In this chapter, Paul exhorts the believers of Philippi to not put their confidence in their flesh but in Jesus Christ. Paul was not always an apostle, his name was Saul and he used to brutally persecute the church before being changed by Jesus (Acts 9). However, after being called by the Lord, He got baptized and started speaking boldly in the name of the Lord (Acts 9: 28). Let’s take a look at a few of the bold teachings of Paul in His letter to the people of Philippi.
7″ But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, 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 of that comes from God on the basis of faith.” (Philippians 3: 7-9)
In the above verses, we can see that Paul was comparing what he used to consider as gain by “garbage”. Following the law, as Paul used to do, can put us in a position of thinking that we need to do more to be welcomed and accepted by God. Fortunately, that is not true! We have been made right by God through Christ. You may think that you cannot be loved or forgiven by God because you keep thinking about what you did in your past but let me tell you that you are already right in God’s eyes, your sins are not only forgiven but God has forgotten them. God does not forgive like humans; I honestly often find myself still holding a grudge towards someone while the person confessed his/her wrongdoings to me. Thank God, even though we sin, His mercy is new every day, and His compassion never fails (Lamentations 3: 22-23).
10″I want to know Christ- yes, to know the power of His resurrection and participation in His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death, 11 and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.” (Philippians 3:10-11)
The more someone knows God and has a relationship with Him, the more that person gets thirsty and wants more of Jesus. Paul was a great servant of God but he still wanted Jesus more. He was longing to be like Jesus. The relationship I had with Jesus when I started following Him is not the same as the one I have now. Every time I see His hands upon my life, I get in love even more which makes me seek Him even more. Through the power of the resurrection, our deadly bodies were given life through the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:11). That relationship with Christ does not come easily because it is a result of a constant, intentional relationship with God. You have to decide to live your life with Jesus as the center. This means that you will prioritize your personal time with Jesus over all other activities.
“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.” (Philippians 3: 13-14)
Sometimes it is really hard to keep pressing on in this life because we are being pulled in many directions by many things. I encourage you to find a small group to help you keep heading in the right direction and lean on each other. Find a mentor, a model, and keep your eyes on “those who live as we do” as Paul said in Philippians 3: 17.
Let us forget our past and press on to where we are headed. If you are in Christ your future is VERY bright even though you might not see it yet (I assure you, you will!). If you did not receive Christ yet, I encourage you to take that decision today because we are never sure about our tomorrow, pray with me this short prayer and make sure to get in touch with a church or someone you know who gave his/her life to Jesus to walk with other believers in this incredible and amazing journey.
Prayer: Father God, we thank you for loving us unconditionally. We come to you because we have acknowledged that what we considered as gain did not bring true joy for us, nor will give us eternal life. We still have a hole in our hearts that can only be filled by you. We are here to repent for our sins and accept you as our Lord and Savior. We believe that Jesus is the Son of God, that He died on the cross and rose again for us to be saved. We thank you that You never look at our past and condemn us but You forgive our sins and forget them. From now on, we will live a life that worships You for the rest of our lives and rejoice in You. We pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.
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