Today’s devotion comes from Philippians 3:8-11.
“More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.” Philippians 3:8-11.
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The surpassing value of knowing Christ is like a treasure hidden in the field or a pearl of great value. In comparison, everything else is “rubbish”. “The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls, and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.” Matthew 13:44-46.
The surpassing value of knowing Christ is:
1. “so that I may gain Christ”,
2. “may be found in Him“,
3. “having a righteousness …which is through faith in Christ“,
4. “that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings“, and
5. “in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead“.
In one sense, we gladly give all to know Christ. But, in a deeper ultimate sense, Christ paid all, His precious blood, so that we could know Him: “even as You (God) gave Him (Christ) authority over all flesh, that to all whom You have given Him, He may give eternal life. This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” John 17:2-3.
“And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.” Ephesians 4:11-13.
“And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.” 1 John 5:20
Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions 