WEEK 1 - FRIDAY
Bible Reading: Gn 22:1-2; Php 3:5-6, 8, 10, 13
The revelation in Philippians 3 is that we must follow the experience of Christ and the power of His resurrection (v. 10). Therefore, we need to pay the price, renouncing everything we have: our theology, eloquence, doctrines, knowledge, and experience, in exchange for Christ, the experience of Christ, and the gain of Christ. Paul renounced all things to gain Christ (v. 8). In other words, he gave up all his abilities in God's service to gain Christ as his ability.
We need to set aside our ability, eloquence, doctrines, and messages, and let Christ be our ability, eloquence, and message. It is only by paying the price in this way that we can gain Christ.
Let’s use the example of visiting the saints as an illustration. Once we frequently go out to visit the saints, we gradually learn something about this matter. Soon, we may think we are experienced in the subject. However, if we do not give up our experience in this matter for Christ, we will not be able to experience Him through the visits. Once we desire to preserve our ability, Christ has no chance to manifest. However, if we visit the saints by setting aside our experience, we will no longer depend on our ability. We consider the ability to visit the saints, which was a gain for us, as loss for Christ. Although we have the ability, we give it up and consider it as refuse. In return, we gain Christ and experience Him.
The price in Philippians 3 is not a price experienced in the initial stage of the Christian life. The price experienced in the initial stage of a Christian is the price of the Gospels. The price of Philippians comes after the price of the Gospels. Whoever has not paid the price of the Gospels cannot pay the price of Philippians 3.
The price of the Gospels does not require any qualification: it is the initial price; whereas the price of Philippians 3 requires certain qualifications. Only after paying the price of the Gospels can a person serve in Acts, and only after serving in Acts can they have the experience and qualifications to pay the price of Philippians 3.
After paying the price of the Gospels, a person will have many experiences in the service of God. However, if they stop there, holding on to those experiences instead of letting go of them, they will not have any new experiences and will be unable to have more experiences of Christ. For this reason, Paul said that we must forget the things which are behind and reach forward to those which are ahead (Php 3:13).
Regardless of how good they were, our past experiences are the things that are behind and must be forgotten (cf. vv. 5-6). If we preached the word once and three thousand souls were saved, we still need to give up that experience and consider it as refuse to gain the living Christ.
Unless we are willing to let go of the experiences of the past, we cannot have a new experience of Christ, and without that experience, we will not have new usefulness in service. There are some whose usefulness before the Lord is old: it is neither new nor alive, for they are not willing to pay the price mentioned in Philippians 3 and, therefore, lack the experience of Christ and the power of His resurrection.
The price of Philippians 3 can be compared to the offering of Isaac on the altar by Abraham (Gn 22:1-2). Abraham had received Isaac as a promise from God; nevertheless, he still had to offer Isaac again. Similarly, we still need to offer to the Lord the lessons we have learned before Him in the past. This is the price of Philippians 3, which is a higher price.
The price of the Gospels is paid by a follower of the Lord in the initial stage of their experience. The price of Philippians is paid by someone who has been serving the Lord in some way and has a considerable degree of knowledge of the Lord, a considerable degree of spirituality, a considerable degree of accomplishment, and a considerable degree of experience. At this point, the price revealed in Philippians 3 will require them to give up all these “considerable degrees,” that is, to give up all things.
Although they are good and are “Isaacs,” all these things are from the past. Therefore, the person must forget them and pay them as the price to gain some new experiences. Only in this way will they have new and vigorous usefulness in service.
Another passage in Scripture that very clearly mentions paying the price is Revelation 3:18. This passage speaks of buying three things: refined gold, white garments, and eye salve. All these things relate to a price. Moreover, it is the Lord who asks us to buy them. Gold signifies the nature of God, the element of God.
In the church in Laodicea, there was much clay, but very little gold. In other words, there were many things among them that were outside of God and very little of the element of God. Consequently, the Lord advised the Christians to buy gold. Regarding the white garments, the white color denotes purity, the absence of mixture, and the garments symbolize a walk and conduct that express the purity of God. Third, the eye salve is to anoint the eyes. When the eyes hurt and cannot see, one needs to buy eye salve to heal them and make them good again.
In normal situations, the inner nature of a Christian should be pure, and their outward living should be bright and shining. All these items require us to buy something, to pay a price. God's intention is to fulfill His eternal purpose through man. Thus, after the Lord calls us, we need to pay the price to be useful to Him.
Enjoy more: Hymn 467
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