KNOWING CHRIST IS ALL

The opponents of the Philippian believers are probably Jewish missionaries who advocate circumcision (and other aspects of the Jewish faith) for Gentile converts, so Paul warns the Philippian Christians that reliance on such rites are potentially hazardous spiritually. In verses 4–6, he presents his impressive Jewish pedigree and a list of achievements to inform the Philippians that his Jewish credentials are beyond question and that he is supremely qualified to speak on these matters. However, in verse 7 he creates a balance sheet, as it were, listing all former privileges under the heading “profits” and then writing them off as a single “loss.” Paul has learned that when you have everything yet lack Christ, in fact you have nothing!

Paul goes on in verses 8–11 to expand on this theme of loss and gain. He views every credit and achievement as loss before God, even rubbish, compared with gaining Christ. His ultimate aim in life is to know Christ—not simply a collection of certain intellectual truths but a personal knowledge that is rooted in an intimate relationship. From the moment of his encounter with Christ on the road to Damascus, Paul’s life has centered around knowing him more intimately.

This personal relationship includes not just enjoying the victorious side of what Christ has given us (salvation) but also sharing in his sufferings, even conforming to his death (note the language of imitation again). To know Christ in relationship is to know him who has suffered, died and is risen. Paul’s desire to conform to Christ’s death so that he may attain the resurrection from the dead traces the trajectory of Christ’s humiliation and exaltation in 2:6–11.

Paul was willing to lose everything to share in the power of Christ’s resurrection and his sufferings and death. Are you ready and willing to pursue such costly discipleship?