“But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death…” 

Philippians 3:7-10

‍

As human beings, there’s a temptation to believe we’re in control of our own lives. To gain a sense of worth, we rely on our works, abilities, and achievements to measure “right standing” with God. True confidence comes from our faith in God and our proximity to him. In this week's message, Pastor Ryan Schlachter shares three key points on building authentic confidence through faith in Christ.

‍

What is the Context?: In his letter to the church in Philippi, Paul urges believers not to rely on their own efforts for salvation.

‍

Here are a few ways we can have true, lasting confidence that honors God…

‍

We get rid of weak confidence

• Confidence based on ourselves or our own works is fragile and insufficient for spiritual growth. 
• When we assume that God's love and blessings are earned through our actions, we fall into the trap of thinking He withdraws when we sin or when life isn’t going as planned. This mindset distorts our relationship with Him.
• Our salvation is not built on our potential or performance. God’s love is not rooted in who we are, but who He is – unchanging, unfailing, and unconditional.

We gladly count our losses

• Nothing we surrender for God is truly a loss because we already possess the greatest treasure.
• Confidence comes from complete trust in God, which is only achieved through a deep, intimate relationship with Christ. 
• The more we know Him, the more we trust Him.
• Relying on Him rather than on the things around us nurtures a faith in His character. This faith shapes us into people who willingly let go of what He asks, because we are not surrendering to a distant stranger, but to a loving, personal Savior.

We do whatever it takes

• Our ultimate goal is to know Christ and experience the power of His resurrection. This requires a willingness to share in His sufferings, stripping our hearts of attachments that might cause resistance to the hardships He calls us to endure.
• Detaching from the world’s grip and following Jesus into loss and suffering is difficult until we realize that what we gain in Him far surpasses anything we lose. 
• True confidence involves knowing Christ. Embracing, sharing in His sufferings, and becoming like Him in His death allows us to have a deeper understanding of Christ’s work and experience the power of His resurrection! 

Additional Resources

• Galatians 3:3
• Hebrews 11:17-19

‍

Dinner Party Questions

1. What are some areas in your life where you are tempted to place confidence in your own abilities rather than trusting God?
2. How does the idea of counting everything as loss in comparison to Christ challenge or encourage you?
3. In what ways can we share in Christ’s sufferings? 
4. What practical steps can we take to choose Jesus above the fleeting things of the world in every situation?