Introduction

Opening/Background Text: Philippians 3:1-11

Philippians 3:1–11 NASB 2020

1 Finally, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things again is no trouble for me, and it is a safeguard for you. 2 Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the false circumcision; 3 for we are the true circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and take pride in Christ Jesus, and put no confidence in the flesh, 4 although I myself could boast as having confidence even in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he is confident in the flesh, I have more reason: 5 circumcised the eighth day, of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the Law, a Pharisee; 6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to the righteousness which is in the Law, found blameless. 7 But whatever things were gain to me, these things I have counted as loss because of Christ. 8 More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them mere rubbish, so that I may gain Christ, 9 and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, 10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; 11 if somehow I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.

Focus Passage: Philippians 3:7-11

The Power of the Resurrection

Outline

Building up to our text, we find that Paul is writing to the church at Philippi in response to false teachers. These false teachers were speaking of a righteousness that was found in and through their works. Paul, in address to these teachers false doctrine, essentially states, if the law could bring about righteousness, that is agreement between man and His creator, God, I would be righteous. He builds this argument through vv. 4-6

Philippians 3:4–6 NASB 2020

4 although I myself could boast as having confidence even in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he is confident in the flesh, I have more reason: 5 circumcised the eighth day, of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the Law, a Pharisee; 6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to the righteousness which is in the Law, found blameless.

The Power of the Resurrection

Many within the church find themselves thinking that some way they will enter into heaven because their good will out way their bad. I wish to declare to you that the Biblical truth is that there are plenty of good, moral people that have found themselves in a devil’s hell because they banked their righteous and their eternity on their own merit and works. Brothers and sisters, if works could save, then Jesus’ death was in vain.

Galatians 2:21 NASB 2020

21 I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly.”

The Power of the Resurrection

To further this argument, Paul brings about a comparison between his old man and new man. He brings about what he lost in comparison to what he has gained. This is where we find ourselves focusing within this message. We need to evaluate and decide, if what we lost and has been worth what we have gained. If we are in agreement with Paul, we will say, very much so.

What did Paul lose

Philippians 3:7 NASB 2020

7 But whatever things were gain to me, these things I have counted as loss because of Christ.

What did Paul lose

Paul declares that everything he had gained through his own personal meritorious actions had been lost. So, what was lost by Paul? What did he have to lose by becoming one with Christ? Specifically and contextually we see where Paul had two ares of great loss when coming into a relationship with Christ.

1. Paul lost his reputation

Paul had a great reputation before coming to Christ. He had the reputation of a being a scholar, as to the Law, a pharisee. He had the reputation of being a defender of the Jewish faith, as to zeal, a persecutor of the church. He had the reputation of being a Jews Jew, a Hebrew of Hebrews.

What kind of reputation do you have? Do you have the reputation of being a man’s man or a woman’s woman? Do you have the reputation of being a scholar or theologian? When you speak, does everyone around stop saying/doing what they are doing and listen? Do you have the reputation of being a good moralist? What is your reputation? Are you willing to lose to find Christ?

2. Paul lost his religion

Paul was a religious man. He was a zealot when it was in the subject of the law, as to the righteousness which is the Law, found blameless. He was a defender of the Jewish faith, even to the point of holding the coats of those stoning the first martyr, Stephen (Acts 7). He was proud of his faith and religious heritage, circumcised the eighth day, of the nation of Isreal, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews (v. 5).

Do you have religion tonight? Do you claim to be a Christian, a Christ follower? How do you know that you are? Do you stake your claim to Christianity on your church attendance, how much of the Bible you have read, your scholarly accolades, your church membership? Do you stake your claim to being a Christ follower because you been coming to this church or that church since nine months before you entered into this world or how much money you have placed in the coffer? Are you basing it off your religious up bringing or your religious works of righteousness? Many of us need to be like Paul, like R.E.M., and lose our religion.

When Paul met Jesus Christ on the Damascus road (Acts 9), he trusted Him and became a child of God. It was an instantaneous miracle of the grace of God, the kind that still takes place today whenever sinners will admit their need and turn to the Saviour by faith. When Paul met Christ, he realized how futile were his good works and how sinful were his claims of righteousness. A wonderful transaction took place. Paul lost some things, but he gained much more than he lost! (Wiersbe, Warren W. The Bible Exposition Commentary. Victor Books, 1996, p. 86.)

When Paul came into that relationship with Christ on the road to Damascus, when he lost his reputation and religion, he did not become less of a Jew. He did not become less of a scholar. He did not become less of a defender of the faith. Rather he became more of a Jew. He became a true Jew. As he would later write to the church at Rome:

Romans 2:28–29 NASB 2020

28 For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh. 29 But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from people, but from God.

What did Paul lose

He became a true child of God and member of His family physically and spiritually:

Galatians 3:6–9 NASB 2020

6 Just as Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness. 7 Therefore, recognize that it is those who are of faith who are sons of Abraham. 8 The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “All the nations will be blessed in you.” 9 So then, those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer.

What did Paul lose

He became a zealot for the faith, the righteous faith of Christ Jesus His King, Lord, and Savior.

When Paul came into a relationship with Christ, he may have lost his reputation and his religion, but glory to God he gained far more than he lost. That same truth is available to you through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ tonight. We have seen what Paul lost by coming into a relationship with Christ, but...

What did Paul Gain (vv. 8-11)

Philippians 3:8–11 NASB 2020

8 More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them mere rubbish, so that I may gain Christ, 9 and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, 10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; 11 if somehow I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.

What did Paul Gain (vv. 8-11)

Paul was not worried about what he lost. When Paul compared all that he had gained in his life (wealth, power, reputation, religion, prestige), he counted it all as loss and willingly viewed it as loss, I count all things to be loss. What about you? Do you do that? Are you willing to do that? How could he? Most of us may have asked that same question of ourselves? Am I willing to give up my home, my job, my possessions, my things, my all in light of my relationship with Christ, if that is what He calls me to do? Paul was. Are we though. We must learn to come to the same sobering conclusion that Paul did. We are what we are, because Christ Jesus made us that way. We are nothing apart from Jesus Christ. What did Paul consider to be of more value than his reputation and religion? What did he gain that was far more important to him? As he writes, the surpassing value.

1. Paul gained a knowledge of Christ - ‘…knowing Christ Jesus my Lord...’

This knowledge is not a mere Gnostic view as some scholars would have you believe. This is not some mental acuity that has been bestowed on Paul through some book or scholarly study. No! This is a personal knowledge. This is heart knowledge. This is a knowledge that is gained by his dying to self and being resurrected in Christ. This is Christ Jesus living in him.

Galatians 2:20 NASB 2020

20 I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.

1. Paul gained the knowledge of Christ - ‘…knowing Christ Jesus my Lord...’

Paul went from having head knowledge (religion) to heart knowledge (relationship). This is what many are missing within the church today and why so many people and churches are missing personal and corporate revival. We are like the church of Sardis, we have a reputation of being live but are dead (Rev. 3:1). We have all the characteristics and works of being alive (religion) but we remain dead in our trespasses and sin, because we do not know Christ. We have no knowledge of Christ. He writes in his epistle to Philippi, I may have lost my reputation and I may have lost my religion, but praise be to God I found something of far more surpassing value, I found Jesus Christ.

2. Paul gained the righteousness of Christ

Before hand the righteousness that Paul had was worthless. It was based in the Law. It was not that the Law was not good, because the Law is good. The Law teaches us that we are sinners. The Law teaches us that we need to be repent. The Law points out our short comings. However, the Law is weak. The Law cannot bring righteousness to man, because man has a propensity, a bend if you will. Man is bent toward sin. Sure, we can compare our lives to someone else, but when we compare it to the Word of God, we realize that we all fall short. Therefore, because of man’s sin nature, the Law became weak. However, Paul found a New Covenant, a Covenant that was established through the Blood of Christ. He found a righteousness of surpassing value. He found the righteousness of Christ being bestowed upon him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith.

When he died to self and found Christ living in Him, he found a righteousness that was given to Him through Jesus’ nailing the sins of man to the cross of Calvary. What took place was a technical term, imputation. It where the value of one is imputed (given to and placed instead of) to someone else. When Paul came into a relationship with Christ rather than religion, his self-righteousness was covered by the righteous of Christ. Whereas his righteousness was filthy rags before God, this new righteousness found in a relationship with Christ, was of surpassing value. All the bad and worthless deeds Paul had done before, were now nailed to the cross and covered by the blood of Jesus.

How many of you need to come into a relationship with Christ and have His righteousness imputed unto you? How many of you are still trying to find righteousness in your own works not realizing that your works are worthless outside of the work of Christ? How many of us are desiring the same same desire of Paul, and may be found in Him not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith.

3. Paul gained the power of Christ

Paul in the end, reveals that he gained the power of Christ. He wanted to grow and mature in Christ. He desired a progressive relationship with Christ not a stagnant relationship with Christ. Paul states this progression of relationship and knowledge in Christ through three statements.

Paul writes, I want to know the power of His resurrection. Many of us in the church need to know the power of Jesus’ resurrection. Do we not realize that we who are in Christ are no longer dead in our trespasses and sin. We are no longer in bondage to sin. Many Christians are being defeated in life because they ave forgotten the power of the resurrection. It is in the power of the resurrection that we find the riches and glory to be strengthened with power in the inner man (Eph 3:16). It is in the power of the resurrection that Christ come and dwells within us (Eph. 3:17a). Is within the power of the resurrection we find the ability to be rooted and grounded in love, Christ’s love (Eph. 2:17b). It is in the power of the resurrection that we are able to comprehend the immeasurable vastness of God’s love (Eph 2:18). It is in the power of the resurrection that we are filled with the fullness of God. Paul gained the power of Christ, but it was due to his knowledge of the resurrection.

The Power of the Resurrection

Conclusion

Paul ends his brief theological thesis with two other points I wish to declare to you as we close. Because of his knowledge of Christ Jesus and the power of His resurrection, Paul states that I may know…the fellowship of His suffering. Paul suffered many things throughout His ministry. He counted it all joy to suffer for the sake of His Savior, the Savior of the world, Jesus Christ. It was through His personal relationship with Christ, empowered through power of the resurrection that he could endure. This is the same strength that we are to be seeking. It only comes through Christ Jesus.

At the end of the day, no matter what Paul lost, no matter the suffering he endured, all that was lost in comparison to what he gained in Christ, he compared to rubbish, trash, refuse, But whatever things were gain to me, these things I have counted as loss because of Christ. May we understand that anything that we lose for a personal relationship in Christ is nothing compared to what we will gain in finding a personal relationship with Him and in the power of His resurrection.