2022-11-08 “And be found in him”

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 “be found in him” (“Christ Jesus” our “Lord”) is to feel oneself and to be seen and known to be a faithful and committed disciple and servant of our “Lord”.  The blessed joy of being “found” in “Christ Jesus” far exceeds any temporal joys we might experience in this natural world.  Our flesh lusts after and yearns for the carnal pleasures of this present world, of which many are not sinful nor prohibited for Children of God; but, we must be careful to not allow these pleasantries to interfere with or distract us from our commitment and service to our “Lord”.  Paul declared, “for” “Christ” “I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ”; that is, he had given up all carnal joys and promotions, that he might feel and experience that blessed and holy nearness to our Lord and enjoy showing his love to Him by keeping His Commandments (John 14:15).  To “be found in him” is to feel indescribable peace and comfort knowing that He is our Savior, King, Lord, and Master; and that He will always guide us and strengthen us and give us the wisdom to faithfully serve Him, no matter how troubled our lives may become!  Furthermore, to “be found in him” is to have that blessed assurance, knowing that there is “therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus”, and knowing and rejoicing in this blessed knowledge as we “walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit” (Romans 8:1).  “Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things,” (Christ coming at the end of time) “be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.” (II Peter 3:14)!  Paul exhorts us this way; the Resurrection is true, “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.” (I Corinthians 15:58).