I loved going through Phil. 3:1-11 yesterday in class. Thank you, Jesus, for making it so plain how we are to rejoice in you! I want to do every one of these things in the days I have left on this earth!
1. Boasting in Christ -- not in ourselves or our accomplishments, but in what God has done for us in Christ Jesus!
2. Gaining Christ -- because Christ himself is the true profit in life. We can't afford to lose him!
3. Being found in Christ -- that is, when we stand before his bema seat not on our own merits but the all-overcoming merits of Christ!
4. Knowing Christ -- which is much more than the acquisition of facts or a mere intellectual apprehension of truth but rather a personal and intimate relationship with him. It involves the mind, yes, but primarily the heart. To know Christ is more important than anything else in the world!
5. Becoming like Christ in his death -- that is, by renouncing our own selfish desires and saying "yes" to the Christ who calls us to take up our cross daily!
So there you have it:
- Boast in Christ!
- Gain Christ!
- Be found in Christ!
- Know Christ!
- Become like Christ!
The prize of the Christian life is Christ himself and living our lives close to him and his cross! Friend, if you want a humdrum existence, a boring life with no adventure, no challenge, no excitement, no deep satisfaction, then you'd better not read Philippians any more because you can have that kind of life all by yourself without any outside help!