Scripture: Philippians 3:4b–14
4 even though I, too, have reason for confidence in the flesh.
If anyone else has reason to be confident in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised on the eighth day, a member of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.
7 Yet whatever gains I had, these I have come to regard as loss because of Christ. 8 More than that, I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard 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 one that comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God based on faith. 10 I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death, 11 if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
12 Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal; but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13 Beloved, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.
Questions
- What are the gains or accolades that I have allowed to come between me and my identity in Jesus?
- What does it mean to become like Christian in his death?
Background
Related Scriptures: Matthew 21:33-46; Philippians 2:1-11
Ambrosiaster: Throughout the letter Paul bears witness to his joy in them and praises their obedience and faith. He is, however, concerned that they, like all who are subject to human conceits, might become elated as though they were already worthy. So he tells them openly, speaking of his own person, that something is still wanting for perfect righteousness. He urges them to good works. If he who is adorned with such dignity confesses that he is still wanting in perfection, they would understand how much more they must work to acquire the blessings of righteousness. [1]
Theodoret: “It was he who first caught me in his net” Paul says in effect, “for I was fleeing him and was turned well away. He caught me as I fled. But now I in turn am the pursuer in my desire of catching him, that I may not be a disappointment to his saving work.[2]
Reflection
We have all heard the stories of individuals coming to a friend or family member’s house and discovering medals or trophies unceremoniously stored in a box in the garage or attic. The person then discovers that the friend or family member was an incredible athlete or war hero. This revelation causes shock because the person has lived a normal life without bringing any attention to their accolades. Or phrased another way, the individual has not fashioned their identity around their achievements. And this is what Paul is talking about in Philippians 3. Paul’s life had been dedicated to doing the right thing. From his birth Paul had been raised to be connected to God. It is easy to dismiss Paul’s accolades as “legalistic” however they are the kinds of things that we strive for. He is saying, “I did everything I knew to do to connect with God, I did everything I could to demonstrate my love for God.” Yet, even these good things are trash next to Christ. He is basing his entire identity on Christ, not what he did to serve God, what Jesus did in service for him.
The message is that even the most honorable things we have done in our lives are not the source of our identity—Jesus is. But this is not like the soldier who leaves the identity forgotten in a box. Paul is saying that we are to identify so much with Jesus that everything else is filth that if not thrown out will mar our whole house. Paul is not saying that these markers of his life are bad things, after all they helped him find Jesus. He is using some level of hyperbole to tell us that everything that identifies us in our lives needs to be subjected to our identity in Jesus. People will sometimes say at this point that we identify in Jesus because it is the only identity that cannot be taken away from us. But this is simply a utilitarian approach that does not grasp the depth of Paul’s message. Paul is saying that it is our identity in Jesus that gives everything else4 in our lives purpose. He is saying that without his identity all of the good in his life would be the worst kinds of filth. Without Jesus all of the blessings in his life lack any meaning. He is not speaking in a utilitarian idea that we are to ground ourselves in what cannot be taken away. Rather, we are to ground our lives in Jesus who brings purpose to the rest of life.
Understanding this we must take some time to understand what it means to find one’s identity in Jesus. Identifying in Jesus means shaping your life around your relationship with Jesus. It means recognizing what impact Jesus has on your life and then living in a way that honors him. Finding identity in Jesus is remembering your relationship as you go about your daily routine. So often in our culture we identify others by their occupation or their family. What Paul is saying to us is that in our minds we are not identified primarily by these roles. Rather these other identities find their purpose in our ability to say, “I am God’s child”.
Like so many of the other identities we hold, our identity in Christ grows as we invest in it over time. We should consider this passage in light of the Christ hymn from the preceding chapter. We are learning to be children of God– individuals who root their entire existence in God. Giving everything to God as God has given Jesus to us. It is when we are able to give everything over to God’s service we can begin to recognize how much God has given to us and how much God gives back to us. Just like our own children need to learn and grow to know what it means to be part of their biological family, so we also learn to root our identity in Jesus. And just as children learn to give to their family from a status as loved and cared for individuals, so we learn to do the same as part of God’s family. As Paul put it in another passage, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” (Colossians 3:16-17). Do everything From the realization that your identity safely rests in Jesus who has redeemed you.
[1] M. J. Edwards, ed., Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture 272–273.
[2] M. J. Edwards, ed., Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture 273.
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