Knowing Christ is central to the essence of eternal life, as He Himself defines it as knowing God. This knowledge is not merely about living forever, for eternal life encompasses a quality of existence that makes endless life wonderfully enjoyable and delightful. Christ implies that there is more to this life than mere duration; it involves a profound connection that transforms the nature of existence into something deeply fulfilling. The understanding of knowing Christ goes beyond surface familiarity or academic knowledge. Many were somewhat aware of Him, knowing details such as His birthplace in Bethlehem and upbringing in Nazareth, yet they did not truly know Him in the biblical sense. Christ challenged those who claimed familiarity with God, pointing out that they were not even acquainted with the Father in a meaningful way. He emphasized His own intimate relationship with the Father, suggesting that if others knew God as He did, they would speak and behave as He does. Christ's perfect knowledge of God was reflected in His sinless life, demonstrating that to know God is to live as God would. He declared that seeing Him was akin to seeing the Father, underscoring the complete alignment of His actions with God's will. His life exemplified that true knowledge of God manifests in conduct mirroring God's own, showing a deep, experiential relationship rather than mere intellectual assent. Furthermore, Christ experienced human suffering, pain, and rejection firsthand, not as a detached observer but as one fully immersed in human struggles. This allowed Him to know what it is like to be human, forging a bond through shared experience. His role as a faithful and merciful High Priest was shaped by this intimate understanding, enabling Him to be the means of salvation through lived experience. Ultimately, knowing Christ and God involves the whole person—emotionally, practically, and experientially. It requires not just factual knowledge but also a positive emotional response, practical application, and intimate association. This knowledge is moral in expression, evident in obedience to God's instructions, and extends to a broad spectrum of life's expressions, striving to reflect God's character in every aspect. Eternal life, therefore, is a relationship with God and Christ, built on shared experiences and mutual trust, where both walk together in agreement.

The knowledge of Christ is a powerful force that drives us toward salvation and holiness. It is through understanding the gospel of the Kingdom of God that we gain the will to overcome, as it instills in us a sense of purpose and direction for our lives. This good news, encompassing the entirety of Scripture from Genesis to Revelation, provides both the overarching vision and the fine details of how to apply God's way in our daily circumstances. It empowers us with living faith to make right choices and fuels our motivation to pursue a deeper relationship with Him. The consuming passion of the apostle Paul was to know Christ intimately, to be progressively transformed into His likeness, and to be conformed to Him in every way. This desire to be like Christ, even sharing in His sufferings, reflects a determined purpose to build a profound connection with our Savior. Such intimacy is not about theological technicalities or church activities, but about knowing a Personality—Jesus Christ, who died for us, serves as our Friend, Savior, High Priest, and Lord. This relationship is akin to a courtship, preparing us for the ultimate marriage to Him, where we must change to match His perfection. Eternal life itself is defined as knowing God, for those who truly know Him will be like Him, made in His image, and thus be part of His Kingdom. To achieve this, we must actively seek Him, digging deeply into His Word as one would search for silver and gold. God has designed His revelation to require effort, with truths scattered throughout Scripture, demanding time and deep thinking to uncover His nature and way. He reveals Himself by His Spirit, initiating the relationship, but we must respond by pursuing Him with intensity, as David did, thirsting for God with the desperation of an animal seeking water in the desert. The simplicity that is in Christ stands in contrast to the complexity and distractions of the world, which can lead us to neglect this great salvation. Our challenge is to reorder our lives, prioritizing the pursuit of the Kingdom of God and His righteousness above all else, trusting that He will provide for our needs. We must resist the urgency and busyness that satan imposes, recognizing that God made life plain and simple, while we have complicated it with endless pursuits of little value toward His Kingdom. By focusing on knowing Christ, we align ourselves with the true cause that shapes our lives and prepares us for His return.

True knowledge of Christ is not merely an accumulation of facts about Him, but a deep, personal relationship forged through shared experience. It is not enough to know about Him; one must live with Him as a central part of life to truly know Him. This knowledge comes through experiencing daily challenges, serving others, and meeting needs by the same power that raised Christ from the dead, which is the power of God's Holy Spirit working within. The desire to know Christ is a vital step toward eternal life, as knowing Him is eternal life itself. This pursuit involves a process of transformation, beginning with the rejection of the old life and receiving the righteousness of God, which grants access to Him. Through this access, a relationship with Him begins, allowing one to come to know Him more deeply. Paul expressed a strong desire to know Christ, not just superficially, but through the fellowship of His sufferings and being conformed to His death. This means participating in the same kind of struggles Christ faced, not necessarily through martyrdom, but by living as He did, which inevitably brings suffering due to the world's reaction to righteousness. By engaging in this process, one comes to know Christ more intimately, aligning with His purpose and preparing for the resurrection. Suffering, as part of knowing Christ, is seen as a test of faith and a necessary part of spiritual growth. It is not suffering for its own sake, but suffering like Christ's, which stems from righteousness and opposition to sin. Through resisting sin and enduring pain, whether psychological or material, one enters into the fellowship of His sufferings, drawing closer to Him and becoming more like Him. Ultimately, knowing Christ is achieved by living in union with Him, sharing in His death and resurrection through a representative act. This involves dying to sin, being resurrected to newness of life, and continually striving to overcome sin with the power of His Spirit. By doing so, one fulfills the obligation to respond to what God has done, deepening the relationship with Christ and moving toward the goal of being in His image.