Philippians is a book about life in Christ. It teaches us to have the mind of Christ in all things. It teaches us how to do all things through Christ.

This is accomplished by simplifying life down to doing one thing. Nothing else exceeds this one thing.

”Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do…” – Philippians 3:13

There are hundreds of things that must be done in life. We must do the laundry, pay the bills, make dinner, raise the children, fix the roof, and the list goes on and on. But what are we trying to attain? What is the one thing we are seeking?

Perhaps it is to be esteemed as a success in our career, a great parent, a wonderful humanitarian, liked by all, and wealthy enough to enjoy the pleasures of life.

The natural reason for living life is to do what “I want to do”. In our old man every thing we do serves to attain our many goals to be who we want to be. How does Christ help us do that?

This is exactly the problem. To the young believer Christ is merely an addition to life taking time and resources from every thing else we must do.

There is only so much timne to add the Bible, church, ministry, and ultimately Christ to our life. Besides, what can it do for us? How can it help me accomplish the things I want to do? Trying to add Christ to our life only makes us busier.

The secret to life in Christ is to understand that Christ is not an addition, but is our whole life (Gal 2:20; Phil 1:20). This simplifies your life by removing all the other things you are trying so desperately to attain. You are dead, and you live now because you are raised with Christ.

Without Christ, the natural reason for living life is to do what “I want to do”. In our old man every thing we do serves this selfish purpose: my purpose for my life.

To live life in Christ requires crucifixion of your old man and its mind. You need a renewed mind, a single mind, the simple mind of Christ (2 Cor 11:3).

Instead of a hundred things competing against Christ, there is only one thing we do. Every other thing is held captive to this one thing. What was Paul’s one thing he did?

“I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.“ – Phil 3:14

The high calling of God gives you eternal life, a resurrected life. Paul sought resurrection, in life or death (Phil 1:20).

“If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.” – Phil 3:11

He did not add to this the ambitions of his old man: esteem of the world, making many friends, gathering wealth to enjoy the pleasures of life, or early retirement.

Man cannot serve two masters. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways. Choose you this day who you will serve. It is eitherGod’s will or your will. If you are crucified with Christ, it is not yours but God’s.

“For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” – Phil 2:13

We need a single mind. We need to do this one thing: be raised with Christ (Rom 6:8-11). When Christ is our life, then we can do all things through Christ, for Christ, to know Christ. This is the secret to a life of peace, joy, and righteousness.

We work to pay our bills because that is what Christ told us to do (2 Thess 3:12). We raise our children in the Lord because that is what Christ told us to do (Eph 6:4). We speak the truth in love, because that is what the Lord Jesus Christ wants his Body to do to see souls saved (Eph 4:15; 1 Tim 2:4).

You cannot continue living to attain for your old man if you desire to live to attain for your new life in Christ. This is double minded and it will destabilize and destroy your life in Christ. You are crucified. Your life is His life now (1 Cor 6:20).

The secret to life in Christ is realizing that there is only one thing we work to attain. There is one thing we do. Every other attainment competes with who we are in Christ.

“Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.” – Phil 3:12