PHILIPPIANS 3 — KNOW CHRIST AND PRESS ON

 

PHILIPPIANS 3 — KNOW CHRIST AND PRESS ON

 In Philippians 3, Paul teaches us that the greatest goal of the Christian life is not personal achievement, position, or recognition, but knowing Christ more deeply and continually growing to become like Him.

Paul presents three important truths:

1. Do not put your confidence in your own righteousness. — Philippians 3:1–9
2. Pursue a deeper relationship with Christ and keep pressing forward. — Philippians 3:10–16
3. Live as a citizen of heaven. — Philippians 3:17–21

 1. COUNT EVERYTHING AS LOSS COMPARED TO KNOWING CHRIST

Philippians 3:7–9

“But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.” — Philippians 3:7 (KJV)

 In Philippians 3:4–6, Paul lists the credentials he once considered valuable:

·       He was circumcised on the eighth day.

·       He belonged to the people of Israel.

·       He was from the tribe of Benjamin.

·       He was a Hebrew of Hebrews.

·       He was a Pharisee.

·       He was zealous in his religious commitment.

Paul had many reasons to boast according to his former understanding of righteousness.

But when he encountered Christ, he realized that none of these credentials could replace the righteousness that comes from God.

Ephesians 2:8–9 — We are saved by grace through faith, not by our works.

Romans 3:22 — God's righteousness comes through faith in Jesus Christ.

Galatians 2:20 — The Christian life is lived by faith in the Son of God.

 

We may have accomplished many things in ministry:

·       Led people to Christ.

·       Preached many sermons.

·       Served God for many years.

·       Made sacrifices for the work of the Lord.

·       Carried responsibilities and leadership positions.

 

But we must ask ourselves:

Have the things I do for Christ become more important to me than my relationship with Christ?

Serving God and accomplishing things for His kingdom are good. The danger comes when our achievements become the basis of our identity and worth instead of God's grace.

 “Lord, I don't want my value to be measured by my accomplishments. What matters most is that I know You, belong to You, and continue to be transformed by You.”

 2. KNOW CHRIST AND KEEP PRESSING FORWARD

Philippians 3:10–14

“That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings…” — Philippians 3:10 (KJV)

 Paul did not merely want to know facts about Jesus. He wanted to know Christ more deeply through an ongoing relationship with Him.

There is a difference between knowing about Christ and continually knowing Christ through relationship, trust, and obedience.

 The resurrection power of Christ reminds us that the Christian life does not depend on human strength alone.

God empowers us to live by faith, resist sin, endure trials, and continue following Him.

 Paul describes the great power of God that He demonstrated when He raised Christ from the dead.

 Knowing Christ is not only about receiving blessings, experiencing success, or enjoying comfortable circumstances.

It also means remaining faithful when obedience involves sacrifice, rejection, hardship, or suffering for His name.

 Paul is not saying that we must erase every memory of our past.

Rather, we must not allow our past to prevent us from pursuing God's purpose for our lives.

Our past may contain:

·       Failures we regret.

·       Mistakes from which we need to learn.

·       Sins we have repented of.

·       Opportunities we missed.

·       Achievements that could tempt us toward pride.

Our failures should not become our prison, and our successes should not become our reason for complacency.

 Isaiah 43:18–19 — God calls His people to recognize the new thing He is doing rather than remain focused on former things.

Hebrews 12:1–2 — We are called to run with perseverance, fixing our eyes on Jesus.

 If you have failed, repent, receive God's forgiveness, and learn from your mistakes.

If you have accomplished something good, thank God, but do not stop growing.

If you have served God for many years, do not assume you have nothing more to learn

 Spiritual maturity does not mean you have nothing left to learn. It means you remain surrendered to God and willing to grow.

 3. LIVE AS A CITIZEN OF HEAVEN

Philippians 3:17–21

“For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.” — Philippians 3:20 (KJV)

 As Christians, our true citizenship is in heaven. This means our decisions, priorities, and conduct should reflect the truth that we belong to Christ.

 Paul encourages believers to follow his example and observe those who live according to the pattern of life they have learned.

This does not mean Paul was perfect. Rather, he demonstrated the importance of a life directed toward Christ.

 Philippians 3:18–19

Paul warns about people whose minds and desires are focused on earthly things.

This does not mean that work, family, education, or daily responsibilities are bad.

The warning concerns a way of life in which earthly things become more important than God.

 We await the return of the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly bodies to be like His glorious body.

Our hope is not limited to our present circumstances. We look forward to eternal life and the complete transformation God has promised.

 Ask yourself:

• Do my decisions reflect that I belong to Christ?
• Does the way I treat people align with God's Word?
• Do my priorities reflect the importance of God's kingdom?
• Can people see the influence of Christ in my life?

We do not need to abandon our earthly responsibilities. Instead, we should fulfill them as people who belong to Christ.

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PASTORA AGNES - JCRC