Intellectual + Relational = Intimacy
Philippians 3:8-10 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; 10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,
Paul really lays it out of his righteousness before Christ in Philippians 3:1-6. His life before he met Christ personally on the Damascus road was a life steep in religiosity; the false security of obedience to the law. He lived a life full of the pride of his abilities and achievements in the Jewish religion; he was proud of his ancestry, his education, and his zeal for persecuting those who were against his beliefs. He had gained much fame, power, and false success in this pursuit of religious persecution of those who followed Christ. His encounter with Christ changed his life forever, and blessed us with his testimonies and writings of much of the New Testament.
Paul had the best education, and his pride rested in it. He knew the Law that was laid before his people by God, but he did not understand that Christ had came to fulfill the laws requirements that no man could meet. When he came to know Christ, he understood this, and his zeal was poured into spreading that Good News. There is nothing we can ever do that will earn us righteousness before God; only through a humble repentant heart is that free gift attained. With that understanding comes the knowledge of Christ 8b in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith. No education can surpass the knowledge that is found in a humble, seeking heart for God.
Paul sought that ongoing power of a day to day relationship with his Savior. This type of abiding relationship is intimate. You can have this time of relationship too by having a true heart for God like Paul. You must give Christ your all; put him at the top of your list, not giving him your left-overs. He knows your heart and he knows where he stands on your list. A true heart for God seeks him daily in prayer and his Word. A true heart for God seeks to be his disciple at work or at play. Those around you should know you are a Christian and wonder what makes you different. There is a freedom that can only be gained in this abandonment to Christ. The freedom is only gained, in the loss of what you once considered gain. 8 I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ.
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