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Surpassing Value of Knowing Christ
Philippians 3:7-11
Introduction: The command to, “Rejoice in the Lord” brackets the text from 3:1 – 4:7. Everything in between gives us the means by which we can rejoice in the Lord.
The first principle of being able to rejoice in the Lord begins with the concept of 3:3 – “Glory in Christ…no confidence in the flesh.” These are contrasting statements. To glory in Christ is to put confidence in Christ and what Christ has done for our salvation. To put confidence in the flesh is to rely on our own accomplishments in serving God for our salvation. But to put confidence in Christ and glory in him is to put no confidence in my own ability to make myself “right” in the sight of God.
Therefore, to rejoice in the Lord begins with glory in Christ. To understand this complete, we need to look carefully at what Paul said about gaining Christ and knowing Christ.
Key Phrases in the Text
These few verses contain key phrases that are filled with meaning. We first need to be aware of their presence in the text so we can pursue their meaning.
There is a first a “gain” and a “loss.” That which was at one time gain is now counted as loss. What was formerly important to Paul now has no importance at all. In fact, there is a new, better gain that is desired. It is the loss of the previous “gain” in order to “gain” Christ.
Look at it this way, Paul had a “resume’.” But he came to understand that his resume would be of no account before God. Consider your own resume’. Type it up, go over it carefully using the best websites, use the most exalted words to describe yourself, and then present it to God. What will be the result? That is embarrassing, right?
Therefore, when you step before God what are you going to do with your resume’? Well, you are going to count it as “rubbish,” or KJV, “dung.” In the Greek, it is either dung or it is rotting food discarded in a trash heap. That is the value you are going to attach to any of your achievements, to anything on your resume. It is trash and you would not dream of presenting it to the Lord. So why would you think of your accomplishments today any higher than when you step before God?
Therefore, we are introduced to another phrase: not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the Law. To better understand this, note Deuteronomy 9:4-6.
First notice the beginning phrase, “Do not say in your heart…” Paul quoted that phrase in Romans 10:5 as he described “righteousness that come from the Law.” Notice it has to do with “what you say in your heart.” That is good to know. There is a type of thinking we need to correct. Don’t even say it in your heart!
Therefore, here is the way the Lord told us not to think, not to allow in our hearts: it is because of my righteousness and the uprightness of my heart. No it is not. Do not think that way. Do not let that into your heart. In Romans 3, Paul quoted, There is none righteous, no not one. There is none who does good. Okay, that should be simple: don’t let it into your heart that God has done anything for your salvation because of any righteous or good thing you have done.
Notice in verse 5, why God saved Israel, and Paul quoted the text concerning our salvation: it is because of his promise to Abraham. In the Garden man sinned and God brought a curse. To Abraham, God reversed the curses and promised blessings – but not because of any righteousness on man’s part.
A third phrase explains the Deuteronomy text: righteousness that comes through faith in Christ (or faithfulness of Christ), the righteousness from God that depends on faith.
Now we see the contrast: not my own righteousness (I can happily throw away my resume’), but the righteousness that comes from God. Since we were unable to attain our own righteousness, we can now have a righteousness that comes from God.
Now you can see why Paul said he counted everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ, and that he had suffered the loss of all things to gain Christ. We certainly do not need to rely on our own righteousness when we can attain righteousness from God.
Notice how righteousness comes from God: “by faith of Christ, righteousness that depends on faith” (KJ). Paul explains this in Romans 1:16-17. In the good news of Jesus Christ, God’s righteousness is revealed from faith (the faithfulness of God to fulfill his promises to Abraham through Jesus) to faith (our faith and dependance on him for our salvation.
Paul said it clearly in Romans 4:6-7 when he described how God counted David righteous – he forgave his sins. We depend on and have faith in God’s promise through the work of Christ to forgive our sins, thus making us righteous. That is God’s gift to us.
Then there is a fourth phrase, and it is a purpose statement beginning with the word “that” – as Paul so often does. In this case, he uses the word “that” twice to show to purposes: that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. Therefore, this righteousness that depends on the faithfulness of Christ means that our goal is to know him, the power of his resurrection, and become like him in his death.
Knowing Him
Having become aware of the key phrases and especially the key point of giving up anything we have gained in order to attain a righteousness from God, notice the words, “surpassing worth of knowing Christ” and again in verse 8, “in order that I may gain Christ,” and in verse 10, “that I may know him.”
We are now ready to pursue the overall message. In other words, how do we summarize that life Paul is telling us to live? Let’s break it down this way:
First, nothing we have “gained” in this life matters any more. We gladly give it all up as easily as we throw rotting trash at the curb each week.
Second, it is impossible to know Christ without treating all that we have gained as trash. It is one or the other! It is like saying, “poor in spirit” or, “Lord, I know I’m blind, help me see.”
Third, “throwing out the trash” enables us to gain Christ and be “found in him” having a righteousness from God that depends on the faithfulness of Christ.
Fourth, obtaining the righteousness from God was not the end goal! That was the benefit (surpassing value) of knowing him. But righteousness from God is an ongoing state, not a one time occurrence. In other words, we continue to pursue knowing him because we continue to value the wonderful gift of receiving the righteousness from God.
Therefore, in verse 10, Paul breaks down the idea of “knowing him.” But first, consider the phrase, “know him.” What does it mean to know someone, keeping in mind that this is not a superficial knowledge, but truly knowing? It has to do with living with that person, walking in their footsteps, and truly understanding how they think. This is reflected in the following words of the text:
In knowing him, Paul wants to know the “power of his resurrection.” That is the power of life; the power of changing us from being dead and unfruitful to being like him: Eph. 3:19-20, “and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us...”
“Share in his sufferings”: Sufferings are a result of living like him, of truly knowing him. Walk in his steps, and sufferings follow. That leads to the final phrase…
In knowing him, we will “become like him in his death.” As Paul said in 2 Cor. 4:10, 12, we die so others may live. That is what Jesus did; that is what we learn to do when we know him. This happens in what might be considered “small” ways every day. We die to give life to others. We die to serve so that others can live. Examples: making a new friend or coming to the aid of one in a trial, attending a Bible study to offer encouragement, inviting to a study.
Then, the final “that”: “that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.” Note the words, “any means possible.” Cf. Matt. 13:44-46. We need to keep this principle squarely before us. Being a Christian is radical! This is not a club, a pastime, a hobby, or an adjunct for a better family life. This is a lifestyle that suffers the loss of all things – and doesn’t care!!
There is one final sentence (and I’m glad Paul wrote it!) that begins verse 12, and we will explore thoroughly next time: “Not that I have already attained…but I press on…” Yes! It is a high calling, and “upward call,” and we have not attained, but we press on!
Berry Kercheville