Counting Everything Loss for Christ

August 7, 2019

Text: Philippians 3:1-11

Title: Confidence in Christ

Jesus Christ is of great value

Principle: To have the same mind of Jesus Christ as a servant one must put no confidence in flesh.

Command: Put no confidence in the flesh by counting our boastings as rubbish.

Reflection

• There are times that I consider something better than knowing Christ and this is having confidence in my flesh

• My education and my skills in the ministry are my confidence in my flesh that I have to set aside in order to know Christ.

• This confidence must be put off so I could have the same mind as the Lord in terms of obedience as a slave.

Observations

• The word "rubbish" in Greek means "dung." In this, Paul described the confidence in the flesh that he had (v8)

• Righteousness is  through faith and not from the Law (v9)

• Who are the people that the Philippian believers should be aware of in verse 2?

• Faith is the only means to know everything about Jesus Christ (v10)
• Power of Resurrection (v10)

In the previous chapter, Paul addressed the issue of division and encourage them to have the same mind, love, spirit, and intent. This will only be possible if everyone would strive to have the same servant attitude as Christ in order to regard one another more important and to consider the interest of others as well. By this a command to work out the salvation with fear and trembling has been given by being obedient as Christ. The relation of this passage to the previous chapter is how to have the same attitude as of Christ. The very answer is in verse 3, "...put no confidence in the flesh.

Paul warned the Philippian believers to be aware of those who dogs, evil workers, and false circumcised folks (v2). These are different group of people they are the unbelievers, the wicked people, and the Judaizers. He focused on of those who are in false circumcision (Judaizers) with the intention to warn them against confidence in the flesh.

Judaizers are people who have confidence in the flesh. Paul knew them very well because he used to be one of them. He admitted that he has more to boast in the flesh as Jew. The list of his confidence in the flesh is found in verse 4-6. These were the boastings of Paul prior to his conversion. Like Paul, we have something that we can boast to prior to our conversion. It might be our economic status, educational attainment, authority and popularity and others. All these, according to Paul, are just rubbish and must be counted loss because there is one thing that is important and that is the surpassing value of knowing Christ.

To know Christ is not just to have a thorough understanding of Christology, but to understand Him as a servant that every Christian must imitate. Paul brought them back to the idea of Christ in chapter 2 as a slave. And to know Christ, a person must put no confidence in his flesh by considering those things as rubbish/dung.

The last three verses are the blessings of knowing Christ. First, righteousness is through faith in Christ and not from the Law.  Second, faith in Jesus, leads to knowing Him, the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His suffering. Finally, attaining the the resurrection from the dead.