All is in Christ
The scripture verse for this morning's worship service was "For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." (Philippians 1:21). The epistle to the Philippians was written near the end of Paul's life. By this time, he knew this truth, not only intellectually, but experientially. Later on in Philippians 3:7-10, Paul says this:
But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order 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 comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,
Paul realized that whatever he might have had to boast in, it was nothing compared to Christ Himself. To Paul, Christ was everything.
These verses in Philippians 3 are particularly important to me, because as a young adult, I attempted to live by them, though I barely understood what they meant. From my youngest years, I was educated in the scriptures at church, at home and at school. Those who were my teachers attempted to ingrain the scriptures and the teachings of Jesus into my thinking. They did a good job. By the time I was a young adult attending a university, I could spout scripture and had an answer for everything. For the most part, I looked the perfect Christian. Though I am thankful for this education, I am not proud of what it made me--a pharisee, white on the outside and black on the inside.
"Actions speak louder than words.", I was told repeatedly. So I worked hard to make my actions look Christian, yet underneath, I knew something was very wrong. I knew what the scriptures taught, and I believed what they said, yet my life did not match up with what I knew and read. This began to trouble me greatly.
A young man who attended my church at the time of his conversion left a deep impression on me. He was tall, handsome, vibrant and most of all radiated the new found joy he had in knowing Christ. His life said to me that he counted all things as rubbish for the sake of knowing Christ, because he had given up a mass fortune to go to a small Bible Institute and live for God. I followed my friend to that same Bible institute thinking that there I would learn to know Christ. I gave up everything, too. I quit my job. Sold most of my belongings and moved into the dormitory at the school. Upon my graduation from the Bible institute, I headed off to France as a missionary for two years.
In my ignorance of what it really means to know Christ, God was merciful. I wanted to know Him, and He let that happen. While I was in France, God taught me two things experientially. 1) God is my Father. He cares for me, and He provides for me. Though numerous times over those years in France, I was without money and food, God provided for me at the moment I needed it. I never went without a meal, and I never lacked for clothes and shelter. 2) God taught me that He loves me. Though He is angry with the wicked every day. He is not angry with His children. He chastises us to bring us closer to Himself, "For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime." (Psalm 30:5)
To know Christ is to learn about who He is, His character, the way He works in the world. This takes a lifetime of walking with Him. As we come to know Christ, we learn that He is trustworthy, and so we stake our all in Him alone. He is our righteousness. He is our help, our strength, our goodness, our very life. "In Him we live and move and have our being." (Acts 17:28). As was so well put by Claire-lise de Beniot,
But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order 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 comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,
Paul realized that whatever he might have had to boast in, it was nothing compared to Christ Himself. To Paul, Christ was everything.
These verses in Philippians 3 are particularly important to me, because as a young adult, I attempted to live by them, though I barely understood what they meant. From my youngest years, I was educated in the scriptures at church, at home and at school. Those who were my teachers attempted to ingrain the scriptures and the teachings of Jesus into my thinking. They did a good job. By the time I was a young adult attending a university, I could spout scripture and had an answer for everything. For the most part, I looked the perfect Christian. Though I am thankful for this education, I am not proud of what it made me--a pharisee, white on the outside and black on the inside.
"Actions speak louder than words.", I was told repeatedly. So I worked hard to make my actions look Christian, yet underneath, I knew something was very wrong. I knew what the scriptures taught, and I believed what they said, yet my life did not match up with what I knew and read. This began to trouble me greatly.
A young man who attended my church at the time of his conversion left a deep impression on me. He was tall, handsome, vibrant and most of all radiated the new found joy he had in knowing Christ. His life said to me that he counted all things as rubbish for the sake of knowing Christ, because he had given up a mass fortune to go to a small Bible Institute and live for God. I followed my friend to that same Bible institute thinking that there I would learn to know Christ. I gave up everything, too. I quit my job. Sold most of my belongings and moved into the dormitory at the school. Upon my graduation from the Bible institute, I headed off to France as a missionary for two years.
In my ignorance of what it really means to know Christ, God was merciful. I wanted to know Him, and He let that happen. While I was in France, God taught me two things experientially. 1) God is my Father. He cares for me, and He provides for me. Though numerous times over those years in France, I was without money and food, God provided for me at the moment I needed it. I never went without a meal, and I never lacked for clothes and shelter. 2) God taught me that He loves me. Though He is angry with the wicked every day. He is not angry with His children. He chastises us to bring us closer to Himself, "For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime." (Psalm 30:5)
To know Christ is to learn about who He is, His character, the way He works in the world. This takes a lifetime of walking with Him. As we come to know Christ, we learn that He is trustworthy, and so we stake our all in Him alone. He is our righteousness. He is our help, our strength, our goodness, our very life. "In Him we live and move and have our being." (Acts 17:28). As was so well put by Claire-lise de Beniot,
All is in Christ;
God's dear Son is Lord of all.
Jesus Christ is life's perfection,
Perfect love and perfect light.
Son of God, the true reflection
Of the Father's radiance bright.
All the treasures of God's riches,
All the secrets of His wisdom.
All in Christ are hid away
Let His name be praised today!
All is in Christ;
Your whole self present to Him.
Vain your quest for lasting pleasure,
Wealth, success, and worldly fame;
Christ alone must be your treasure,
His resource your only claim.
Come, let Him disperse the famine
Of your arid waste existence,
Let God's Son, th' Immortal King
Freely give you everything.
God's dear Son is Lord of all.
Jesus Christ is life's perfection,
Perfect love and perfect light.
Son of God, the true reflection
Of the Father's radiance bright.
All the treasures of God's riches,
All the secrets of His wisdom.
All in Christ are hid away
Let His name be praised today!
All is in Christ;
Your whole self present to Him.
Vain your quest for lasting pleasure,
Wealth, success, and worldly fame;
Christ alone must be your treasure,
His resource your only claim.
Come, let Him disperse the famine
Of your arid waste existence,
Let God's Son, th' Immortal King
Freely give you everything.
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