Built to Know Him

Let me ask you something this morning: Have you ever poured everything you had into something, your time, your energy, your identity, only to realize later… it didn’t matter like you thought it did?

I mean, you built your life on it.

• You trusted it.
• You believed it would carry you.

And then one day… you realize, it can’t save you, it can’t satisfy you, and it sure can’t carry you through eternity.

That’s a hard realization.

And here’s the truth this morning: there are a lot of people riding through life trusting the wrong things.

• Some are trusting religion.
• Some are trusting their past.
• Some are trusting their performance.
• Some are trusting their own goodness.

But hear me, none of that will get you where you need to go. Paul has already shown us what real faith looks like in action in Philippians 2: humility, obedience, sacrifice. But now in chapter 3, Paul shifts gears.

He moves from what faith looks like…to what faith is built on.

And here’s the big idea this morning: You don’t gain Christ by adding Him to your life, you gain Christ by surrendering everything else.

So the question is this: What are you still holding onto… that’s keeping you from fully knowing Him?

REAL FAITH REJECTS CONFIDENCE IN THE FLESH (vv.1–3)

Paul opens strong. “Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord…”

But then he hits them with a warning: and not just once… three times. “Beware… beware… beware…”

When Paul repeats something like that, you better pay attention. He’s warning them about people who were adding works to salvation. People who were saying,

“Yeah, Jesus is good – but you also need this… and this… and this…”

Religion plus Christ. And Paul says – No. He says, “We are the circumcision… which worship God in the Spirit… rejoice in Christ Jesus… and have NO confidence in the flesh.”

Let that sink in. “No confidence in the flesh.”

• Not a little.
• Not partial.
• None.

Because anything you trust in besides Christ… will fail you. Let me put it in biker terms. That’s like trusting your chrome instead of your engine:

• You can polish it all day.
• Make it look sharp.
• Turn heads.

But if the engine ain’t right – guess what? You ain’t going nowhere. And that’s how a lot of people are living.

• They look good on the outside.
• They say the right things.
• They play the part.

But inside? No real power. No real transformation.

So let me ask you straight: Where is your confidence? Is it in:

• Your church attendance?
• Your knowledge of Scripture?
• Your past experiences?
• Your reputation?

Or is it in Christ alone? Because real faith says:

“I bring nothing to the table… except my need for Jesus.”

REAL FAITH RECOGNIZES ACHIEVEMENTS CANNOT SAVE (vv.4–6)

Now Paul does something powerful. He says, “If anyone thinks they have something to trust in – I’ve got more.”

And then he lays out his résumé.

• Circumcised the eighth day.
• Of the nation of Israel.
• Of the tribe of Benjamin.
• A Hebrew of Hebrews.
• A Pharisee.
• Zealous.
• Blameless in the law.

In other words, “I did everything right.” If anybody could stand before God and say, “Look at me, ” it was Paul.

But here’s the problem…Even the best résumé can’t save your soul.

Let me bring it home. That’s like saying:

• I’ve got the best bike,
• the best gear,
• the best reputation,
• the most miles…”

But you’re still heading in the wrong direction. It doesn’t matter how polished your life looks, if you’re not right with Christ, you’re lost.

And here’s where people struggle…Because we like to compare.

• “Well, I’m better than him…”
• “At least I’m not like that person…”

But God’s standard isn’t other people. God’s standard is perfection. And none of us measure up. Not one.

So let me ask you, “What are you trusting in?”

• Your morality?
• Your past?
• Your good works?

Because none of that can save you.

REAL FAITH COUNTS EVERYTHING AS LOSS FOR CHRIST (vv.7–8)

Now we hit the turning point. Paul says: “But what things were gain to me… those I counted LOSS for Christ.”

• Everything he once valued…
• everything he once trusted…
• everything he once built his identity on…

He said “it’s loss.” And then he takes it even further. “I count ALL things but loss… and dung… that I may win Christ.”

That word “dung”… means exactly what you think it means. Paul is saying: “All that stuff I used to brag about? It’s garbage compared to knowing Jesus.”

That’s strong. But that’s the Gospel. Because you don’t add Jesus to your life like an accessory. You surrender everything to gain Him.

Let me illustrate it like this: Imagine holding onto a pile of junk…thinking it’s valuable…And someone offers you something priceless in exchange. But you won’t let go.

That’s what people do spiritually.

• Holding onto pride.
• Holding onto control.
• Holding onto self-righteousness.

And missing Christ. So here’s the question: What do you need to let go of?

• Your pride?
• Your need to be in control?
• Your identity outside of Christ?

Because you can’t hold onto everything and grab hold of Jesus at the same time. Something has to go.

REAL FAITH RESTS IN CHRIST’S RIGHTEOUSNESS (v.9)

This is the heart of it all. Paul says:

“Not having mine own righteousness… but that which is through the faith of Christ…”

In other words, “I don’t stand before God based on what I’ve done, I stand before God based on what Jesus has done.”

That’s the Gospel.

• You don’t earn it.
• You don’t deserve it.

You receive it. Let me say it like this: You don’t fix yourself up and then come to Jesus. You come to Jesus, and He fixes you.

Too many people think, “I’ve got to get my life together first…”

No you don’t.

• You come broken.
• You come messy.
• You come as you are.

And Christ makes you new. It’s like trying to build your own engine from scratch…Versus receiving one that’s already perfect, already tested, already proven.

Which one are you trusting? Because your righteousness will fail. But His never will.

REAL FAITH DESIRES TO KNOW CHRIST ABOVE ALL (vv.10–11)

Paul says: “That I may know Him…”

• Not just know about Him.
• Not just know facts.
• Not just know Scripture.

But KNOW Him. Personally. Intimately. Powerfully.

He says, “The power of His resurrection…and the fellowship of His sufferings…”

Now that’s deep.

Because everybody wants resurrection power…But not everybody wants suffering. But Paul says, “I want ALL of Christ.” The power… and the cost.

That’s real faith. That’s the kind of faith that transforms your life. Let me put it like this: It’s the difference between reading about riding…And actually getting on the bike and hitting the road.

• Feeling it.
• Living it.
• Experiencing it.

That’s what Paul is talking about. So let me ask you:

Do you know Him? Not just:

• Church attendance
• Bible knowledge
• Religious activity

But “DO YOU KNOW HIM? Because Christianity is not just belief – it’s relationship.

Let me bring this home. There are two kinds of people: Those who are holding onto everything…and going nowhere.

And those who let it all go…and found everything in Christ.

Paul had it all. And he said it’s nothing compared to Jesus.

So here’s our challenge this morning: Let it go. Get your hands off of it:

• Pride
• Self-reliance
• False confidence
• Old identity

And grab hold of Christ. Because you don’t win by holding on…You win by surrendering.

And when you do, you’ll find that what you lost…Was nothing compared to what you gained.

So let’s ride and go Full Throttle with Jesus.