#DailyDevotion Is Losing Everything & Everyone Worth It?
Php 3:8-12 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. (12) Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.
Just what is it worth to you to know Christ Jesus as your Lord? Paul though knowing Christ his Lord was worth sacrificing everything. His being of the tribe of Benjamin, his being a Pharisee, his training as a rabbi and everything good he had ever done he considered as rubbish, excrement, he was willing to sacrifice it all to know Christ Jesus his Lord. Can you say the same? Or are you looking for a glory to call your own?
If Paul could gain Christ and be found in him, then everything else was worth losing. For that would mean have a righteousness not his own, but rather the righteousness that comes through faith in Christ. This righteousness is from God and is not only Christ’s righteousness but God’s righteousness. Both were gained in Christ. Are you still trying to impress God with all your good works? Are you weighing your good works verses your bad works? You’re on the wrong playing field! Nothing pleases God more than you trusting Jesus to be your righteousness before him. Nothing pleases God more than you hating your good works and clinging only to the work and glory that is Jesus’.
On top of that, Paul looked forward to the resurrection and desired to know the power of it. He didn’t look forward to eternity with God in a ethereal world. He looked forward to being with God in a New Heavens and a New Earth where he would be resurrected bodily like Jesus. To that end he was willing to be like Jesus in his sufferings and death. Whatever it took to attain the resurrection of the dead he was willing to go through. He would be imprisoned, shipwrecked, naked, hungry, in chains and eventually beheaded. Is the resurrection of the body and an eternity with God our Father worth that to you? What are you willing to endure to be raised eternally from the dead? Thankfully, it is given us freely for Christ’s sake. We need only endure and be faithful to Jesus unto death. Paul had not yet achieved this yet when he wrote this. However Paul was willing to press on to make it his own because Christ has made him, his own. Whatever it took or he went through it would be worth it. What would it take for you to reject Christ and his gift? Are you willing to lose everything for Jesus’ sake? Jesus gave it up for you on the cross. Be willing to do the same for him.
Almighty God, Lord of the resurrection, grant us such faith in Jesus that we will be willing to lose all, everything in this life, even our own lives that we might endure all that Satan and the world will inflict us with that we with Paul may attain the resurrection from the dead. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.