^{Philippians 3:7-10 (NIV)}

⁷ But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.  ⁸ What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ  ⁹ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ-- the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.  ¹⁰ I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,  ¹¹ and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.

Relationship, not religion, is the key to our spiritual growth.

Christian faith is a relationship. If you asked me one thing that I desire for each person that enters the doors of this room every Sunday, this is what I would say: “I want, I pray that each one of you will come to understand that God is longing for a relationship with you.” The greatest thing that could ever happen to you is you be in love with God. In this passage Paul begins with an exhortation – rejoice in the Lord! God is calling us to a joyful relationship with him.

One of things that steal our joy is dead religion, which emphasizes works that are void of faith. It says if you do more, then you will be better. If you pray more, if you give more, if you do more of this and more of that, then you will be a good Christian.

In verse 2 apostle Paul warns the believers, “Watch out for those dogs, those men who do evil, those mutilators of the flesh.” In those days there was a group of Jews who said than non-Jewish Christians had to practice Jewish religious customs, like circumcision to in order to be Christians. It was faith in Christ + works of the Jewish law. Paul says watch out! Paul said it was the Christians who were the true circumcision. Christians are the legitimate people of God because of their relationship with God – the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

If you want to know how far religion can take you, ask Paul. He did everything that his religion demanded. But when he encountered Christ he realized he was the worst of the sinners. That’s what he says in 1 Timothy 1:15. What happened to him? Before he was the best but after Jesus encountered him, he was the worst. This is so, because religion gives us a false impression of who we really are. It makes us to compare ourselves with others. And says, see you are better that so and so. You don’t do what he does.

What does knowing Christ mean?

One word: Relationship. It is saying I want to have an intimate relationship with Christ. It is not just an intellectual exercise. In the Bible is used for a relationship between husband and wife. Adam knew his wife and she conceived. Not knowing God means not to obey him.

Paul was saying, I want to re-orient my life to the life of ONE – Jesus Christ.

Relationship, not religion, is the key to our spiritual growth.