“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, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.”
Philippians 3:8-11 ESV
Paul indicates a diligence of a degree of steady application of effort. This reflects an unrelenting quest for wisdom and understanding. In relation to the thoughts, diligently seeking knowledge means investing time and energy in studying the Bible, prayer, attending to sermons, and seeking counsel from mature Christians. Refusing to settle for superficial understanding, but digging deep into God's word.
The core of Christian knowledge is Jesus Christ – His life, His teachings, His works, His sacrifice, His resurrection, His ascension and His return. Thus, any endeavor to grow in knowledge must be Christ-centered. This addresses to the call to "learn more about Christ." We strive to learn more about Christ because He is the reason behind our faith, the source of our salvation, and the model of our conduct.
“so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.”
Ephesians 4:14 ESV
When we prioritize knowing Christ deeply, we're equipped to discern truth from deception. In Ephesians 4, we're reminded that solid knowledge of Jesus helps us from being tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine.
“so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,”
Ephesians 3:17, 18 ESV
The breadth, length, height and depth of Christ are endless, as Ephesians 3 hints. As we make it our goal to know Christ more, we understand that it's a lifelong endeavor. This keeps us humble and dependent on Him who is our daily bread.
“For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.”
Romans 8:29 ESV
When we truly prioritize the knowledge of Christ, we are conformed to His likeness and our minds are renewed.
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
Romans 12:2 ESV
As we allow the teachings and example of Christ to shape our thoughts and actions, we become more and more like Him.
In the same way that a miner diligently digs for gold, Christians should persistently search for truth in Christ. Just like mining, searching for truth requires persistence and great effort. Yet, the outcome is precious and valuable. Even if mining takes time and effort, the miner knows that they are searching for something extremely valuable. Similarly, Christians know that the wisdom and knowledge in Christ is more precious than gold- therefore, the energy and effort invested will reap an eternal reward.
“My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you, making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding; yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.”
Proverbs 2:1-5 ESV