Philippians 3:8-10 - All Is Worthless Compared To Knowing Christ.
Philippians 3:8-10 - All Is Worthless Compared To Knowing Christ.
Philippians 3:8-10 (NLT) Yes, everything else is worthless when
compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his
sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so
that I could gain Christ 9 and become one with him. I no longer count
on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become
righteous through faith in Christ. For God's way of making us right with
himself depends on faith. 10 I want to know Christ and experience the
mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him,
sharing in his death,
Philippians 3:8-10 (CWR) Everything I did before and all the
honors I received are worthless compared to the priceless treasure of
having Jesus Christ as my Savior and Lord. Whatever I had and did was
nothing but rubbish in comparison to knowing Jesus Christ. 9 Now I have
a righteousness which was given to me by Jesus Christ through
faith in Him. This righteousness comes directly from God through
faith, not through works. 10 All I want now is to know Jesus Christ
better and to experience still more of the power of His resurrection in
my life.
INTRODUCTORY THOUGHTS
Paul was taking a stand against Jewish Christians who
believed that all Christians had to continue obeying the Jewish law. Paul
had impressive credentials: upbringing, nationality, family
background, inheritance, orthodoxy, activity, and morality. It could appear
that Paul was boasting about his achievements. But he was actually
doing the opposite, showing that human achievements, no matter how
impressive, cannot earn a person salvation and eternal life with God. His
faith in Christ wasn't based on what he had done or who he was, but on
God's grace.
After showing that he could beat the Judaizers at their own
game, Paul showed that it was the wrong game. After Paul considered
everything he had accomplished in his life, he decided to write it all off
as "worthless" when compared with the greatness of knowing Christ.
Are you depending on a Christian heritage, a church
affiliation, or just being good to make you right with God? Credentials,
accomplishments, or reputation cannot earn one salvation. Be careful of
considering past achievements so important that they get in the way of your
relationship with Christ. We should value our relationship with Christ as
more important than anything else. Salvation comes only through faith
in Christ. [One Year NLT SB re Phi. 3:5-8]
Paul had an impeccable pedigree. He was from the Jewish tribe
of Benjamin (the tribe named for Jacob's youngest son; the tribe of
Saul, Israel's first king). Paul had been circumcised and educated in
the Old Testament and in rabbinic traditions. He excelled as a
Pharisee. His credentials were impressive, and the first part of today's
reading sounds as if he is boasting.
In fact, any Jewish listeners in Paul's day would have held
him in high esteem because of his background. But Paul, considered
everything he had accomplished on his own as nothing. None of it compared
with knowing Christ.
As a believer you have been made right with God by receiving
salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. Paul's words here should not be
taken to mean that everything you are and do is "garbage." God can use
all your training, your experiences (good and bad), your interests,
and your abilities--just as he used Paul's. Just remember that your
salvation is not based on any good works, degrees, fame, or wealth you
might attain. Jesus alone is the source of your salvation. [The One
Year Bible for New Believers re Phil.3:5-11]
COMMENTARY
Many people use the word know to cover the loosest possible
connections. Someone might say, "Sure, I know Joe," when in fact, Joe is a
friend of a friend. Or someone might say he knows about a product
because he happened to see a commercial for it the other day. Knowing
about people and things hardly means anything more than having heard
about them.
The meaning of the word know was different for Paul. It did
not mean having a casual acquaintance or hearing a passing
reference. In this passage, Paul explains what it means for him to know
someone. And that someone he knows is Christ.
Paul accomplished a great deal, and most who know anything
about him consider him a great man. But he regarded all his
accomplishments to be "garbage" when compared with the greatness of knowing
Christ (Philippians 3:8). One personal relationship mattered more to
Paul than anything else. That's why he endured so much suffering,
rejection, physical abuse, and hardship - to stay close to Christ
(3:10-11).
Many priorities clamor for our time - family, job, friends,
and certain goals and plans. But our relationship with Christ
matters more than all of them. To know Christ is the ultimate
achievement, the first priority, the best option, the highest goal. A crowded
schedule in order to set aside a few minutes each day for prayer and
Bible study, a friend's disapproval, a sacrifice of plans or pleasures
are small prices to pay for such a reward.
Spend time getting to know your Savior. Make "knowing" Christ
your highest priority. [The One Year Through the Bible Devotional by
Dave Veerman]
I had experienced God's touch and heard His voice, but
several fellow Christians objected to experience as part of the
Christian life. (I marvel at the absurdity of that objection now - isn't
the Bible a vast collection of people's experiences with God? - but
it's sadly commonplace and gave me some concern at the time.) And the
tension mounted between what God was actually doing in my life and what
people told me He would or would not do. There came a time when I had
to decide whether to make a choice to follow Him or to follow the
positions, traditions, and assumptions of human beings who saw the
experiences of the Bible as exceptions, not examples. I chose Him. "Lord, I
don't care what anyone else thinks. Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe I'll fall
flat on my face. Maybe I'll be humiliated in the eyes of everyone I
know. But I'm going after You - completely, recklessly, desperately.
And I'll trust You to lead me, correct me, and establish me however
You choose."
From that point forward, the Presence increased. I read the
Bible through new lenses, and its people, stories, and truths became
clearer and clearer. I received affirmation after affirmation: my choice
was good, and many of my past assumptions were wrong. God was
leading me in new, exciting, and entirely biblical ways.
God honors those who abandon themselves to Him - those who
are willing to relinquish every restraint in order to follow His
leading, who almost recklessly go after Him without fear of looking
ridiculous or being criticized by those around them. He expects
discernment, obviously, and He will correct those who are moving in wrong
directions; but He also treasures those whose desire for Him refuses to be
quenched by hyperanalytical self-examination. He shows Himself to eyes
focused exclusively on Him.
Lord, I choose You. I'm tired of religious principles and
precepts and traditions that make assumptions about what You will and
will not do. I open myself to whatever You want to do in my life -
anything at all, no matter how out-of-the-box - as long as it fits with
Your character and purposes. [The One Year Experiencing God's
Presence Devotional by Chris Tiegreen]
Every time something thwarts your plans or desires, use that
as a reminder to communicate with Me. This practice has several
benefits. The first is obvious: Talking with Me blesses you and
strengthens our relationship. Another benefit is that disappointments,
instead of dragging you down, are transformed into opportunities for
good. This transformation removes the sting from difficult
circumstances, making it possible to be joyful in the midst of adversity.
Begin by practicing this discipline in all the little
disappointments of daily life. It is often these minor setbacks that draw you
away from My Presence. When you reframe setbacks as opportunities,
you find that you gain much more than you have lost. It is only
after much training that you can accept major losses in this positive
way. But it is possible to attain the perspective of the apostle
Paul, who wrote: Compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing
Christ Jesus, I consider everything I once treasured to be as
insignificant as rubbish. (Col. 4:2; Phi. 3:7, 8) [Jesus Calling by Sarah
Young]
SUPPLEMENTARY THOUGHTS
It must not be assumed that the study of Scripture and the
contemplation of the principles that God has built into His Word are
unimportant. They most certainly are. But let us be on our guard that we do
not fall into the trap of contemplating the principles that God has
built into the universe more than God Himself.
I have often seen students of Scripture fall into this trap
when, in reading their Bible, the only things that get their attention
are the principles that relate to godliness. They underline them in
their Bible, mark alongside them other Scriptural references, and
think that by doing this they are growing spiritually. The problem,
however, is that only the principles of daily personal godliness capture
their interest; their heavenly Father does not.
Imagine treating a love letter that way: identifying and
underlining the principles, reflecting on the profundity of some of the
insights, marveling at the clarity of the language and yet missing the
main purpose of the letter--romantic passion and love. Yet this is the
way some people approach the Bible. Our aim in studying the nature
and character of God must be to know God better (not merely know His
Word better), and we must seek to enlarge our acquaintance not simply
with the characteristics of His nature, but with the living God whose
characteristics they are.
O God, help me never to approach the Bible content to know
only the written Word. Give me a passion that never remains satisfied
until, through the written Word, I discover more of the living Word. In
Jesus' name. Amen. [Every Day With Jesus Bible with Selwyn Hughes
devotional]
The initiative of the saint is not towards self-realization,
but towards knowing Jesus Christ. The spiritual saint never believes
circumstances to be haphazard, or thinks of his life as secular and sacred; he
sees everything he is dumped down in as the means of securing the
knowledge of Jesus Christ. There is a reckless abandonment about him. The
Holy Spirit is determined that we shall realize Jesus Christ in every
domain of life, and He will bring us back to the same point again and
again until we do. Self-realization leads to the enthronement of work;
whereas the saint enthrones Jesus Christ in his work. Whether it be
eating or drinking or washing disciples feet, whatever it is, we have
to take the initiative of realizing Jesus Christ in it. Every phase
of our actual life has its counterpart in the life of Jesus. Our
Lord realized His relationship to the Father even in the most menial
work. "Jesus knowing . . . that He was come from God, and went to God
. . . took a towel . . . and began to wash the disciples' feet."
The aim of the spiritual saint is "that I may know Him." Do I
know Him where I am to-day? If not, I am failing Him. I am here not
to realize myself, but to know Jesus. In Christian work the
initiative is too often the realization that something has to be done and I
must do it. That is never the attitude of the spiritual saint, his
aim is to secure the realization of Jesus Christ in every set of
circumstances he is in. [My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers]
LINK FOR FURTHER STUDY ON THIS PASSAGE:
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2008/20080327-1224.html
SPECIAL MUSIC VIDEO ON JOY IN GOD'S PRESENCE:
Something About That Name / Your Presence is Heaven to Me:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGoXkT8kivY
LIVE STREAMING PROPHECY CRUSADE: LANDMARKS OF PROPHECY:
YouTube Announcement: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cMVPybuWHU
Program Schedule:
http://www.landmarksofprophecy.com/about-the-event/national-broadcast-information
