The Secret Of Joy In The Lord: "because Of Christ"

The Secret of Joy in the Lord: "Because of Christ" (Philippians 3:7–11)

7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.

8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order 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 comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—

10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,

11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

When a husband and wife truly love each other, they find joy and satisfaction in simply being together. In the same way, when we genuinely love the Lord, we will long to be with Him and seek true joy and satisfaction in Him. Therefore, the command in Philippians 3:1, “Rejoice in the Lord,” speaks of the natural attitude of someone who loves the Lord. Paul immediately follows this command with a warning: “Watch out for the dogs, watch out for the evildoers, watch out for those who mutilate the flesh.” (Philippians 3:2) This is because those referred to as “dogs”—the circumcision party among the Jews—boasted in themselves rather than in Christ. Instead of trusting in Christ, they trusted in the flesh. Such people do not seek joy in the Lord, but in their own strength and achievements.

(In Korea, young people preparing for employment often talk about "specs." This term is short for “specifications.” Originally, it referred to the characteristics or performance of a product, but now it refers to the credentials that job seekers accumulate—things that prove their qualifications. The so-called “six essential specs” for getting hired include education, GPA, TOEIC score, internships, certifications, and volunteer work. To this, people often add physical appearance, which leads many to undergo cosmetic surgery. Some even go further by adding study abroad experiences or various awards. The more “specs” one has, the more they can feel either despair or pride—and potentially joy—depending on the outcome.)

Paul, however, was someone who truly had reason to boast in his own credentials. He had the most impressive “specs” of his day. As he says in verses 5–6: “circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.”

Before knowing Christ, Paul boasted in these things and placed his confidence in the flesh. But after encountering Christ, he came to see all the things he once held so dear as harmful. Being circumcised on the eighth day, being an Israelite from the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews, a Pharisee, and being blameless according to the law—none of these things are inherently harmful.

Even today, the things people take pride in—their specs—can be good and useful. But according to verse 7, Paul confesses: “Whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ.”

Why did Paul come to regard his past achievements—what he once considered gain—as loss, even as rubbish? And why does he say not only that he considers them as such, but that he has actually lost all these things?

We find the answer in the latter part of verse 8 and in verse 9: “In order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ—the righteousness from God that depends on faith.”

First, he says it is “in order that I may gain Christ.” The word “gain” here is the same Greek word used in verse 7, where he spoke of things that were once a “gain” to him. The only difference is that one is used as a verb and the other as a noun. All the specs of this world are things people strive to gain, and they do have value. But gaining Christ is of infinitely greater value—it is incomparable. To accept and possess Christ, whom God did not spare but gave for us, is of such overwhelming worth that everything else becomes like rubbish by comparison.

Second, in the beginning of verse 9, he says, “that I may be found in him.” Before gaining Christ, no matter how outstanding one’s credentials were, that person was still lost. Jesus said He came to “seek and save the lost” (Luke 19:10). Before we came to know Christ, regardless of whether we had many or few specs, we were like lost sheep—wandering without knowing where we were or where to go, each going our own way in pursuit of self-defined success. True repentance and faith mean more than simply adding Jesus as another “spec” to our lives. It means considering everything else rubbish and losing it all for His sake.