STUDYING THE BOOK OF PHILIPPIANS #10
Phil. 3:7-11
By David J. Riggs
Intro.
A. Our last lesson concerned the things in which Paul did not
rejoice or had no confidence: (1) Earthly Parentage; (2)
Religious affiliation; (3) His own zeal; (4) His own
righteousness.
1. Also, we added two modern ones: (1) The power of positive
thinking; (2) Our own accomplishments.
B. Paul suffered the loss of all these things so that he could
gain
something far more valuable.
1. Paul's supreme wish now was to gain or win Christ - to be
found "in" Christ.
2. The apostle tells us what little account he made of those
things.
a. He now counted all those earthly things as "rubbish";
that is, as dung, filth, refuse, or garbage.
b. Those earthly things become highly contemptible when
compared to the glories and blessings in Christ.
C. May God help us desire to gain Christ to the degree that Paul
did.
I. "The excellency of the knowledge of Christ." (A personal
knowledge)
A. Notice that Paul called the knowledge of Christ the excellency
of knowledge. Col. 2:3
1. The knowledge of Christ far excels the knowledge of
anything in this world; e.g., the knowledge of science,
mathematics, business, agriculture, nature, and the list
goes on and on.
2. None of these compare to the excellency of the knowledge
of Christ.
II. "Being found in Him." (A personal relationship)
A. Can one, by investigation and interrogation, determine if
another is in Christ?
1. The answer, of course, is "no." We can only know in the
absolute sense that we ourselves are in Christ, and we can
only know that by the Scriptures. 1 John 5:13
B. No one will be accidentally found in Christ.
1. No one is "found" in Him through "change" or "through an
arbitrary selection from God."
2. Only by obedience to Him are we put into Him. Gal. 3:26-27
3. And, only by obedience to Christ do we stay in Him. 2 Pet.
3:14
III. "The righteousness which comes through faith." (A personal
blessing)
A. A synonym for "righteousness" is "justification," or
"acquittal."
1. When God declares one righteous, he is justified or
acquitted of all guilt. He is as pure as if he had never
sinned.
2. God put such a value upon, and such a virtue with regard to,
the suffering of Christ (His shed blood, His death) that it
became sufficient to satisfy for the sins of the whole
world.
B. Christ's death brings justification to all who believe.
1. Rom. 4:3-5
a. Verse 4 - If one worked perfectly, justification would be
owed to him.
b. Verse 5. - However, when one does not work perfectly,
his faith is taken into account, just as Abraham's was.
c. Paul is showing that "work" by itself will not justify.
IV. "That I may know Him." (A personal acquaintance)
A. To "know Christ" means to have a personal relationship with Him
through faith and obedience.
1. You and I know about many people, even people who lived
centuries ago, but we are personally acquainted with only a
few.
a. True Christianity is being personally acquainted with
Christ, knowing Christ in a personal way.
b. It signifies knowing intimately, by experience and
devoted association. John 17:3; Jer. 9:23-24
B. Do you want to truly know Christ as Paul did, or would you
rather keep Christ off at a safe distance?
1. We know Christ by walking with Christ, obeying His will,
glorifying His name.
2. When Paul lived under the Law, all he mainly had was a set
of rules, but now, along with a set of rules, he now had a
Friend, Master, and constant Companion.
V. "And the power of His resurrection." (A powerful occurrence)
A. Paul desired to know the power of Christ's resurrection. Eph.
1:17-20
1. The power that brought Christ back from the dead is
available to us as Christians.
2. God will assist us with the same power with which He raised
Christ. Eph. 3:20-21
B. The resurrection power went to work in Paul's life. Col. 1:29
1. We need to experience this power in our lives.
VI. "And the fellowship of His sufferings." (A painful experience)
A. Paul desired to know the fellowship of Christ's sufferings,
even to the point of becoming conformed to Christ's death.
1. Paul did not deliberately try to bring troubles upon
himself.
a. To the contrary, he often took steps to prevent trouble
from coming upon him. Acts 22:22-29
2. However, he accepted sufferings when it couldn't be
avoided, and looked upon it as a means of identification
with Christ.
3. "To suffer unjustly" came to be known as "the reproach of
Christ." Heb. 11:26
B. Certainly, Paul did experience a fellowship (or sharing) in
sufferings for (and with) Christ. Acts 9:16; 2 Cor. 11:23-28
1. Paul has revealed to us that we enter the kingdom of God
through much tribulation. Acts 14:22; 2 Tim. 3:12
C. In spite of all that Paul suffered, he kept himself joyful.
1. No doubt, the basis of his joy was his expectation of
eternal life. 2 Tim. 2:11-12
2. That which God appoints for us, though it may seem very
grievous at times, if we endure, will bring eternal rewards
in the end.
VII. "Being conformed to His death." (A practical endeavor)
A. We are made conformable to His death when we die to sin
through baptism. Rom. 6:3-8
1. As Christ died "for" sin, we die to sin.
B. When we die with Christ, the fleshly desires and evil passions
of the flesh are put to death.
1. The world is crucified to us, and we to the world. Gal.
2:20; 6:14
VIII. "If, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the
dead."
A. This was Paul's purpose regarding all those things.
B. Heaven is here called "the resurrection of the dead." Elsewhere
it is called:
1. The resurrection of life. John 5:29
2. The resurrection of the just. Acts 24:15
3. Being sons of the resurrection. Luke 20:35-36
C. Though the souls of the faithful, when they depart, are
immediately with Christ, yet their glory and happiness will not
be complete until the general resurrection of the dead at the
last day.
1. This is when the soul and body will be glorified together.
D. Paul had his eyes upon this and diligently sought to obtain it.
Rom. 8:19-23; 2 Cor. 5:1
1. Remember, there will also be a resurrection for the wicked,
but they will arise to shame and everlasting contempt.
Concl.
A. Yes, Paul gained far more than he lost. In fact, the gains were
so great that Paul considered all other "things" as garbage in
comparison.
1. No wonder he had joy. His life did not depend on the cheap
"things" of this world, but on the "eternal values" found in
Christ.
2. Paul had the "spiritual mind" and looked at the "things" of
earth from heaven's point of view.
B. People who live for the "things" of this world will never be
truly happy, because they must constantly protect their
treasures, and worry lest they lose their value.
1. It is not so with the believer who has the spiritual
blessings. His treasures in Christ can never be stolen and
will never lose their value.
C. Maybe now is a good time for all of us to do some accounting
work and evaluate in our lives as to what "things" matter most
to us.