Philippians 3: 7-11

(Philippians 3: 7-11)

『But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:  That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;  If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. 』

Paul met Christ at Damascus. He listened to Jesus' voice and saw him in glory brighter than the sun. Despite his amazing experience, he said when he wrote to the Philippian church. Jesus told His disciples, "The world hates you as the world hates me." Jesus says that we must not be loving the world, but be overcomers of it. In order for us to overcome the world, we must share in the sufferings of Jesus. Followers of Jesus are not in harmony with the world. Jesus said to Pilate: My kingdom is not a kingdom of this world. It is not the world we have to ask but the kingdom of God. In order to save the kingdom of God we must enter into Jesus Christ.『But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. 』 (Philippians 3:7)

To gain Christ is to enter into Christ. To enter into Christ we must share in the sufferings of the cross. So we die with Christ. To die is to lay down all the thoughts of my knowledge and experience before the word of God's promise. For those who are born again into the spirit body, 1 John (3: 9) says: They become sinless beings. By knowledge and experience, however, people think that human beings have no choice but to sin. This is the one trapped in the law of God's wrath. It is like ten spies in front of the land of Canaan saying, "When we enter, we die." When they saw the Anaxites in Canaan, they thought they were like grasshoppers. God said he would fight together, but they could not fight. So God commanded them not to enter Canaan. The ten spies died immediately.

Today, the man born of the spirit body fights evil (old man). When we rely on the Holy Spirit, we can fight and win. If we decide beforehand by knowledge and experience, we are like ten spies. The ten spies were those in the law of God's wrath. The law of God's wrath is like a net. If a fish is caught in a net, it cannot escape itself. You must die to get out. If we are in Christ, we are dead by the law of God's wrath.『For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 』 (Romans 8: 3-4)

 But many who say they believe in Jesus are keeping the law of God's wrath. Those who are in Christ have nothing to do with the law of God's wrath, but those who seek to keep the law of God's wrath have nothing to do with Jesus Christ.

For example, if a person lives in North Korea, escapes to the United States, and gains US citizenship, he becomes a US citizen. He is dead to North Korea. If he goes to the US immigration office and thinks of North Korea's law, and still says that he must obey North Korea's law, would it be possible for US authorities to grant citizenship? Those who receive US citizenship will have nothing to do with the laws of North Korea. Likewise, those who enter into Christ are irrelevant to the law of wrath. Those who are in Christ become citizens of the kingdom of God.『For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: 』 (Philippians 3: 20)

The law of God's wrath is kept by sinners. Those who are in Christ are dead to the law of wrath and are subject to the law of the Holy Spirit. Those who have died and are righteous with Christ will be applied to the law of the Holy Spirit. If we still think that we must speak and obey the law of wrath, we are acknowledging ourselves as sinners. Sinners cannot enter the kingdom of God.

In order to be in Christ, we must be reborn in water and in the Spirit. As Romans (6: 4) says, water represents baptism, meaning that it is dead.『Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 』 (Romans 6: 4)

 Although people say they are in Christ, if they obey or act the law of wrath, they are not citizens of the kingdom of God. For God will apply them as the law of wrath. All who are in the law of wrath are sinners. Those in the law of wrath have never received faith from God as a gift.『But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. 』 (Galatians 3:23)

『And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. 』 (Romans 8: 17)

We cannot seek both the kingdom of God and the blessings of the world at the same time. We must first seek the kingdom of God.『But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 』(Matthew 6:33)

Jesus spoke the words of Matthew (6: 31-32).『Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?  (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 』

 Many church people want to enter the kingdom of God. But what if they first ask for what is on earth?

『Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.  For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain. 』 (1 Corinthians 3: 18-20)

 

 Those who do not repent first seek what is on earth. Repentance is to deny yourself. Repentance is to die for the world. But what would Jesus think if those who did not repent loved the world and said, "I love Jesus"? If you walk down the street and suddenly someone shows up and says "I love you," he's a strange person. Jesus will say, "Who are you?"

『For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the  Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.』 (Romans 8: 5-9)