03.08. LESSON 8

LESSON 8

Some twenty-five years after Paul suffered the loss of all things in becoming a Christian, years filled with ex­treme hardship and drastic ostracism, he did not rue his choice, for he wrote: “I . . . count them but refuse, that I may gain Christ. . . that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, becoming conformed unto his death” (Php 3:8-10). As Paul progressively learned “the excellency of the knowledge of Christ,” in whom all divine and human virtues, combine, and to whom all sheaves bow, Christ grew in value to him, and he became better and better pleased with his bargain.

Although Paul wrote these words within prison walls, they are remarkable for their freedom and elevation. Later, when he faced certain execution, he wrote for Timothy’s encouragement: “I suffer hardship unto bonds, as a male­factor; but the word of God is not bound.” In his con­version, Paul made his irrevocable choice, which brought him the inevitable assurance of Christ’s companionship, comfort, and compensation for all loss. Before Damascus, he thought that Christ was a grand impostor, but upon his conversion he and the living Christ became such fast friends, with common interests and purposes, that one spirit sufficed for both. More and more, he experienced contact with the live Christ.

Paul’s conversion did not consist primarily of a set of new convictions, but, deeper than that, of a new person. With the apostle’s increasing knowledge and apprecia­tion of his new Friend, their friendship ripened into an intimacy, steadfastness, and richness far beyond the range of human friendship. All historic facts and intellectual knowledge about Christ and the Bible that do not bring men to Christ himself are but splendid, delusive ignorance which aggravates their doom (John 5:39-40). To how many pretended friends does Christ say: “I never knew you; depart from me”? No matter what men profess, with­out personal acquaintance and living experience with Jesus, they gain naught and lose all. With it, though they possess naught besides, they have all.

Christianity Spans Two Worlds

Paul had embarked upon an enterprise so vast and awarding that two worlds, time and eternity, are required for its realization. He needed to know Christ, “and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his suffer­ings,” which would enable him to live while in the flesh worthily of his ambitious undertaking, “becoming con­formed unto his (Christ’s) death”—--that is, Christ’s bodily crucifixion would be re-enacted in his Christian life by his crucifying “the flesh with the passions and the lusts thereof.” The fact that suffering with Christ is the criteri­on of real fellowship with him should reconcile us to our sufferings for his sake. Thus far, the passage deals with a Christian in this world. The next verse, “If by any means I may attain unto the resurrection from the dead,” leaps beyond this world. Paul thinks that no suffering for Christ, even unto violent death like Christ’s, can be too high a price to pay for the assurance of getting his body back “in the resurrection of the just.”

Before his imprisonment, Paul wrote Corinth, “I die daily.” He said that his work for Christ and his “bearing about in the body the dying of Jesus” (2 Corinthians 4:10) were killing him. But if he died in service, his death would but speed his race unto perfection, even as Christ was made “perfect through suffering”; and, since death is “to depart and be with Christ” (Php 1:23), it would not disrupt his friend­ship with Jesus. Moreover at Christ’s return, he would come with him and get his risen body, “conformed to the body of his (Christ’s) glory,” to live in again. A Chris­tian’s death is just another step in the progress of a closer union with Christ. A man “in Christ” can suffer no defeat unless Christ suffers defeat. Christ turns dreadful death into gain. “0 death, where is thy sting?“ The attainment of “the resurrection from the dead” is de­pendent on fellowship with Christ. Fellowship and identity with Christ lead Christians through a life of conformity to Christ’s death, either to being “caught up . . . to meet the Lord in the air” (1 Thessalonians 4:17) at his coming, or to death and resurrection. Either of these weds the two worlds and leaves the warm, fragrant, beautiful friend­ship with Jesus begun here below to be continued in eter­nity.

Imperfect, Yet Perfect

“Not that I have already obtained, or am already made perfect: but I press on, if so be I may lay hold on that for which I was laid hold on by Christ Jesus” (Php 3:12). Paul understood the nature of his encounter with Christ; he knew that Christ was weaving him into a mighty, far-flung pattern whose importance justified his perpetual best and all by way of cooperation. This is why he counts everything loss for Christ, and why he holds so unflinchingly to his threefold program: “I count not myself yet to have laid hold: but one thing I do, forgetting the things which are behind, and stretching forward to the things which are before, I press on toward the goal unto the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” Here is the fixed concentra­tion, the solid contentment over losses and sacrifices, and the quivering, youthful expectancy of a strong, honest man who has perfectly turned away from his dead self to the live Christ.

“Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, be thus minded: for if in anything ye are otherwise minded, this shall God also reveal unto you: only whereunto we have attained, by this same rule let us walk.” Just after protest­ing his perfection, why does Paul now place himself in a class of perfect Christians? He is but recognizing the dif­ference between his attitude of perfect acceptance of and commitment to God’s purpose in Christ, and his imper­fect cooperation in its accomplishment. His reach exceeds his grasp; he sees things he wishes to do, but cannot. God has always done his work through imperfect servants; earth at best is but twilight. Paul’s perfect Christians are therefore perfect in attitude, but imperfect in life and serv­ice. They are both perfect and imperfect at the same time. But some Christians do not have even this perfect atti­tude. On Christ’s deep moral principle that, “If any man willeth to do his (God’s) will, he shall know of the teach­ing” (John 7:17), Paul reminds such Christians that they are dealing with a moral God, who requires moral integrity in his servants; tells them that, if they will be honest with God and continue to obey him faithfully, he will see that they grow into fuller knowledge and implementation of Christianity. No more than do sinners, do Christians have to do everything.

QUESTIONS 1.Why did Paul never regret becoming a Christian?

2.    Distinguish between knowing about Christ and knowing him.

3.    How was Christ’s death re-enacted in Paul’s life?

4.    What is the criterion of fellowship with Christ?

5.    What Is It to know in this life the power of Christ’s resur­rection?

6.    Only on what one condition could a faithful Christian ever suffer final defeat?

7.    State Paul’s threefold spiritual program.

8.    In what sense are Christians at the same time both imperfect and perfect?

9.    Why need no honest man upon learning of Christ ever have doubts about his genuineness?