Winning Christ
W. Jay. Philippians 3:8 Yes doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord… I. THE PERSON WHO WISHES TO WIN CHRIST. This coming from Paul awakens — 1. Admiration. What an instance of the influence of Divine grace I He had been Christ's bitterest foe. Here we see the prophecy fulfilled, "Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree," etc. 2. Inquiry. Had not Paul won Him already? Yes, but his experience was the same as that of all other Christians in whom we find the good work begun but not completed. The Christian finds the war still going on in his members, desires a livelier assurance, wishes to grow in grace and to know more and more of Christ. It was exactly so with St. Paul. II. THE VALUE OF THE PRIZE. Saints are said to be the excellent of the earth; but He is fairer than the children of men — "altogether lovely." They have some excellencies, He has all; theirs are derived, His original; theirs imperfect, His complete; theirs finite, His infinite. He is the fountain of life. 1. Are wisdom and knowledge valuable? In Him are hid all the treasures of them. 2. Are power and strength? "He giveth power to the weak." 3. Wealth? His are unsearchable riches. 4. Life? He that hath the Son hath life. 5. Peace? "In Me ye shall have peace." 6. Security? "The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear?" All this gain is to be reaped in life; but the believer gains much more by death: for then we shall awake in His likeness. III. THE POSSIBILITY OF WINNING THIS PRIZE. To what purpose otherwise is its display? Two questions arise. 1. Am I now a partaker of Christ? Have you ever felt your need of Him, sought Him, received Him? Do you believe in His name, renounce every other foundation, build upon Him, place all your dependence in Him? Then you may claim all the benefits of His salvation as your own. 2. May I become a par taker of Him? "Him that cometh unto Me I will in no wise cast out." That you may win Him He sends forth His servants with invitations; He offers His blessings gratuitously; He throws a thousand impediments in your downward course, so that you may go to Him. IV. THE DREADFULNESS OF LOSING THIS PRIZE. What would you do without Christ if you were to meet with — 1. Prosperity. If a Christian met with it, he would possess it with safeguards, receive it with thankfulness, use it with diligence, as a good steward. In a worldly man's hands it is as a razor in the hands of a child — "The prosperity of fools destroys them." 2. Adversity. The Christian in this has "the consolation of Israel," and has more left in Christ than he has lost; but the worldling loses all without compensation. 3. Death. Only the Christian can meet that with equanimity, for Christ has robbed it of its terrors. 4. The day of judgment. (W. Jay.) Parallel Verses KJV: 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, WEB: Yes most certainly, and I count all things to be loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord, for whom I suffered the loss of all things, and count them nothing but refuse, that I may gain Christ