JOY IN KNOWING JESUS — Believers Gain Joy through Knowing Jesus and Living in Obedience to Him

PHILIPPIANS 3:8-21

MEMORY VERSE: PHILIPPIANS 3:10 I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,

Goals help us establish new behaviors. They keep us focused on a desired outcome and they serve as guides that help us sustain some type of momentum to keep going. Some goals may be steps toward a larger goal like running three miles a day with the hope of eventually running a marathon. We set goals for all kinds of things, including physical fitness, skills, and financial goals. But what about setting spiritual goals? What would a spiritual goal look like? Paul gives us some clues in Philippians Chapter 3.

THE CONTEXT (PHILIPPIANS 3:1-21)

Paul commended Timothy and Epaphroditus in the concluding verses of Chapter 2, and Paul had encouraged the Philippians to be glad and rejoice with him (Phil. 2:18). After the personal word about his two associates (2:19-30), the apostle returned to the theme of joy.

Paul warned against a group known as the Judaizers. Judaizers were Jewish-professing believers who insisted that Gentile believers should not only believe in Christ but also adopt certain Jewish customs, such as certain food laws and ritual circumcision. However, the true people of God (the true circumcision) are believers who are characterized by worshiping and serving God in the Spirit rather than in the energy of the flesh. The true believers rejoice and boast in Christ, rather than in outward rites and rituals. They have no confidence in the flesh or activities performed by human energy and effort. Paul goes over this in Acts Chapter 15 at the council in Jerusalem.

Paul reminded his friends of his own testimony. As a Jew, he had at first put his confidence in the fleshly rite of circumcision and in his Pharisee observances. The merits of his Jewishness, which he once considered gain, was now to be considered actually a loss when compared to his new connection with Christ.

Paul pointed out that he was unable to obtain a right standing before God through those prior Jewish advantages. But now, through his faith in Jesus Christ he had come to know the joy of his righteousness standing given as a gift by God. His new goal was to know Christ, to experience the power of His resurrection, and to identify with His sufferings (3:8-11).

The apostle’s own sanctification or growth in a holy life had begun when Christ had taken hold of him in his remarkable conversion experience. From that point, Paul knew himself to be on the road to spiritual maturity. He urged his readers to follow the example of Jesus as well as that of other believers who were living according to the standard Paul had adopted for himself. That standard was persistent faith in Christ and obedience to Him.

RIGHTEOUSNESS GAINED (PHIL. 3:8-11)

8 What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ

9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.

Paul considered “knowing Christ Jesus” to be of “surpassing greatness.” When placed alongside the riches of his new life in Christ, his prior religious experiences had no value. In fact, what he had left behind was rubbish compared to Christ whom He had gained. Even Isaiah 64:6 in the Old Testament says, “All our righteous acts are like a polluted garment.” We are flawed sinners and unworthy to come before a Holy Righteous Creator God on our own. We need a mediator!

After years of fellowship with Christ and laboring in gospel ministry, he had come to consider everything to be a loss when compared to the surpassing value of knowing Christ. Paul had discovered that gaining Christ meant not to have a righteousness of his own—a work-based effort to keep the law with its myriad of commandments and ordinances. By contrast, the apostle had found that through “faith in Christ,” he had gained righteousness from God. This was a perfect righteousness that God both provides and fully accepts. This righteousness is based on faith in Christ’s efforts, not on deeds performed by human effort.

We see a marked contrast between a “works” righteousness and a “faith” righteousness. The former is human, outward, and imperfect; the latter is divine, inward, and absolutely perfect.

10 I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,

11 and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.

This blessing of righteousness gained by faith had resulted in a new direction or goal in Paul’s life. He expressed this goal in three elements. First, he had adopted the goal of knowing experientially the power of Christ’s resurrection; that is, the power of the resurrected Christ operating in his life and ministry. Only this suffices for living a new kind of life in our kind of world.

Second, Paul desired to know the fellowship of Christ’s sufferings. This would mean that his devotion to Christ in a sinful and contrary world would afford him sustaining spiritual strength. When negative or hurtful circumstances came they would not overwhelm him. The influence of Christ’s example is our best enablement for living victoriously and joyously, whatever our circumstances.

Third, the apostle desired to be conformed to Christ’s death. Paul would consider everything about his own life safely buried in God’s forgiveness. This process of sanctification involves an ever-increasing willingness to experience death to self and conformity to Christ. When faced with the lusts of the flesh, the lure of the world, and even the onslaughts of Satan, we are armed with the victorious comeback that says simply, “I died to that.”

12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.

Growing toward maturity in Christ is commonly spoken of as the process of sanctification. That process begins at the moment of conversion when trusting Christ as Savior. This brings to repentant sinners the free gift of righteousness, or right standing, before God. The Holy Spirit enters the person and begins to influence his thoughts and actions. Spiritual development begins. Paul’s testimony, after years of trusting Christ as Savior, was, “he still had spiritual growth to attain.” Conversion had set him on the right path. Paul was determined to persevere to grow more in Christ.

Paul had set himself to take hold of the goal of spiritual maturity. The imperative for every believer is to make spiritual progress toward that same goal.

13 Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,

14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Paul was single-minded about his yet-to-be-realized goal. Using the language of a runner’s participation in a race, he narrowed in on one thing. That one thing was neither behind him as part of his past or to the side of him as part of a distraction. His focus was forward, toward the goal that still stood in the future. This was like a finish line for an athlete. Paul’s gaze was riveted on what lay ahead. Paul wanted all his energies to be expended in attaining that goal. Peter also said in 2 Peter 3:18, “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.”

Only in a personal relationship with Christ can a person have the sure hope of the race’s outcome. At the end of the race, like all genuine Christians, Paul expected to hear his name called in summons to the victor’s stand, where he would meet Christ face to face, be transformed into His likeness, and enjoy his company eternally.

WARNING ISSUED (PHIL. 3:15-19)

15 All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you.

16 Only let us live up to what we have already attained.

Paul exhorted those who were themselves spiritually mature to think in harmony with what he had just said. However, some were still in earlier stages of Christian development and thus did not yet agree with all that Paul urged on them. For this to happen, their attitude would need to be right and their minds open to God’s leading. At whatever spiritual level they might be in their understanding of spiritual things, they must faithfully live up to that level.

To conduct oneself in word, attitude, or deed at a level beneath what they thought to be right and true would sabotage continued growth. Faithful conduct at one’s level of understanding is one of the stepping stones to greater understanding. Fruitfulness where we happen to be planted at the moment is essential to further growth and increased fruitfulness.

17 Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you.

18 For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ.

19 Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things.

At the time Paul lived and wrote, the church did not have the written record we know as the New Testament. New Christians were dependent on those who taught them and on what those teachers demonstrated in their own lives. In light of this, Paul was not reluctant to offer himself as an example for others to follow.

Paul urged the Philippians to follow the right example. There were many who were not worthy examples to be followed. More than just poor examples, they were enemies of the cross of Christ. Some were insisting that the Cross of Christ was not itself sufficient. They believed that human efforts were needed to supplement Christ’s atoning death. Seeking to add human efforts to the work of Christ, in order to achieve salvation, brought tears to Paul’s eyes. Paul sought to draw attention to some in their midst who insisted on adding legalism or human works to Christ’s saving work.

Paul listed three characteristics of such enemies of the cross. First, their end is destruction. That destruction would take the form of eternal punishment. The only mediation the Heavenly Father accepts is in what His son Jesus Christ accomplished on the cross at Calvary with His following resurrection.

Second, Paul charged that their god is their stomach, what “they” thought. To make something else essential to salvation is to make it a god that exercises the prerogative of judging who is saved and who is not.

Third, he concluded that their glory is in their shame. Given the ultimate outcome of displacing the cross with one’s own human acts or achievements is shamefulness of the highest order. What is more shameful than a human being saying by words or actions that God’s way is insufficient? Remember the Philippian jailer, a charter member of the Philippian church who asked what he must do be saved. It is preposterous to imagine Paul and Silas telling the jailer the following: believe in the Lord Jesus Christ plus submit himself to ritual circumcision and adopt Jewish food laws. Where would one find the joy of the Lord in that kind of requirement? Paul covers this in Acts 15.

CITIZENSHIP ASSURED (PHIL. 3:20-21)

20 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,

21 who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.

Philippi had been made a military colony of Rome. Citizens in Philippi could readily grasp the idea of living in one place while possessing citizenship in a distant place.

Paul and believers were in possession of an earthly abode while their true citizenship is in heaven. They could wait for Christ’s return with eagerness, knowing their future hope would one day become a present reality. As believers, we have the privilege of enjoying Jesus now while anticipating the future endless joy of being with Him in the place He will have prepared for us in the Father’s house.

Romans 3:20 Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.

21 But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify.

22 This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference,

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

24 and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

25 God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood…

John 3:36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him.