Philippians 3:8 “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, 9 ¶ 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: 10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; 11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.”
To understand and fully embrace the truth that the Children of God have been made to be “righteous” by our Lord’s sacrificial death, is to lovingly and worshipfully “know” our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. In this context, to “know him” is to be personally cognizant of Him; that is, to believe that He is indeed the Son of God and is our Savior and our Lord and Master and also to joyfully feel ourselves eternally bound to Him by His “great love wherewith he loved us” (Ephesians 2:4). Those who know themselves to be unrighteous in nature; but, rejoice in “the righteousness which is of God by faith”; they consequently adoringly know “the power of his resurrection”; that is, know that “his resurrection” fully affirmed that He is God and that He did indeed Sacrifice Himself to secure our “righteousness”. Those who so “know him, and the power of his resurrection” also joyfully experience “the fellowship of his sufferings”; that is, they have such a deep and abiding love for Him that they daily seek to take up their cross and obediently follow Him (Matthew 16:24); all the while, joyfully enduring whatever tribulation or trial they might encounter in His Service. Furthermore, those who so “know him” are “made conformable unto his death”; that is, made willing and able to follow His Holy Sacrificial Example. To be “conformable unto his death” is to have the God-given will and ability to make whatever changes are necessary in our lives so that we can more fully serve Him, even though the roughness of it might even summons our “death”. We lovingly and willingly sacrifice ourselves on the altar of His Service; for, we joyfully know that by His “death” He and He alone has obtained our “righteousness” and fitness for Eternal Heaven. All the while, we longingly look forward to that grand day in which we will be joined to the Great Host in Heaven as they herald, “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.” (Revelation 4:11).