Philippians 3:7-11 (NRSV)
The righteousness that comes through faith
Yet whatever gains I had, these I have come to regard as loss because of Christ. More than that, I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard 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 one that comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God based on faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death, if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
ReflectionYet whatever gains I had, these I have come to regard as loss because of Christ. More than that, I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard 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 one that comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God based on faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death, if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
In our baptism we die to sin. And daily we relive our baptism. We die to sin and arise a new person through our baptism. In the waters we go through a burial of sorts. The best example of this is through immersion. We go under the water one way and die under that water. As we come forth we are reborn a new person in Chirst and live a new life. This not only happens at our baptism but it happens daily as we live our lives. We die to sin and arise a new person. We believe in Jesus and our faith grows and our lives change. It's wonderful.
No wonder this passage demonstrates a willingness to let it all go for Christ. What great gain we have as we rise from those waters, leaving the old behind, and rejoicing in the new life. All that matters now is what life Christ has in store for us as we live towards the resurrection and the coming of Jesus once again.
Thus Paul can state, and you and I can state too..."I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death, if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead."
Thanks be to God!
Prayer
Lord, each day I relive my baptism with you. As I die to myself in repentance and sorrow, bring me to new life in you that I may serve and love you and those you give to me today... tomorrow... and forever. --- Amen
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