Christ Preeminent: Studies in Philippians by Theodore H. Epp

Author:Theodore H. Epp
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: Bible
ISBN: 9780847412945
Publisher: Back to the Bible
Published: 1980-01-10T06:00:00+00:00

When Paul wrote to the Philippians, it had been about 30 years since he had trusted Jesus Christ on the way to Damascus. At the time of his conversion, the things enumerated in Philippians 3:5,6 that were the basis of so much pride to Paul were suddenly counted as loss. And after 30 years he was still counting them as worthless in comparison to what he had found in Christ.

Notice that Paul did not count these things as loss for some other religion or creed but for Christ. In essence, Christianity is Christ. To the believer it is “not I, but Christ” (Gal. 2:20, KJV). When he was confronted by Christ on the road to Damascus, Paul asked: “Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?” (Acts 9:6, KJV). From that point forward, Christ was Paul’s Lord and Master.

At first, Christ revealed Himself to Paul, as indicated in I Corinthians 15:8: “Last of all, as it were to one untimely born, He appeared to me also.” At this time Christ was revealed to Paul, but other Scriptures tell of Christ’s being revealed in him. Paul said, “But when He who had set me apart, even from my mother’s womb, and called me through His grace, was pleased to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with flesh and blood” (Gal. 1:15,16). The light that first shone about Paul became a transforming illumination within him. After that his whole life revolved around the Person of Christ.

The centrality of Christ is seen in Paul’s statements concerning salvation: “That if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved; for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation” (Rom. 10:9,10). Notice the emphasis of Paul on the lordship of Christ. Some never emphasize a turning from sin, but Paul emphasized that Jesus Christ is to be Lord; that is, He is to be Master in our lives.

Although some say little, if anything, about turning from sin, the Bible says, “Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish” (Luke 13:3). So an individual is to receive Jesus Christ not only as his Saviour but also as his Lord, which implies a rejection of past sins and a dependence on Christ. We grow in our knowledge of the lordship of Christ as we mature in the Christian life; nevertheless, at the time of salvation there is to be an attitude of heart which says, “I am willing to turn from my sin and to turn my life over to Jesus Christ.”

Paul’s reversal of values was instant and complete: “What things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ” (Phil. 3:7, KJV). Although several things are mentioned in verses 5 and 6, Paul lumped them all together in verse 7 as he used the singular form of “loss.” Actually, Paul considered these things to be more than “loss.

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