8.What was true of Paul’s accomplishments in the world?

Back to Study the Book of Philippians

He had let go of everything so he could cleave perfectly to Christ.

The concept of forsaking the world so we may cleave perfectly to the Lord Jesus Christ needs to be emphasized in our day. The religions of the world teach men and women how to gain something for themselves, whether by denial of the material realm in order to gain a paradise, or by acquiring power in the material realm through the worship of demons or through the application of soulish, supernatural principles. In some instances, the Christian Gospel has been infected by these various religious disciplines.

Sometimes the problem is that of a self-seeking, self-cantered approach to the Gospel so that ministry, gifts, and other works of service are conducted according to one’s own needs or the needs of others instead of to the Glory of God.

People today are asking how Christ or how His churches can meet their needs. Enterprising pastors and teachers are polling people to find out their needs and desires (particularly their desires) and are designing "worship services" according to the expressed desires.

The true Christian Gospel, while it ultimately brings us gain, is not oriented toward our getting what we want. It is oriented toward the Lord acquiring what He wants. When the Gospel is used as a means of obtaining what we want, deception and confusion follow.

The Christian Gospel operates on a greater scale than is true of all other religions. The Gospel is the means of bringing into existence the vision and plan of the almighty God of Heaven. The Kingdom of God is the establishing of the worship of God and obedience to God on the part of all creatures in Heaven and on the earth.

It has pleased the Father to make Christ the Centre and Circumference of all creatures and all things in Heaven and on the earth. We Christians are to be the firstfruits of the new Christ-cantered creation.

We miss the mark when we proclaim that Christ came to give people this or that or to set them free so they can realize their own destiny. Christ did not come to set people "free." He came to make them His own possession. There is a critical difference here. It is the difference between the False Prophet and the Holy Spirit.

God has several objectives He is accomplishing through the Lord Jesus: the filling of the universe, spiritual and material, with Christ; the construction of a living, eternal temple for Himself; the perfecting of a bride for His Son; the creation of a Body for His Son; the bringing forth of many sons of God, many brothers of Christ, in the image of Christ; the training of priests and kings to rule the worlds to come; the destruction of Satan and all his works; the multiplying of His own Divine Being.

God’s objectives cannot be achieved while we are preoccupied with our own needs and desires. They can be achieved only as we are willing to "die," to lose ourselves in the will of Christ. It is impossible for us to press into the Kingdom of God until we forsake everyone and everything else. No man can serve two masters. We must cast aside our own life for Christ’s sake and the Gospel’s.

This does not mean we are to ignore our loved ones or our circumstances. It does mean, however, that in our heart we are to place every person, every thing, and every circumstance on the altar of God until the will of Christ has free course in our life. Paul had done this. He was clinging to nothing except Christ.

The true Christian saint, the overcomer, is the one whom the Holy Spirit is setting free from all idols so he or she may come to know Christ more perfectly.

Back to Study the Book of Philippians

Back to Chapter Three....