Boasting in Christ Alone
REFLECTION
Do you have things in your life that you could boast about? Really, think about it. Maybe you have worked really hard for your career or academics. Maybe you have been given wonderful family. Or you have a very unique God-given gift, like music, athletic ability, or art. Maybe you’ve been blessed with amazing opportunities to learn deeply about the Word and truths of God. These are good things and I think gifts from God.
The apostle Paul had some things he could boast in too. Circumcised in the 8th day, a deep understanding of the Law and seeming faultless according to it, a Hebrew of Hebrews, and from the tribe of Benjamin (Phil. 3:4-6). In Paul’s day, he was the IT guy. He seemingly had it all.
But interestingly enough, this meant nothing to him. Here are the words of Paul:
“But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, 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 is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith.”
Philippians 3:7-9 NIV
Not only this, but he also says to the church in Ephesus,
“However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.”
Acts 20:24 NIV
The SURPASSING worth of knowing Christ. The NLT says “the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.”
Am I THIS convinced of Jesus? That nothing else matters in my life but to testify of the Gospel? Do I see Him truly as He is — His beauty and majesty — that his worth is greater than anything else? This is the call of a follower of Jesus — that we would be ever convinced that everything else is a loss compared to Him. May we be a people like this, and would He work in each of our hearts to show us this truth.
SCRIPTURE
“But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, 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 is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 3:7-14 NIV
PRAYER
Father, forgive us when we boast in ourselves.
Jesus, thank you that Your worth surpasses all things, in heaven, on earth, and under the earth.
Holy Spirit, would you reveal in my heart that You are worth everything? And would You show me the places I must surrender to You?
Thank you for the hope we have in You.
Amen.
Do you have things in your life that you could boast about? Really, think about it. Maybe you have worked really hard for your career or academics. Maybe you have been given wonderful family. Or you have a very unique God-given gift, like music, athletic ability, or art. Maybe you’ve been blessed with amazing opportunities to learn deeply about the Word and truths of God. These are good things and I think gifts from God.
The apostle Paul had some things he could boast in too. Circumcised in the 8th day, a deep understanding of the Law and seeming faultless according to it, a Hebrew of Hebrews, and from the tribe of Benjamin (Phil. 3:4-6). In Paul’s day, he was the IT guy. He seemingly had it all.
But interestingly enough, this meant nothing to him. Here are the words of Paul:
“But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, 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 is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith.”
Philippians 3:7-9 NIV
Not only this, but he also says to the church in Ephesus,
“However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.”
Acts 20:24 NIV
The SURPASSING worth of knowing Christ. The NLT says “the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.”
Am I THIS convinced of Jesus? That nothing else matters in my life but to testify of the Gospel? Do I see Him truly as He is — His beauty and majesty — that his worth is greater than anything else? This is the call of a follower of Jesus — that we would be ever convinced that everything else is a loss compared to Him. May we be a people like this, and would He work in each of our hearts to show us this truth.
SCRIPTURE
“But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, 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 is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 3:7-14 NIV
PRAYER
Father, forgive us when we boast in ourselves.
Jesus, thank you that Your worth surpasses all things, in heaven, on earth, and under the earth.
Holy Spirit, would you reveal in my heart that You are worth everything? And would You show me the places I must surrender to You?
Thank you for the hope we have in You.
Amen.
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2 Comments
Oh, that we would know Christ in His suffering and in His resurrection!
n
nNeeded this Rhema this morning!
Amen to this!
nThank you for challenging me to really looking at what I value and discerning whether I value Christ more than whatever those things are.