Knowing Him

The Christian life is all about knowing the Savior. This is a key emphasis in Philippians 3, as Paul explains what drives him forward through persecution.

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Philippians 3:4b-15

We sometimes get the idea that our qualifications give us a right standing before God
These are things we do – or don’t do
Things we say – or don’t say
Groups that we belong to
Positions that we hold
A list of dogmas that we embrace
Or anything else apart from Christ

But these things count for nothing toward our salvation
Which is by faith in Christ alone
The verses we read in Philippians today will affirm this
And they will remind us that the Christian life is about “Knowing Him”

We find Paul speaking to the church at Philippi in this passage
The section in which we begin contains Paul’s resume
If he had the ability to earn salvation, which he did not (and we do not)
He would have done so on the basis of the things listed in verses 5 and 6

Philippians 3:4b-6

4b If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more:

5 Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;

6 Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.

The world assembles its spiritual resume using many of these ingredients
We may wrongly assert that our salvation is wrapped up in things like
Our history, the traditions we hold, our lineage, our work ethic
Our attitude, our track record, or our reputation
Let’s make no mistake, these are not unimportant things
They can give us great advantages in our spiritual walk
But let’s also be clear that they do not constitute or contribute to our salvation
Salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone

Philippians 3:7-8

7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.

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,

Let’s remember what has been counted loss
His history, his traditions, his lineage, his work ethic
His attitude, his track record, his reputation
These are things the world – and many a world religion – would count as important
Perhaps even of highest importance

It is obvious, based on the words Paul uses here, that he counts them useless
As nothing
For his salvation (all salvation, for every individual) is wrapped up in Christ

All of His ongoing efforts
His daily walk as a disciple will be devoted to knowing Him
And whatever it is he may have counted important historically will be left there
In the past
His future will be Christ’s – not his own

Philippians 3:9-10

9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;

Whatever it is that Paul is doing or will do from this point forward will not be a result of or attributed to his own righteousness
He seeks to walk in the righteousness of Christ
That is, relying upon Christ for instruction, for direction, for power, for aid, indeed for everything
He will trust who Christ is, trust what Christ said, and trust enough to place his very life in Christ’s hands

He seeks to know Him in a deep way
To walk in the same kind of power that it took to raise Christ from the dead
The power that it took to raise Paul, spiritually, from the dead
This is the same power that brings all who have faith new life

What about the fellowship of His sufferings?
Paul has already suffered
And he knows he may face more of the type of suffering Christ endured – often unjust suffering
A servant is not better than his lord
But he must press forward no matter what he suffers

Paul has (we have) a Savior to serve
People to reach
A mission to carry out
Difficulty and persecution will likely be part of it all

Philippians 3:11-14

11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.

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.

13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,

14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

The old man is passed away
Paul walks, as we walk, in newness of life
And while we still live in these bodies of flesh and dwell in a world running from God, we seek Christ
What He wants for us, what He commands for us, who He desires us to become
And we know, as Paul knew, that we are not there yet

His job, and ours must be to press forward
Never dwelling on those things we leave behind
But looking ahead

These words: reaching forth and pressing toward
Give us a picture of our lives
The achievement of our goals in Him will seem far from us
But this is why we need Him

Pilippians 3:15

15 Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.

Pressing forward ought to be our mindset
Not relying on our history, our lineage, our work ethic, or our attitude
But instead relying on Him

We come to really know Him through a life like this
As Paul came to know Him
But this must be a chief aim for us