The ultimate New Year's Resolution

Is there one New Year’s resolution against which every other should be evaluated, one that eclipses all in importance?

The Bible instructs you to consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus your Lord, for whose sake you should lose all things (Phil 3:8). To get to know Christ Jesus your Lord – how does that fit as a New Year’s Resolution? It certainly seems to be important, for we are urged to consider everything else a loss in comparison. But what does getting to know Jesus your Lord mean?

A few verses further along (v10), we read: “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”. This reveals two dimensions to knowing Christ Jesus your Lord. The first dimension involves knowing the power of His resurrection. Before you can know Jesus as your Lord, you must first know Him as your Saviour. If you believe that Jesus died to take the punishment for your sin and was raised to life by God, then you will experience the power of His resurrection. Your old sinful person will die with Christ and you will be raised with Christ as a new creation. By faith you will receive a righteousness that is from God rather than a righteousness of your own (v9).

So by faith, you can know Jesus as your saviour, experiencing the power of His resurrection as you are raised to new life as a son or daughter of God. But the second part of verse 10 talks about knowing Jesus as your Lord. And to be honest, we are not very good at knowing Jesus as Lord. Many know Jesus as Saviour, but few strive to know Him as Lord. Let us see why by unpacking the statement: “I want to know Christ... and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death”. 

Throughout the Apostle Paul’s letters a parallel is drawn between Paul’s sufferings for the sake of the Gentiles and Christ’s sufferings on behalf of mankind. Paul’s sufferings for others identified Him with Christ who did the same thing. By suffering, Paul was acting like Jesus in His death. This was because every sacrifice that Paul made for the sake of others was like a small death.

Therefore, to know Jesus your Lord, you must be prepared to die to self for the sake of others and obedience to Jesus. Jesus put it this way: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it” (Luke 9:23&24).

Knowing Jesus as your Lord means crucifying your own selfish sinfulness and tendency to self-rule for the sake of others and obedience to Christ. There is ample evidence in Philippians to show that this is what Paul had in mind.  Here is a sample: “In humility, value others above yourselves... look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others (Phil 2:3&4)”. Follow the example of Jesus who “became obedient to the point of death - even death on a cross” (Phil 2:8).  “I have no one else like [Timothy], who takes a genuine interest in your welfare” (Phil 2:20).

So may you determine to endure many “small deaths” in 2012 as you crucify your evil desires, sacrifice your own comfort, and turn away from self-rule in order to submit to Christ’s rule. And may you consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus your Lord, for whose sake you should lose all things (Phil 3:8).

Cheers for now - Ian