Our scripture reading this evening is taken from the Epistle to the Philippians, chapter three. Philippians, chapter three. Our text this evening is found in verse eight of this chapter. We hear the word of God in the letter to the Philippians, chapter three. Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed, is not grievous, but for you it is safe. Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision. For we are the circumcision which worship God in the Spirit and rejoice in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh. Though I might also have confidence in the flesh, if any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more. Circumcised the eighth day of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin and Hebrew of the Hebrews, as touching the law, a Pharisee. Concerning zeal, persecuting the church. Touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. But what things were gained 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 done 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, not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect, but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended, but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded. And if in anything ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you. Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing. Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so, as ye have us for an example. For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things, for our conversation is in heaven. From whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself." So far, we read from God's holy word. As I said, our text this evening is found in this passage, Philippians chapter three, verse eight, verse eight. 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 done that I may win Christ. The beloved congregation in our Lord Jesus Christ. This chapter of Paul's letter to the Philippians begins with a sharp warning. You see, Paul is deeply concerned because of false teachers, Judaizers that were harassing the Church of Philippi. These Judaizers were Jews that were bitter enemies of the church and of the truth of the gospel. These Judaizers denied the efficacy, the power of the cross of Christ. They put their confidence in their own righteousness, emphasizing especially the outward right of circumcision. The Apostle had previously warned the Philippians about these Judaizers, but for their spiritual safety, he repeats this warning. And we may be sure that in this regard, too, It's no different today. There's nothing new under the sun. Today, too, there are many who, in effect, deny the power of the cross. They put their confidence in themselves in outward form and ceremony, a superficial show of religion. Now, because this warning arises out of Paul's great love for his brethren in Philippi, he uses powerful language in this warning against the Judaizers. Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision. Dogs, beware of dogs. This was a derisive Jewish designation for all Gentiles. And now it's thrown back at the Judaizers, for they are truly dogs. And we're not talking about our lovely pet dogs here, but filthy, shameless scavengers of the streets. Beware of evil workers. These Judaizers were certainly full of zeal. They were exceedingly energetic in their efforts to pervert the gospel and glorify works righteousness. Beware the concision. or literally the mutilation. And with this terminology, Paul criticizes the Judaizers for their emphasis on the outward right of circumcision. Beware of such, Paul exclaims, for we are the circumcision which worship God in the spirit and rejoice in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh. And then, with a powerful argument, using his own life as an example, Paul exhorts the Philippians to reject that doctrine of righteousness by works, by the law, by outward forms and rights for Christ's sake. Paul, as it were, challenges the Judaizers. If any other man thinketh he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more. Paul lays it out. Look at me, circumcised the eighth day of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, and Hebrew of the Hebrews, as touching the law, a Pharisee. Concerning zeal, I was a persecutor of the church. touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. If anyone can trust in the flesh, I can. But, but to Paul, all these supposedly separate gains became one huge loss for Christ. As the apostle, as it were, totaled up the column of assets in his ledger, he finds that they are all transferred to the column of liabilities. And they are entered as one gigantic liability. Paul confesses, but what things were gained to me, those I counted loss for Christ. And then follows our text, a beautiful confession of the apostle. 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. One thing is above all things precious to the Apostle, the excellency of the knowledge of Christ. Beloved, in this season, as our children and young people again take up their catechism lessons, as our covenant youth again have taken up their studies, As the Bible studies within the congregation begin, resume soon, another season gathering around God's word, it's well that we all be reminded that in all of this, we are essentially doing just one thing. we are involved in what we might term the pursuit of excellence. The pursuit of excellence. Humanly speaking, we can use that terminology in several different connections. We can speak of the pursuit of academic excellence in our studies. That's certainly commendable. We can speak of the pursuit of excellence with regard to our work, our career. That too is commendable. We can even speak of the pursuit of excellence with regard to a certain sport. Nothing wrong with that in itself. What is that excellence here in this connection? It is the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, our Lord. That knowledge is revealed in the inspired, infallible holy scriptures. That we must pursue with all that is in us. We must strive to acquire that excellent knowledge, to grow in that knowledge now and for the rest of our lives. And everything in our lives ought to be subservient to that. In a real sense of the word, the pursuit of that excellence must be a total life commitment. That must be our primary focus. In this light, can you honestly, rightly say, well, I don't have time for Bible study or Well, we're in a hurry, we'll just skip our family devotions. Or, well, I forgot to learn my catechism. The apostle says, I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ. And it's in this light that we consider our text under the theme, the pursuit of excellence. That is that excellency of the knowledge of Christ. And we notice, first of all, the rich idea, secondly, the high purpose, and finally, the priceless value. What is this knowledge that is so exceedingly precious The text speaks of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord. Notice that the apostle refers to the Savior as he stands revealed in all the preciousness and beauty of his person through his threefold name. This is knowledge of Christ, the anointed one, The knowledge of the one who was ordained by God the Father and anointed with the Holy Spirit to be our chief prophet, our only high priest, and our eternal king. This is the knowledge of the one who has revealed to us The counsel and will of God concerning our redemption, the one who by the one sacrifice of his body has redeemed us and who even now makes intercession for us. This is the one who governs us by his word and spirit. It's knowledge of Christ. In the second place, this is knowledge of Jesus. Jehovah, salvation, in a word, savior. Jesus is the one who saves his people from their sins. This is the knowledge of the one who delivers us through the blood of the cross from the corruption and guilt of sin. And in the third place, this is knowledge of the Lord, the exalted one. Lord is the one who owns us because he bought us with the infinite price of his own precious blood. This is the knowledge of the one who, as Lord, rules over us by his word and spirit. He is Lord, for all power and authority have been given into his hands. He is exalted even at the right hand of the majesty on high. This is the knowledge revealed in the gospel. The glad tidings of our salvation set forth in the holy scriptures. The scriptures, as the infallibly inspired written record of the revelation of God, are the source of this knowledge. The Scriptures reveal the Savior as Jesus Christ and Lord. And we must remember that's true of all Scripture. Scripture is from beginning to end. from Genesis 1 through Revelation 22, all about the Lord Jesus Christ. As Professor Herman Hankel often put it, the scriptures are a portrait of Christ. Christ is on every page and in every passage of the Bible. Scripture reveals Christ in whom God determined to reveal his glory. Scripture reveals Christ in whom God elected his people before the foundations of the world. Christ by whom and for whom all things were made. Christ, who redeemed us by his suffering and death from sin and death and hell. Christ, raised and exalted, who has the preeminence in all things. And in Christ, the God of our salvation is revealed in all his sovereignty and almighty power. in all his glory as the ever-blessed God. The knowledge of the scriptures, therefore, you must pursue if you are going to know the Lord Jesus Christ." Further, this excellent knowledge is set forth in our creeds. the confessions of the ancient Church, the ecumenical creeds, but especially in the creeds of the Great Reformation. The Heidelberg Catechism, the Belgic Confession, the canons of the great Synod of Dort set forth this excellent knowledge in a truly marvelous and eloquent way, as guided by the spirit of truth. These creeds systematize the truth of the Word of God, a beautiful summary of the truth of the Scriptures. In other words, this knowledge is the knowledge of the Reformed faith, even our distinctive Protestant Reformed faith. The historic Reformed faith proclaims but one thing, the absolute sovereignty of our God. And that theme proclaims. the total depravity of man, his guilt and corruption and inability to do any good apart from grace. This faith proclaims the absolute sovereignty of God's grace in Christ by which his people are saved and the calling of the redeemed to live in thankfulness unto God. This knowledge must be maintained and pursued at all costs. And the pure preaching of the word must proclaim this Christ, the Christ of scripture, as the revelation of the God of our salvation. We must have expository, doctrinal preaching so that the knowledge of Christ is imparted, so that Through the work of the Spirit, we grow in that knowledge. Now, the Apostle Paul certainly had an intellectual understanding of the Savior. The Apostle had been instructed in his earlier days at the feet of The famous Jewish teacher Gamaliel, throughout his life, he had been instructed in the Old Testament scriptures. And he had heard about this Christ also from the lips of dying saints, as he had joined in their persecution years before. And then, marvelously, On the way to Damascus, when the exalted Lord Christ appeared to him, Paul had learned to know Jesus. And since that time, he had learned more and more about his Savior and Lord. That intellectual knowledge that he had was important. Paul couldn't really know Christ without knowing all about him. The revelation of the knowledge of Christ had to fill the mind of Paul. For us too, we must never minimize the importance of the intellectual knowledge of the truth, the truth of Christ. the truth of the gospel, the truth of the word of God, the scriptures. And what a great blessing in our midst from this viewpoint is the systematic instruction that we have for the covenant youth in the catechism classes. What a blessing. What a blessing, too, are the good Christian schools, where we may be assured that in all their learning, they learn upon that solid foundation of the word of God. We live in days of awful ignorance, even in much of what calls itself church. The words of the prophet ring true as never before. My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. But more, we must notice here that the inspired apostle writes, the knowledge of Christ Jesus My Lord. My Lord. Obviously, this knowledge that Paul had was far more than just an intellectual conception, far more than a cold assent to the truth concerning Christ. My Lord. What value would all this intellectual knowledge have if he could not say, my Lord? This means that the apostle personally appropriated this knowledge. Paul was making a personal confession. This is a knowledge not just of the head, but fundamentally of the heart. This knowledge forced Paul to flee to Christ for salvation. This knowledge forced Paul to find all his righteousness in Christ. This knowledge forced Paul to seek to know Christ more and more. Without this spiritual knowledge, Paul would never really have known Christ. No matter how much he knew about Christ, he wouldn't have known him. Even if he could lecture hour after hour concerning Christ's incarnation, even if he could write volumes on Christology, he would not really know Christ. Without this spiritual knowledge, his soul would have remained empty and dark. We can illustrate this point by considering two men sitting before a large table filled with fine foods, delicacies, gourmet dishes, you name it, your favorites. The one man is a dietician. he's able to scientifically analyze every dish that's on the tables. But this poor man has cancer of the stomach and he cannot sit down and take and enjoy a single bite. But the other man has been working hard all day. He has a hearty appetite. He is able to sit down and taste and enjoy and relish every bite. He knows that food. And so it is with the spiritual knowledge of Christ. Through the working of his spirit, we taste We see, we enjoy Christ experientially. This is the knowledge the Apostle John wrote about Recording the words of the Lord Jesus in His high priestly prayer in John chapter 17, verse 3, And this is eternal life, that they might know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent. This knowledge is everything, even eternal life. This knowledge is the knowledge of a true and living faith that unites the believer unto Christ. This is the knowledge of one who is in covenant fellowship with his God. This, beloved, is the miracle, really, of Scripture's power, as wrought by the Spirit. The Scriptures, in believing them, Bring us to Christ himself. We lay hold on Christ. Yea, we know him. And it's this knowledge that lifts the sinner up out of the misery of his sin and elevates his soul into the heights of Father's glory. This knowledge carries us out of darkness and into the marvelous light of God's friendship and fellowship in Christ. But what then is The purpose of this pursuit of excellence, the Apostle says, that I may win Christ, that I may win Christ. Now, that I may win Christ must not be understood in a selfish, self-glorifying sense. Paul is not sacrificing one thing just so that he can make some great personal gain in the end. Oh, it's true he is not forgetting himself. It's true that he is seeking to promote his own spiritual welfare. But the purpose of this knowledge is never separated from concern for the glory of God. As the apostle wrote to the Romans in chapter 11, verse 36, for of him and through him and to him are all things to whom be glory forever. Amen. So winning Christ cannot refer to a personal glory or profit like that associated with the simple pleasure of winning a game. He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. But in the second place, that I may win Christ must not be understood in an Arminian, freewillist sense. Arminians like to talk about winning Christ. They maintain that winning Christ is something anyone can do for themselves through the exercise of their free will. Ultimately, they say that for a man to win Christ, he must, by an act of his own will, accept Christ as supposedly offered to all in the gospel. Be not deceived. Don't you see that that makes our God dependent on the whims and wiles of mere man that destroys the sovereignty of God? Then God has to helplessly stand by his hands tied, waiting patiently for carnal man to win Christ? Positively. Literally, the term win here means to gain or to acquire. So the idea is that to know Christ, to have the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord, means that we strive to gain or acquire an ever greater knowledge of the Savior. That's the pursuit of excellence that we're talking about. That I may win Christ means that my soul hungers and thirsts after Christ, desiring to know him more and more. In chapter one of this epistle, the apostle had prayed for the saints in Philippi that their love may abound yet more and more, notice, in knowledge, in knowledge and in all judgment. That's verse nine of the first chapter. Now it's true, of course, that as soon as the child of God appropriates Christ by a true and living faith, he has, in principle, won or gained Christ. One does not gain Christ just a little bit at a time, receiving first and then another of the riches of Christ until he has completely won Christ. Winning Christ is not a piecemeal process, but principally winning Christ is accomplished the moment one has appropriated Christ and all his benefits by faith. Yet, although in principle the believer may have won Christ, He continually wins or gains Christ in the way of spiritual growth and development. We see that we really have only a taste of him. and his blessings, we long for a clearer, fuller apprehension of the riches of Christ as the knowledge of ourselves and our sin. grows deeper as we become more sensitive to sin. We realize increasingly that we lie in the midst of death and that we have nothing in ourselves of which to boast. Like the apostle, it's one big loss as far as we ourself is concerned. When we first believe in Christ, we do not half realize what a wonderful Savior we have. And so the purpose is that in ourselves, We become ever more conscious that our righteousnesses are as filthy rags, while Christ becomes richer and greater as the object and basis for all our faith and hope. One of our Protestant Reformed forefathers remarked near the end of his life, I have preached nearly 50 years. If the Lord gave me another 50 years, I would still only scratch the surface. Only scratch the surface. It's true. It's true. And so it is that the scriptures exhort us For example, 2 Peter 3, verse 18, to grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, to win. Christ is everything. For we know that perfect knowledge of Christ awaits us in glory when we shall no longer see through a glass darkly, but face to face. You can see it, can't you? It becomes obvious then, doesn't it, that this knowledge is priceless in value, priceless. Paul speaks of the excellency of the knowledge of Christ, and literally the idea is that this knowledge stands far, far above everything else. It is an all-surpassing knowledge. It is characterized by super eminence. Paul is saying that in comparison with this knowledge, all other things lose their value. The knowledge of Christ is so overwhelmingly excellent that compared with it, there's really nothing that's important. Paul emphasizes that nothing else can constitute his righteousness before God. Nothing else can possibly be the basis for his confidence. We too must confess that the knowledge of Christ is priceless in value. The one all-important thing in our lives must be the knowledge of Christ. Nothing can replace or be substituted for that. Nothing may attempt to even be on a par with that. Nothing may in any way interfere with that incomparable knowledge. Is that true for you? Look at ourselves, our priorities. What's important? My career? My home? My possessions? My position? My popularity? God forbid. Because the knowledge of Christ is all-surpassing, we must make that the fundamental goal of our lives. Then truly the scriptures are for us precious, a treasure. We search the scriptures. We delight in meditating upon God's word. We delight in studying God's word. We take the time and make the time for our personal devotions. We take the time and make the time for our family devotions. If at all possible, we avail ourselves of a Bible society or study within the church, the opportunity in the communion of saints to be edified together in the knowledge of Christ. must prayerfully meditate upon the word of God delving into its riches, must demand the pure and lively preaching of that word. We must let nothing separate us from the church that purely proclaims that gospel. Not opportunity for career advancement someplace else, and even a boyfriend or a girlfriend. The preaching of the word must proclaim the full Christ. The Christ of scripture. As the revelation of the God of our salvation, the preaching must lead us to confess with the apostle, yea, doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord. But it's important to notice here that there is a progression in Paul's personal appropriation of this knowledge. First, he says, Yea, doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord. And when he says, I count all things but loss, he includes even much more than he mentioned in the earlier context here concerning his background, his descent, his own works. Now the apostle includes all his earthly possessions, his money, his friends, anything and everything that could possibly hinder his knowing Christ. Then he takes it another step. He says, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things. Paul emphasizes that he had lost whatever at one time had been very dear to him, for the sake of his Savior. He, by the grace of God, was willing to sacrifice all for Christ's sake. And he saw that many of those things had been a hindrance to him. Really, they had hurt or injured him by being the objects of his trust and confidence. The incomparable preciousness of the knowledge of Christ was still the only thing that mattered. In fact, Paul underscores that truth when he says not only that he has suffered the loss of all things, but that he counts them but dung. And this term, dung, literally has the idea of worthlessness or filth. Not only are all the things in which Paul formerly placed his confidence a loss to him, one big liability, but they are as dung, as manure, as refuse or rubbish that must be cast out. Paul emphasizes that his attitude hadn't changed, that he continues to count all things but loss and dung. And remember, Paul is writing this letter to the Philippians looking back over the years of his life. Paul was at this very moment imprisoned in Rome. very near the end of his life. And Paul reflects on the life he has lived for the sake of the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, his Lord. Paul has described his sufferings for Christ's sake. We read of that in 2 Corinthians chapter 11. Of the Jews, five times received I forty stripes, save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods. Once was I stoned. Thrice I suffered shipwreck. A night and a day I have been in the deep. Paul suffered weariness and painfulness, hunger and thirst, cold and nakedness. And on top of it all, the apostle bore the great responsibility for the care of all the churches. His life clearly demonstrates that he renounced all trust and confidence in his descent, in any supposed righteousness of his own, all his pride of Jewish tradition, of ancestry, of Jewish orthodoxy, of outward conformity to the law, and of whatever else had been the object of his confidence before, Paul considers it loss. He would let nothing hinder him from the excellency of the knowledge of Christ. And make no mistake, Paul could have gone places, humanly speaking, in this world. His was an excellent pedigree. He had received a fine education. Paul himself could have been a doctor of the law. Earthly honor and esteem and fame could have been his, but For Christ's sake, he was willing to count all things but loss, dung compared to the excellency of the knowledge of Christ. Beloved, we too, by the grace of God, must count all things but loss and dung for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ. Must not glory in the flesh, If necessary, we must lose all things for the sake of the knowledge of Christ. We must be ready to sacrifice much. Indeed, for what has a man profited if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul? Can you say it? Can you say, I count all things but dung that I may win Christ? Can you say, the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord, my Lord? Do you long to gain Christ, to know him more and more, to make your life conformable to his glory? Can you say that the only thing, the all-surpassing thing in your life is the knowledge of Christ? The apostle did. All that was connected with his own righteousness, which was of the law, with his privileges, his name, his position, his influence, his fellowship with brethren according to the flesh, all had been counted dung. From the first moment, he had begun to taste the excellency of the knowledge of Christ, and he was still willing to lose all that pertained to his earthly life, even that life itself, that he might gain Christ. Is that a true view of your life? If it is, Then, children, certainly learning your catechism is far, far more important to you than playing a computer game. If it is, young people, then your Bible is far, far more precious to you than all the fine clothing or all the recreational toys that this world could offer. If this is true of you and your life, beloved, then all the pleasures and treasures of this world are nothing to us. And the knowledge of Christ is everything. Knowing Christ, we realize that in Him are pleasures forevermore. In Him are treasures never counted. Depths of grace we never fathomed. Riches of love we've never tasted. Heights of glory we've never climbed. A fullness of joy we've never experienced. Knowing him we feel we have only just begun, even if we are already growing old. And we long to know him. in all his fullness, yea, to see him face to face, to know as we are known. Let us then cry from the heart this beautiful confession of the Apostle. 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 to count them but done. That I may win Christ. Let us experience that unspeakable excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, our Lord. Amen. Most merciful and gracious Heavenly Father, we thank Thee. We thank Thee for Christ. That's what we have been given by Thy grace and Spirit to deem precious, the knowledge of Him. And we pray that Thou wouldst fill us more and more with that knowledge of Christ. And may that be the pursuit of excellence, which is the focus of our life, young and old alike, We thank Thee for that gospel. Forgive us of our sins and our sinfulness, our worldly mindedness. Forgive, we pray. Lead us in the way everlasting, for Jesus' sake. Amen.