To KNOW Christ means:
We have no confidence in the flesh (vv 2-6).
Paul here is contrasting his life with that of the Judaizers. The Judaizers were a group of Jews who believed that in order for you to become a Christian you had to follow the Jewish law. Specifically, Paul addresses circumcision. Circumcision was a sign of the covenant that God had made with Abraham (Genesis 17:1-14), which God promised that he would be a great nation. In fact, it was originally stated in Genesis 12:1-3, and the last phrase says “And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” That’s a messianic prophecy because that is fulfilled in Jesus Christ. As a covenant, circumcision was to point them to the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ.
What is interesting to note, in Genesis 17, all male children were to be circumcised on the 8th day of their birth. With today’s medicine they can do it before you leave the hospital. However, science shows us that the 8th day of a male child’s life, he has the highest count of vitamin K. Do you know what vitamin K does? (helps blood to clot).
Paul calls the Judaizers dogs and evil workers. Then he has a play on words, which I think is funny in light of the topic – he says “beware of the mutilation!”
Paul says in verse 3, “For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh” Although circumcision was a physical act, it had a spiritual meaning. We are not and cannot be justified before God on our own merits.
Philippians 3:4 - though I also might have confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so:
Paul is saying if my relationship with Jesus Christ was about following the law and being a Jew, I would have the utmost justification. Paul’s list can be divided into two categories: (1) genealogy, the Greek word for stock is genos, which is where the word genealogy is derived from. (2) Personal achievement. If that was the standard Paul has it ALL TOGETHER!!!.
I’m not saved because my mama is saved, or my grandmother is saved. I’m not saved because I go to church every Sunday and pay my tithes. I’m not saved because I wear a 3 piece suit and talk like the KJV bible.
I’m saved because of JESUS CHRIST!!!!
We count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus our Lord (vv 7-8)
This is a transitional section from verses 2-5, and 9-11. Verses 2-5 speak of what Paul loss and verses 9-11 speaks of the gains Paul had. Literally Paul uses business accounting terms to make his point. Verse 7 he says “But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ.” It would be a bad feeling to think your business is making money, only to find out you’re operating at a loss. Paul is saying I thought (past tense) I was in the black (making a profit), but I realize (present tense) I’m in the red (loosing money).
It is interesting that verse 7 is presented in past tense, while verse 8 is in present tense. Because verse 8 begins as almost a repetition of the end of verse 7. Verse 7 he says “I have counted loss” (pass tense) where as in verse 8 he says “Yet indeed I also count all things loss” (present tense). And if you look further what you see is actual transition, because Paul talks about a “gain/loss” in verse 7, and then he talks about a “loss/gain” in verse 8. The transition or the difference maker between what he loss that he thought was a gain, and the loss that cause him a gain is:
“the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord”
His transition shows that he sought his worth or value in who he was, but now he place his value in who Jesus is. Excellence is a word used to express value in the text. In the Greek it is a compound word, from hupér (5228) meaning, above, over, and échō (2192), meaning to have. It literally means: to hold over or extend over something and figuratively its used here to mean: to hold one above, superior or better than another.
Paul is talking about knowing “about Christ”. But he doesn’t stop at knowing about Christ, because he then uses the possessive pronoun “MY” in connection with “Lord” indicating his relationship, and express not only knowing “about Christ” but also knowing “about who Christ is”. This tells us that we can know a lot of information about Jesus and not experience a relationship WITH Him.
Paul then continues in verse 8 and says “for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ”. The word “rubbish” as translated in the NKJV is an attention getter. When this letter to the church of Philippi was read, they would come together and they would read it out loud for everyone to hear at the same time. The word rubbish, was a word used to describe the leftovers you give the dogs, it is also used and translated as “dung”. One commentary stated that “The word here translated “dung” was often used in Greek as a vulgar term for fecal matter.” ….. (Yall thinking the same thing I did).
I imagine their reaction was similar to yours….. Literally what Paul is saying is, what he loss for Christ was a bunch of “crap”. He says that he, “counts them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ” The fact that Paul counts his heritage and personal religious achievement as rubbish, allowed him to gain Christ. Gain in here in the Greek is plural, meaning what we gain by being in relationship with Jesus Christ is sooo much more than what we give up.
The question becomes, have you given anything up for Christ?
We are to be found in Him (v 9)
This expresses our position in Christ Jesus. To be found in Christ means that you have place your trust in him for the forgiveness of your sins. This is by faith, and not by anything you have done. Paul said it like this in Ephesians 2:8-13,
Ephesians 2:8-13 (NKJV)
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
11 Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh—who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands— 12 that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
We are being conformed to His death (vv 10-11)
This expresses the progressive nature of our salvation. Verse 10 is where we find the word KNOW. It is knowledge gained by experience/relationship. Paul is giving us his reason or purpose of why he can now count his pass loss and look forward to the consummation of his salvation as he states in verse 11 where he says, “if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.”
The use of the aorist infinitive to know indicates that knowing Christ is a decisive act, not a process. The emphasis appears to be placed on the point of final attainment.
In other words to know Christ, is to experience Christ, is to be in an intimate relationship with Christ, is to know the power of His resurrection, is to know the fellowship of His sufferings. There is NO separation between: knowing Christ, knowing the power of Christ, and knowing the sufferings of Christ.
Paul said it this way in Romans 8,
Romans 8:5-17 (NKJV)
5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. 8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. 10 And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.
12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.
to know Christ is a decisive act, not a process. But being conformed to His death is a process. The word “being” denotes a continuing action. Progressive salvation says: We are saved from the punishment of sin, we are being saved from the power of sin, we shall be saved from the presence of sin. Although it is progressive, if you are saved you are just as saved today, as you were yesterday, as you will be tomorrow. This is why Paul says in Romans 8:28-30,
Romans 8:28-30
28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. 29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.
Once you know that you know Christ, the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings. Then you can be like Paul in Philippians 3:12-14,
12 Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. 13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
