The Christian Life

Phil 3:1-21

01-08-20

 

The Christian life is far different than the religious life.  In this passage, Paul makes a comparison between the two which reveals their remarkable disparities.  The Christian life is:

The Life of Loss – the Christian life is not about being preoccupied with things but rather it’s about the loss of things for the sole purpose of having fellowship with Jesus Christ - 7, 8,13,19,21 – Job was stripped of everything and then he met God Almighty – suddenly all of his righteousness, about which he prided himself before, became dung just like Paul’s did – the glory of God was far greater – the Jews in the wilderness were so preoccupied with their hunger and thirst [bellies] that they made them a god to take them back to the food that they wanted – they were not satisfied  with manna and spiritual water which God gave them to point them to the words of God – when Jesus fed the 5000 they came in Jn 6 for the food again and missed the words of God again – the Christian life is a life of loss [Matt 10:39; Jn 12:25] – a man that loves his life shall lose it [the Spirit does this by making him conformable to Jesus’ death v. 10] – material things get in the way of our life in Christ – the further you get from the things of this life the closer you will get to God

The Life of Righteousness – v. 9 in Christ we have true righteousness – the more of the life of the righteousness of Jesus Christ you see in yourself the more righteously you want to live – his righteousness becomes a present reality and a supreme desire

The Life of Fellowship – v.10 we are going to have an eternity of fellowship with him and we need to start enjoying that fellowship with him now [that’s what drew me to Christ] – but to get there we will go through suffering because that is what Jesus did in fellowship with his Father – we could end up suffering like Paul did in 2 Cor 12, suffering reproach, necessities, etc.

The Life of Power – v.10 – religion is powerless – Christianity is powerful – Paul said, “But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will, and will know, not the speech of them which are puffed up, but the power” [1 Cor 4:19] – there is enough power in prayer and faith to move mountains – in the Christian life, we have power over sin – we have power to see souls saved   

The Life of Glory – v. 21 – we get a glorified body at the fulfillment of the resurrection of Christ in our own lives

Religion can’t give you any of these but Christ will give them all to you

 

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