OUR FOUR-FOLD IDENTITY WITH CHRIST

OUR FOUR-FOLD IDENTITY WITH CHRIST

Philippians 3:1-16.

The Philippian Church was the first Church in present-day Europe established by Paul the apostle during his second missionary journey. Paul and his companions travelled to Macedonia by revelation from the Holy Spirit. We can trace the powerful incidents leading to its formation. First there was the dramatic vision (Acts 16:9-10), then Lydia the purple goods seller got saved and hosted Paul and his comeepanions (Acts 16:14-15), then the young woman with familiar spirits was delivered (Acts 16:16-18). Paul and Silas were jailed as a result, but were quickly delivered from prison by a mighty earthquake, leading to the conversion of the Philippian jailer and his family (Acts 16:25-31).

With this encounter with the power of God and the fact that there was no synagogue in Philippi, there is little wonder that the Church had very few of the kinds of problems that Corinthian and Galatian Churches had.

In the absence of problems, at about 62 AD, before he was martyred Paul wrote the epistle to the Philippians,  exhorting this Church to continue in their service to God.

I believe this exhortation is necessary for Deeper Life Bible Church Dundee. Though you are not many, yet you are continuing to hold the forth in this city. We pray for you every day at the headquarters in Glasgow that you will grow in stature, in your identity and service to Christ, so as to make a big impact in the city of Dundee.

1.    PRESSING ON TO THE KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST (Phil.3:4-10; 2Tim.2:1-6)

Anything we wish to do for Christ or with Christ or through Christ must begin with the knowledge of Him. And the knowledge of Jesus Christ leads to salvation and eternal life (John 17:3). It is shocking how many people claim that Jesus Christ was not a man of history; who think that the stories about Him were legendary. But the great majority of people believe both from scripture and from history that He was born in Bethlehem; that He was crucified, died and was buried; that He rose from the dead on the third day (1Cor.15:1-3). Oh it also even more shocking that many people especially those who go to Church, who believe in these facts are actually not saved! Why? Historical and factual knowledge alone will not result in salvation. You need to have the factual knowledge but then you need to identify personally with Christ and His work to be saved (Rom.10:6-13). In Rom.1:16, he said he was not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ. In Gal.6:14, he was proud to boast only in the cross of Jesus Christ (Gal.6:14). Jesus referred to (Num.21:4-9) to explain the importance of the Cross to Nicodemus (John 3:14-16). After you have known the historical facts, press on to know Him as Lord and Saviour. There must be a heart experience if Christ.

2.    PRESSING ON TO IDENTIFY WITH CHRIST (Phil.3:7-11; Rom.6:3-6)

Paul the apostle gave up everything that was of value to him in order to identify fully with Christ. He now saw all the things which he had spent his life attaining (including becoming a rabbi, a Hebrew of Hebrews, a Pharisee), he saw them as liability, something that stands in the way of knowing Christ. He wants us to know that all human achievements are like dung (human waste, excrement!) when compared with the beauty, the excellence, the freedom, the joy and the benefits, of knowing Christ.  And we are called upon to identify with Christ in a similar way. The name Christian is made up of nine letters, six of which make up the name Christ. The remaining three letters “ian” are nothing but descriptive letters. So without identifying with Christ, our Christian life will be non-descriptive, it will be meaningless and miserable (1Cor.15:19; Rev.3:17). The apostle told us in (Rom.6:3-6) that our baptism was a sign of identifying with Christ in His death and burial and His resurrection. He tells us that having now identified with Christ, joined with Christ, we should live in newness of life. He died to destroy the works of the devil (1John 3:7-9) and we need to work with Him as He continues to do that work.

3.    PRESSING ON TO ATTAIN TO THE HIGH CALLING OF CHRIST (Phil.3:12-16)

Our calling in Jesus Christ is a high calling, but the road is rough and long, and the time is uncertain. There are always imminent dangers along the way. Though we are saved, we cannot rest on our oars.

In Phil.3:10 Paul listed four things that he pursued throughout his life:

(1)           To Know Jesus Christ

(2)           To Experience His Resurrection Power

(3)           To Participate in His Suffering

(4)           To Be like Jesus Christ In His Death

On his way to Damascus to arrest Christians, He was arrested by the Lord (Acts 9:3-6). That was the beginning of his quest to know the Lord more and more. It was the same with Moses. After his first encounter with God, Moses became thirstier to know God (Exod.33:11-23). As children of God today, we need to press on to know the Lord more and more (Psalm 42:1-11). That well of living water must begin from today to spring into eternal life on our hearts

Yes we have experienced His salvation. Put that in the bag and press on to know Him more. You may have experienced his intervention in the past, seen His hand at work in your life. Put that in the bag and press on to know Him more. Have you experienced His sanctifying power, and baptism with the Holy Spirit? Put that in the bag, for there is more of God than that.
Like the apostle Paul, let us press on to know Him more and more, to experience His resurrection power, to participate in His suffering and death so that we may share with Him by and by in His glory.