I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you. Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind. 

Philippians 3:14-17 

For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 

Philippians 1:21 

Paul became an example for others as he imitated Christ. Not everyone is. There is a wide gap between mere professions of religion, or even declaring that one ‘follows Christ,’ and how that looks in real time. Paul refers to the others in the verses that follow our text, ‘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 set their mind on earthly things.’ By contrast he says, ‘Brethren join in following my example and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern.’ What was that pattern? In Paul’s case specifically, it was a pattern of life that lived Christ. To Paul, Christ was everything. He was Savior, Lord, Master, Teacher, Friend, Brother, Helper, and Example. All else was of less value than to  know Christ, to follow Christ, and to imitate Christ. He was not alone. According to our text there were others like him. These were those who by their imitation of Christ were worth imitating. It is worth noting that these were the people most likely to endure opposition by organized and institutionalized religion as well as the secular state. That was where all the Apostles landed. The question for us becomes, where are we to find such patterns today? Who is like Christ? Who is doing as He did, speaking as He spoke, and living as He lived? 

Our Glorious, Living Christ, 
we rejoice that You have lived before us as our great example. 
We praise You that You have set in the earth, 
others who have followed Your example before us.

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning

Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 
 
Philippians 3:13-14 

For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 

Philippians 1:21 

Paul had focus. His purpose in life was to live Christ. Behind him lay a host of ambitions, achievements, and accolades. Viewed in spiritual terms, some of the things in his history were things of which he was justly ashamed. He had been a hater of Christ and a persecutor of His people. Christ had arrested him, transformed him, and commissioned him to preach the gospel. As a matter of personal spiritual desire, Paul had arrived at the place in his experience where everything else was of less value to him than gaining Christ, being found in Him, and becoming like Him. Therefore, every lesser goal, ambition, accolade, triumph, failure or achievement became something to be forgotten. Instead, because he realized he still had so very far to go to become like Christ, he put all those things behind him and focused on Christ and becoming like Him. The prize would be to be with Christ and like Christ. That would come together at ‘the upward call.’  Paul dedicated his life to this. The example of the way in which Paul lived his life becomes useful for us as we learn to live Christ. 

Our Good and Gracious God, 
we rejoice that You have set before us 
examples of those who have followed You fully. 
We praise You that we can learn from their patterns of life, 
how to follow Christ. 

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning

Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. 

Philippians 3:21 

For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 

Philippians 1:21 

Because to Paul, ‘to live is Christ,’ he pressed on to become the person Christ intended him to be. He was keenly aware he had not, at the time of writing, become that person yet. Thus he said, ‘not that I have already attained or am already perfected.’ He gave his full attention and effort to the imitation of Christ. In this Paul lived out in practical ways the truly spiritual life. Christ had apprehended Paul on the Damascus road. Paul had become, a believer in Christ, received the justification which comes by faith, and then having set aside any dependency upon human pedigree or credentials, set out to imitate Christ in every way. Thus, in imitating Christ, he would come to ‘know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death.’ This was the all-consuming passion of Paul’s life. Christ had laid hold of him with the intention of transforming him into the image of Himself. Because of how Christ had worked in Paul’s life, he had become passionately preoccupied with pursuing this holy attainment. In many respects, Paul is the pattern of the believer, who having been thus apprehended, desires to become like Christ. 

Our Wise and Holy God, 
we rejoice that You have set Christ before us. 
We praise You, that as we look unto Him, 
Your Holy Spirit works to conform us into His Image. 

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning

…that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death… 

Philippians 3:10 

For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 

Philippians 1:21 

What does it mean ‘to be made conformable’ to Christ’s death? Paul understood the thoroughgoing nature of living Christ. That involves identifying with Christ in every way. It means imitating Him in the foregoing of rights; in the undertaking of the servant role; in the discounting of personal pedigree, and in the loss of all things in exchange for the knowledge of Him. It means the justification that can only occur by the imputation of His righteousness, that is the righteousness which is of God by faith. Also it involves a sanctification process which is, ‘the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death.’ What this entails is a series of experiences in life which enable us to identify with Christ. Our experiences of life, rightly understood, occur to give us the greater opportunity to see as He sees, feel as He feels, and think as He thinks, even to the point of dying as He died. While this does not look exactly the same in every person’s experience, the end purpose of identifying with Christ is the same. Thus, the Holy Spirit renews us in the whole person after the image of Christ including, ‘being made conformable to His death.’ 

Our Great God and our Savior, 
we rejoice that You have endured all things for the sake of Your people. 
We praise You, that as You conform us to Your Image, 
You enable us to follow in Your steps. 

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning

…that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death… 

Philippians 3:10 

For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 

Philippians 1:21 

What is the fellowship of Christ’s sufferings? If we are going to attempt to arrive at an answer, we are going to have to come to some conclusions about His sufferings. What were Christ’s sufferings? We may cite a number of things which qualify. Christ suffered desertion by His friends. He suffered treatment as a criminal, in spite of His innocence. He suffered abuse because of His message. He suffered ridicule because of His claims. He suffered misunderstanding, some from ignorance and other from willfulness. Paul remarked that he wanted to know Christ ‘and the fellowship of His sufferings.’ What does that mean? It meant he would endure similar treatment. By this treatment he would come to know, understand and identify with Christ. By these experiences he would grow to be like Christ. This would extend even to dying as Christ had, as an innocent person, executed by an indifferent ruler. Thus, Paul understood the whole of what it means to say, ‘For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.’ Few things cause our flesh to shrink back as much as this does. Yet it is the way of Christ and of all who follow Him. 

Our Good and Gracious God, 
we rejoice that You have set Christ before us 
as our ultimate example. 
We praise You that, as we follow Him, 
we grow to be like Him. 

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning