10) Where are you on your quest to know Christ?
[color=blue]4f.) I am a follower of Jesus Christ.[/color]

To “know” Christ is the same as to know anyone else. Know their likes and dislikes, their passions. I think that we can know people and not have faith in them, we know our coworkers to some extent and yet there are some that I have no faith in whatsoever. I can’t imagine someone getting to know Jesus without having some kind of faith. How do we get to know Him, but through His word if someone would go to the trouble to search out scripture to find out what Jesus is all about, they would have to have at least some bit of faith that He exists. I think that that an awful lot of people have faith and yet don’t have a personal relationship. I have always had faith in God, yet it has only been in the past 8-9 years that I have grown in a deeper more intimate relationship. I talk to Jesus as if He were my spouse. I read the Bible over and over to get a deeper understanding of Him. I would say that I am at a closer and more intimate relationship than I have ever imagined, yet as with all relationships this one will keep growing I don’t think that it will ever be all that it can be, because that would limit God. I look forward to that time when I will have continual access to Him but even then it will just keep growing and growing.

to know Christ and to know of him are not the same thing. i'd have to say that i have faith and have a relationship with him as well. and the more i read the more that i know about him. when they say follow in his footsteps, well i don't think that that is possible for anyone. i do as much as i can and what i think he wants of me. knowing that he's alright with it.

To know Christ means you have a personal relationship with Him. You commune with Him on a daily basis. You don't just know about Him but you have a relationship with Him.

When you have faith you believe the reliablity of the one you are trusting.

You can not have a personal relationship with Christ unless you have faith that He exist and faith in who He is.

You can't have faith and not a personal relationship with Him.

I am at a personal level with Christ but I am still striving to know Him better and to love Him more. This will be a life time journey. Not until we get to heaven will it be complete.

To know Christ one must have a personal relationship with Him. To strive to be like Him. The relationshipbegins when we put our faith in Christ and come to salvation.
I think you must have faith to have a relationship--- otherwise you wouldn't believe in Christ.
I am not where I want to be in my quest to know Christ. I strive to be more like Him everyday. Then something happens and stirs up doubt in certain areas of my life, maybe it's not doubt but just uncertainty as to what to do in certain circumstances or situations. I do have communication daily with my Lord and Savior and Praise His Holy Name! With the prompting of the Holy Spirit I tend to pay more attention.

Q4. (3:8-10) What does it mean to "know" Christ?
To know Christ is to believe he is the Son of the Living God that you have by faith excepted him into your life and he now lives in you by faith and you trust totally in him.


Does this mean to have faith?
Faith to trust and believe in someone or something in this case Jesus is our Lord and Savior. We know the word tells us that work without faith is dead and faith without work is dead there for we must work out our salvation before God and without faith that is impossible to do.

Or to have a personal relationship?
Yes I have a personal relationship with Jesus he is my Savior my King of Kings and Lord of Lords one I talk to daily my best friend. He is to me all that I have need of he will never leave me or forsake me so I love him because he first loved me.

Is it possible to have a personal relationship with Christ without faith?
No it is not possible you can hear of Christ and be taught of him an maybe even think he is real but without a personal relationship with him you are not sure he truly is the Christ the Son of the Living God. The only way to truly know him is to have him come into your life and be with you and in you.

Is it possible to have faith without a personal relationship? Where are you on your quest to know Christ?
You can get all the book knowledge to know how to make a car or to raise a child but unto you experience it by doing it you do not truly know what it is all about the same with Jesus until you experience him in your life you only have head knowledge not heart knowledge not hands on knowing what he is all about.

Q4. (3:8-10) What does it mean to "know" Christ?
To know Christ is more than believing in Him and His Promises. After all, Satan “believes.” If Christ is alive in you and you follow His Word and accept His promises, then you “know” Christ.

Does this mean to have faith? Or to have a personal relationship?
I think it means to have both faith and a personal relationship.

Is it possible to have a personal relationship with Christ without faith? Is it possible to have faith without a personal relationship?
No, I don’t think it is. Without a personal relationship, your faith would be at a dead end.

Where are you on your quest to know Christ?
I don’t consider myself “religious.” I’m a Jesus Follower, striving to follow Him and be more like Him. Praise The Lord!

To know Jesus is to have the faith that He is who he claims to be. In believing this, we start our journey with him at the helm. We, therefore, must trust him, become like him, be found in him, know him. We can only know him through faith, and only have a personal relationship with him if we believe in him.
I still feel that I am an infant in my faith, still drinking milk while others are feasting.

i trust in Jesus. i feel him in my life. i beleive in him and he has done so much for me. my trip is fraught with peril
but he will lead the way, what an awesome journey. i have faith.. i am going to make it.

Q4. (3:8-10) What does it mean to "know" Christ? Does this mean to have faith? Or to have a personal relationship? Is it possible to have a personal relationship with Christ without faith? Is it possible to have faith without a personal relationship? Where are you on your quest to know Christ?

To know Christ means to have an intimate relationship with him. It means to have a personal relationship but the relationship has be begin with faith. I have met some people who have faith that Christ is real and accept what He did on Calvary but they don't seem to have a deeply personal relationship with Christ.
In my quest to know Christ I have found the better I know Him the deeper my faith becomes and the deeper my faith becomes the better I know Him. I love Him much more than I did when I first came to Him. I am much more aware of His actual Presence. I can sense His nearness even now as I answer this question. What a wonderful privilege and blessing!!!

What does it mean to know Christ?
I guess the word know means different things to different people at different times. I can say I know this person or that and it does not mean trust or put my faith in but when I speak of Christ and use the word know it means to me that I learned of my salvation through Him and put my faith (trust) in Him, that He is the Son of God , the Messiah and that He died for my sins and rose from the dead as my Savior.

Does this mean to have faith?
To me when I say it about Jesus yes

Or to have a personal relationship?
About Jesus yes

Is it possible to have a personal relationship without faith?
No we are saved through faith.

Is it possible to have faith without a personal relationship?
Faith that the history of His existence is accurate yes but a personal relationship with Him requires faith. Matthew 7: 21-23

Where are you on your quest to know Christ?
I seem to go through growing spurts sometimes and when I'm not growing enough nothing makes me happy. Only abiding in Him brings true contentment. I need to grow more and more and more.

Lets remember to pray for each other until that day when we all meet before the throne of our Lord and Savior Jesus the Christ!!

God Bless!!
Jen
Numbers 6:24-26

[color=purple]Hello everybody.

A growing personal relationship with God. To know. I have faith in Christ that He will do as He promised. Knowing Christ is to know and understand what He did for us and why. To have and intimate relationship with Christ, that He is in your heart.

Yes, because we have to believe, have faith that He did what He set out to do and that he offers us forgiveness and salvation.

Yes, to know God is to have a personal relationship with Him and He knows us to. You must have faith that He exists to have that personal relationship.

I don't think it is a relationship at all if you don't have faith. How can you if you don't understand why He did what did for you? If you don't know Him intimately the relationship is more like an aquiantance relationship than a personal one and those types of relationships do not last long.

How can we have a personal relationship with Christ if we don't know Him. That is like saying our best friend is someone that we have only met once. We have to believe that God is going to be with us through thick and thin just like a true best friend. Once in a while your true best friend will let you down but God will never let you down and that is where faith comes in and where your personal relationship with Him becomes real.

I have a personal relationsip with God. I believe that He came to save me and that if I were the only person on earth He still would have gone to the cross for me. It took a long time to grasp that concept. I know that He is my best friend and that He will never let me down. My relationship is not perfect because I still try to take control but he is always there waiting for me to come back to Him.There is so much more for me to learn so I can get to know Him better. The quest is never over.[/color][color=green]JESUS LOVES YOU, HE REALLY LOVES YOU!!![/color]

Q4. (3:8-10) What does it mean to "know" Christ? Does this mean to have faith? Or to have a personal relationship? Is it possible to have a personal relationship with Christ without faith? Is it possible to have faith without a personal relationship? Where are you on your quest to know Christ?

To know Christ you have to have more than head knowledge of him . You have to believe who he says he is. And have a personal relationship with him. To trust him in all he says and does.

You have to have faith to believe he is real. Without faith I don't think there is a away to really know him. We would just know of him.

I want to know everything about him that i can. The reason I do these studies. I still have so much to learn. I keep striving to know more.