Consider Everything Lost - Philippians 3:7-8

 

 

But everything that was a gain to me, I have considered to be a loss because of Christ. More than that, I also consider everything to be a loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. Because of him I have suffered the loss of all things and consider them as dung, so that I may gain Christ. Philippians 3:7-8

Goodies of the World

I am a follower of Christ. That’s who I am. Jesus sent apostles after He lived who were specially empowered by the Holy Spirit to carry His message and to get the New Testament church up and going. 

Sometimes, these apostles, like Paul, tell us to do like him. In one case He tells us to follow him as he follows Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1).

And here in the book of Philippians I think he is telling me (2000 years after he wrote it) to follow him as he follows Christ. 

His message is this: consider the goodies of the world lost, but you will gain Christ. 

And this idea needs to nourish my attitude. He says, “Everything that was a gain, I consider to be a loss because of Christ.”

I used to just feel guilty about this passage when I read it. In no way did I feel like I had what it took to have this mind. I felt so cast down as a believer. The deceiver had me convinced that I could not and would not ever really live like a child of God.

And hey, this verse seems so hard at first glace. Paul can do this because he is a super powered apostle, right? 

Or maybe a monk who has taken a vow of poverty can live like this.

Regular Christian Guy

Those kinds of guys do this. Not regular old me living the regular old Christian life.

Wrong. This message is for me even when I’m a mess of a man.

How do I know? I know because I know the exact same Jesus that Paul knew. There’s something about Jesus that supplies the idea that I CAN consider all things loss. There’s something Jesus does in me. He gives me the grace.

See, I don’t have to generate my own grace. I can’t. Only He does it. And He gives it at the time it is needed. 

Hebrews 10:34 says, “You joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one.”

Who joyfully accepts the plundering of their property? Believers in Jesus can and they do.

When it says, “You had a better possession,” it is talking about now. They knew that had a better possession. They already possessed it. They didn’t have to die and go to heaven to get it. I already have it too.

Grace to Face

How many martyrs have gone to their deaths singing hymns, praising the Lord? They already have the grace to face the challenge. They have the possession. 

Now, I might not feel like I have the grace I need. But I can trust that I have it. I can trust that in the need He will supply. I’m happy to not need that kind of martyr’s grace today. I don’t have the challenges that require it. 

It’s like when Gideon went out to fight and God kept sending his men home. He ends up with a few hundred men and some candles. He doesn’t know how this is going to play out, but He trusts God; he depends on Him. God shows Gideon and his men His glory. 

And when God told Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, Abraham trusted God. He knew that God would supply. He also knew that he had to obey. God gave Abraham the grace he needed. 

As a believer, I can count my life and all of my possessions as loss. So I must chose to do so. Especially in the test. He is with me. 

I have the surpassing value of knowing Jesus today. And as he sanctifies me. As he gives me grace over and over again. As I know His bottomless forgiveness over and over again. As I know he loves me, that I matter to Him. I can count EVERYTHING loss. 

Lord, teach me to depend upon you. Teach me to grow in faith when I miss the mark and don’t count it all loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing you. Give me your amazing grace. You have called me, a broken vessel, to this holy standard. Do it in me. Blessed be the Name of the Lord.