Background Bible Reading: Philippians 3:1-11
In the identified verses Paul the Apostle clearly states that his deep desire is to know Jesus Christ (v. 10). Philippians 3 begins with a warning to these believers not to allow themselves to put their confidence in anything other than the savior.
Paul even expressed that at one time he himself had been guilty of placing emphasis on the wrong things. According to verses 4-6 his religious credentials were impeccable. However, when Paul was converted as a result of the Damascus Road experience, his priorities were completely reestablished.
Previous to his conversion Paul’s priority was his religion and his religious reputation, but he further testifies in these verses that this is no longer the case.
Paul writes, “But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish that I may gain Christ….” (v. 7-8)
Paul is telling these Christian believers that knowing Jesus Christ has become his new priority. Like Paul, we must make knowing Jesus the priority of our lives. We must give ourselves to the study of God’s Word and spending time in prayer in order to draw near to him. It takes intentional effort to refuse to allow the busyness and distractions of temporal life and living to dwarf our spiritual lives.
According to Paul the key to victory in this battle is to be willing to consider former and misplaced priorities as loss and rubbish. But for Paul, knowing Jesus was not only his priority, knowing Jesus also became his passion.
In verse 10 Paul reveals that his inner pursuit was, “…to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his suffering,…”
One scholar has translated verse 10 as follows, “All I want is to know Christ…” to reflect the burning desire of the apostle’s heart.
Paul not only disciplined himself to keep first things first, but he was also a man of deep passion. He possessed an inner thirst that only a vibrant relationship with Jesus Christ could quench. Paul was not satisfied to only know the academics of the Christian faith but he longed to personally experience the Christ of the Christian faith.
Bible study and doctrinal study are worthy endeavors indeed, but the emptiness of the human soul spurs us on with a healthy dissatisfaction until we come to know Him personally and intimately.
Finally, we find in chapter 4 that Jesus was not only Paul’s priority and passion but that Jesus was also Paul’s power or strength. In Philippians 4:13 we read Paul’s confirmation, “I can do everything through him who gives me strength.”
Paul’s passion to know Jesus personally supplied him with the strength that he needed to face many trials, obstacles, perils, and even persecution. God also has the power that we need for the many trying circumstances that we face. The means to experience His fortifying power comes when we consider earthly aspirations and efforts as rubbish and intentionally pursue a close personal relationship with Jesus Christ at any cost.
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