 |  |
been confiscated on his renunciation of Judaism and certainly it included the high status
which he once held therein. Everything had gone which would generally have been
esteemed to be desirable in this life. But with his new valuation, seen through the
enlightened eyes given by the Spirit of God, this meant little or nothing. And he is now
going to tell us why in a sevenfold statement:
". . . . . (1) that I may gain Christ, (2) and he found in Him, not having a righteousness
of mine own, even that which is of the law, but that which is through faith in Christ,
the righteousness which is of God by faith: (3) that I may know Him, (4)and the power
of His resurrection, (5) and the fellowship of His sufferings, (6) becoming conformed
unto His death. (7) If by any means I may attain unto the resurrection from the dead"
(3: 8-11 R.V.).
The word `gain' is cognate with the "gain" of verse 7. What does Paul mean when he
says that I may gain Christ? We must surely not forget the aim of the epistle as a whole,
that is, not just to present Christ as Saviour or to give a setting forth of the gospel of
salvation. It assumes the readers already experience this and now are prepared to
work out that salvation in witness and practice with a prize or reward in view. Hence the
figure of a race given later in chapter 3: which the Apostle always uses in a context of
service with reward or loss in view (cp. I Cor. 9: 24-27). "Gaining Christ" was getting to
know Him as Rewarder, even as Moses of old who esteemed reproach for Christ greater
riches than the treasures of Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompense of reward . . .
he endured, as seeing Him Who is invisible (Heb. 11: 24-27).
No.47.
The Epistle to the Philippians (14).
pp. 216 - 219
We continue to study the section in chapter 3:, where the Apostle Paul enumerates
his "gains" and "losses" for Christ, a faint echo of the great losses and gains of the Lord
Jesus of chapter 2:, Who had given up so much for him and all His people in His
matchless condescension and stooping down, and is now so highly exalted in the glory at
the Father's right hand:
". . . . . I count all things to be loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus
my Lord: for Whom I suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I
may gain Christ, and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of mine own, even that
which is of the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is
of God by faith" (Phil. 3: 8, 9 R.V.).
We considered the meaning of "that I may gain Christ" in our last study. To know
Christ as Rewarder presumes that first of all one is "found in Him" and the Apostle
explains this by equating it with the gift of God's righteousness through faith in Christ.
The possession of this righteousness is the one essential for acquittal at the tribunal of
God. It is entire contrast to any human righteousness on the basis of law-keeping. This
standard is far too low for that utter perfection which is the final condition of the whole
of creation when the Divine redemptive purpose has been reached. There will then be not