Cost of Knowing Truth

We hear the apostle Paul saying:

Philippians 3:3-4  For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.

Note that Paul was as orthodox as it was possible to be. He was faithful to the Torah, to the extent that he could call himself blameless. Whatever righteousness could be obtained by being obedient to the letter of the law, he had obtained.

But Jesus came along and said:

Matthew 5:20  For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

On the road to Damascus Paul encountered this Jesus; but He was now resurrected and ascended; now this Jesus was made both Lord and Christ. (Acts 2:36 (KJV) Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.)

Therefore Paul says:

Philippians 3:7-8  But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. 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, 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: That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death.

Each of us has to answer this question for ourselves: Am I willing to count all things as loss in order to know the ascended Christ? For to know Him is eternal life. (John 17:3  And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.)

How badly do I want to experience this life eternal? Am I willing to count everything as dung? Paul was willing to turn his back on all his orthodox religious teachings. Will I turn my back on mine? Can I lay aside all my doctrines, opinions, and concepts of God and allow God to reveal to me who or what He is?

Paul was a Pharisee, educated by and just like the ones who said to Jesus:

John 8:41  We have one Father, even God.

And Jesus responded:

John 8:42  If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not. Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me? He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.

Can you, like Paul, hear Christ tell you that the god you have in your orthodoxy believed to be your Father is, in actuality, but a mind-formed concept of God —which Jesus called the devil? Can you hear Him say to you that ye are not of God?

Or are you, like the Pharisees to whom Jesus was speaking, unable to hear His words because you will not count everything as loss in order to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom He has sent (John 17:3)? Can you not yet let go of the orthodox teachings of your forefathers?

This is the question. What am I willing to let go of in order to know the true God which Jesus prayed that we would know? What about my possessions? Will I walk away sorrowfully, as did the rich young ruler, when told to give up my possessions (Luke 18:18-24). Or do I know that a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth (Luke 12:15) and that there is no man that hath left house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God’s sake, Who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting (Luke 18:29-30).

What about my family? What if they wash their hands of me when I question their orthodox beliefs? What if they say that I’m deceived? What if they call me a heretic? What if they just quietly stop calling and coming around? Can I suffer the loss of my family, or at least the loss of their good opinion of me?

Let’s hear the words of Jesus:

Luke 14:26

If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.

Matthew 5:11-12

Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

Notice that Jesus said that I must let go of my own life also. And this is not the only time He said this:

Matthew 16:25  For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.

Yes, I must let go, or as Paul said, suffer the loss of all things (Philippians 3:8), even my own life, if I am to know Truth —or the ascended Christ, who is truth.

It all comes down to how hungry I am, how much I desire to know the truth. I once read that I have to want it more than I want my next breath. And I must add that, for me, I had to want it more than I wanted not to go to hell when I die. I had to stake everything on these promises:

Jeremiah 29:13-14

And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. And I will be found of you, saith the LORD.

Matthew 5:6

Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

And if you want to know truth (God Himself) as much as Paul did (and as much as I do), you will also have to stake everything on those promises. It is sort of like jumping off a cliff, counting on God to catch you because He promised that He would. Only you know if you are willing to do that.