Philippians 3:1, “In addition, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord. To write to you again about this is no trouble for me and is a safeguard for you.”

This is the third installment of a blog series entitled “Paul and the Pastor’s Heart.” Today, I want to look at a few verses in Philippians 3. Paul instructs the church to “rejoice in the Lord.”

That can look like a lot of different things in a corporate worship setting. Embracing the fellowship of believers, singing loudly, praying with thanksgiving, lifting holy hands in praise, and exclaiming an appropriately placed “Hallelujah!” or “Amen!” during the pastor’s message (which I fully endorse and welcome).

As participatory as corporate worship should be, the apostle Paul would remind us that it is NOT the things you do that bring about your salvation and security in Christ. It is Christ’s work on the cross that did that for you.

It is easy to fall into the trap of believing that it is what you do for Christ that earns His approval of you. But nothing could be further from the truth. Look at Paul’s accomplishments:

Philippians 3:5-6 CSB

circumcised the eighth day; of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; regarding the law, a Pharisee; [6] regarding zeal, persecuting the church; regarding the righteousness that is in the law, blameless.

Paul had an impressive religious resume. You may have an impressive religious resume, too. Does yours say church member? Faithful attender? Regular tither or generous giver? Sunday School teacher? Mission Trip Taker? Are these things enough to save you?

These things didn’t save Paul. It was his interaction with Jesus on the Damascus Road that saved him. Hear him speak plainly about what matters most in the next few verses. 

V7-9 “But everything that was a gain to me, I have considered to be a loss because of Christ. 8 More than that, I also consider everything to be a loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. Because of him I have suffered the loss of all things and consider them as dung, so that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own from the law, but one that is through faith in Christ[a]—the righteousness from God based on faith.”

Everything Paul had worked so hard for—everything he had achieved—he now considered a loss because of Christ. What Paul is expressing here is that knowing Christ is SO crucial and valuable that everything else pales in comparison. It is worthless. Our best achievements, proudest moments, and hard-earned accomplishments are just rubbish compared to knowing Christ. If Paul had the choice to have knowing Christ and nothing else, he would choose that—and he would be satisfied.

Paul’s letter to the Philippian church exuded joy. His circumstances did not dictate his joy; instead, he allowed his joy to shine through every situation, both good and bad. Paul wrote this letter while living in Rome under house arrest, chained to a Roman guard. Not his personal worst predicament, but certainly not ideal.

Paul wrote these words during this hardship to the Philippian believers, because he desired them to rejoice in the Lord through anything life threw their way.

We fill our lives with so many things. We work our entire lives to build careers, grow families, and gain wisdom and knowledge. But if we don’t have Christ, we have lost everything. All those pursuits fade away. Eventually, we leave this world behind. We don’t take our careers with us when we die, nor do we bring our accolades and trophies. The only thing waiting for us on the other side of eternity is our relationship with Jesus.

Our relationship with Christ is the most important aspect of our lives because it lasts forever. The best part of this salvation is that it is a gift given to us—it’s free! It doesn’t cost us anything.

But in response to this gift, we pursue Christ wholeheartedly.

V10-12 “My goal is to know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, being conformed to his death, assuming that I will somehow reach the resurrection from among the dead. Not that I have already reached the goal or am already perfect, but I make every effort to take hold of it because I also have been taken hold of by Christ Jesus.”

In our walk of faith, we continue to press on. Jesus is always with us, guiding us as we pursue Him with all our hearts.

The Apostle Paul expresses his desire to know Christ and the power of His resurrection. He understood that everything he had achieved and pursued in life could not guarantee him resurrection from the dead or eternal life. The only way to attain resurrection life was through the One who was resurrected: the Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul did not want to simply know about Jesus; he yearned to know Jesus personally. He wasn’t merely interested in learning about the resurrection; he wanted to experience it firsthand. Paul pursued Christ with a deep passion, making Him his sole focus. 

What would it look like for Christ to be the central focus of our lives? 

When I began dating my now wife, everything changed for me. She had a profound impact on my world because my plans and desires became intertwined with hers. Now, with 19 years of marriage under our belts, that connection has only deepened. I don’t make any significant decisions without discussing them with her. Our lives are completely intertwined; we know each other intimately and share a close relationship.

Our relationship with Jesus should grow increasingly intimate every day, mirroring this kind of connection. 

Merely attending church regularly, singing in the choir, or giving money to the church is not sufficient. Similarly, claiming we don’t drink, do drugs, or have never committed murder is not enough.

What truly matters is that we know Christ personally. As our relationship with Him deepens, these other aspects of our lives will naturally fall into place. We will desire to be generous, seek fellowship with His people, and turn away from sin. However, these actions are the result of salvation, not the cause of it. 

If Paul could give you one instruction, it would be this: know Jesus. Pursue Christ: His glory, His will, His Kingdom. A good pastor will give you the same charge. It’s the only source of true joy.