Taking a short stroll through Philippians 3:7-10

After several years in ministry and many more as a member of the kingdom of God I can surely and securely say that I am fully aware of my relationship with Christ and that it is a blessing to be secure in that relationship. I have known many pastors, preachers, evangelists, Christian workers and laymen over my 35 years as a believer but those that come across or have stated their relational security in Christ have been few and far between. Please do not think that I am saying that all of these people that I have known are lost, I am not saying that. Nor am I saying that they were not safe and secure in Christ. What I am referring to is that the majority of them knew only the legal aspect of their salvation and never experienced the true freedom and blessing that we have once we understand our relational position in Him.


There is a passage in Scripture which says, “I had But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. (8) Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ (9) and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; (10) That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,” (Philippians 3:7-10). I had preached on this passage several times over my 20 years of pulpit ministry and I know that the Apostle Paul had a deeper meaning to this other than what I had thought it to mean. I am safe in my relationship with Christ so I know him but it wasn’t until about 10 years ago that I really understood Paul’s thought process. What I have and what I continue to gain in life are nothing in the light of eternity. They are nothing in the light and presence of Christ. He is all in all and all I really want in this life.


Like most, I have a wife and family, I have a job that produces the funds needed to survive. I have a ministry within the local church. All is good but all is nothing in the light of my precious Savior. Paul stated in verse 8, “Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ.” After we receive Christ as savior we at best are His beloved brethren which is a wonderful thought but we are more than that, we are His slaves. He owns us and as a true master is conscious of our needs, our wants and works in and through us to meet them or give us understanding of why not. Paul said “I also count all things loss…” why? Was he giving up? Not so, he understood that all else drastically pales in the light of His presence. If we allow things to get in the way of this relationship the relationship truly suffers. His goal was to “count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus…” He wanted nothing to get in the way of this relationship. Once we truly begin to understand all that we have in Christ we too can begin to understand this thought of Paul’s.


Why most fail to experience this closeness is his statement, “… for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, ...” We let the things of this world grasp a tight hold upon us and actually stunt the possibility of our growth in Christ. Paul wants us to go the extra mile so that you can freely understand and grow in our relationship with Christ. It is only then that we can learn that there is nothing here on earth that is worth getting in the way of the preciousness of this relationship. Paul concludes verse 8 by saying, “…and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ.” Not only are we to learn to let go of earthly things but we need to see them as what they are. They are rubbish, they are scrap in the presence of Christ. Many hold onto the scrap pile longing for a relationship with Him but their hold upon things will not let them reach for that which the Lord Jesus offers us. When we do so we soon learn to understand the depth of verse 9 which says, “And be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;”


We are not just in Christ but we are found righteous in Him because He has given /extended to us His righteousness. Righteousness that is given to us by grace through faith, notice, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, (9) not of works, lest anyone should boast. (10) For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:8-10) It is through grace and saving faith that we receive the Righteousness of Christ. We are as Paul said, His workmanship we are his property but above all we are His beloved.


I want to finish this thought looking back at Philippians 3:10, “That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death.” It is because of faith that we can obtain his righteousness. For some that is good enough, for some they are content just know that they are saved but it was not enough for me. As I continued to study the Word of God and labored in prayer for a better knowledge of Christ I finally received that for which I asked and now because of His Grace I can plead as Paul, “That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death.” I do know Him better and more intimately than ever before. I also have both the knowledge of this relationship but also a fear of displeasing Him. Along with this knowledge comes “the fellowship of his suffering” this includes the rejection of those we call brethren, of those that we call friend. This includes the ability to overlook their faults, their reasoning’s and their imperfections and see Christ. In doing so, I have found and experience this passage including the last statement which says, “…being conformed to His death.” Without trying to sound super pious and Holy, I believe that I have learned that sometime being conformed to His death means to do and recognize His will and place it over mine. It shows me that His will be done and He can get the glory even when I do not see it or it hurts me in the end. I can clearly state that this week I have found a closeness in the Lord through rejection that I have ever known and I praise His name for it.