Feb 4 - By Any Means Possible

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, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

Philippians 3:8-10

Praying this scripture will focus the mind on a much different theme than study. In study, we will recognize the conflict between life under the law and life under Christ, the traditional themes of Paul’s self righteousness as opposed to the righteousness of God, etc. But upon praying this verse with Paul, we focus in on Paul’s desperation to know Christ regardless of the cost.

Paul refers to all of his earthly accomplishments as rubbish in comparison to knowing Christ. He declares that his singular purpose is to know Christ. As he develops the ways he wants to know Christ, he declares that it must be brought about BY ANY MEANS POSSIBLE!

Why is Paul so desperate? A more haunting question, and one I’ve been asking myself is: why am I so apathetic? One reason might be that Paul has reached the point of no return. He’s been crucified with Christ. His one goal is to know Christ. He realizes that even as a sinner he was united to Christ in his death. So what about now that he’s been redeemed? How much more is he (and are we) united with Christ today? Paul wasn’t giving up his life for knowing about Christ. He had tasted a little bit of being united to Christ in the spiritual. He saw a vision of the Mystery of the ages being revealed. And it was a marriage ceremony between him and Christ. He understood that his eternal destiny was to gaze into the beauty that is the Triune God. So he shouts, screams, sings at the top of his lungs, “BY ANY MEANS POSSIBLE!”

Paul wasn’t being idealistic. And he didn’t intend on being alone at the marriage ceremony. That is a calling for everyone of us. He writes a little later in Philippians that this is a calling which all mature believers will recognize and the immature will soon understand.

“Lord, search my heart and test me. Bring to mind anything that would prevent me from knowing you more fully and give me the strength to let go of it. By any means possible”

Be Blessed