Text

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, . . . (ESV).

7 But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, . . . (NIV).

Introduction

I am grateful to our president for providing me our passage for this morning. As I mentioned the last time I shared with you the word of God, I consider it a great privilege to listen to the preaching of God’s word, because I can focus on taking down notes, a privilege that I struggle to have while doing my tasks in the business office. At least, during Chapel Service, I have time to sit down, relax, worship, and reflect.

Central Idea

Our president captured the central idea of the entire passage from Philippians 3:7-11 by arguing that we can experience true gain in Christ by counting human achievements as loss, by identifying with Christ’s suffering and death, and by living in the hope of resurrection. Such a message is a good reminder for us to know where we stand. It is a good antidote for a sin-sickened soul. Such a message must remind us, the people of God, of who we really are.

However, living in what I call a 3 P’s motivated age—an age driven by Power, Pleasure, and Profit—preaching the gospel as gain can be considered anomalous and foolish; it is actually a radical outlook on life in a generation that is motivated by power, pleasure, and profit.

Calvinism and the Future

Revisiting Abraham Kuyper’s sixth lecture about Calvinism and the Future, delivered more than a century ago, he described the aftermath of the moral crisis in the modern era, including the refined, the intellectual, and the urban masses, not only with the common rejection of fixed moral principles but also in the pursuit of profit, pleasure, and power. In short, the modern age can be characterized as an era that makes profit, pleasure, and power its primary focus.

Of course, there are more ways to describe our time. However, by observing our generation, almost everything people chase in life can be traced back to one of these three. Politicians fight for power. Companies and influencers push pleasure. Corporations and individuals alike pursue profit. These three P’s have become the modern gods of our age—idols that promise happiness and satisfaction but often leave people empty and restless.

The 3 P's

Power in our time may look like a high-ranking position in the government, millions of followers on social media, and top leadership in a company. Modern politics, technology, and media are often driven by competition for influence and control—whether in governments, corporations, or online platforms. Power is pursued not only through military or political means but also through information dominance, technological innovation, and social influence.

Another way to describe modern culture is addiction to pleasure. “You only live once, YOLO.” “Do what makes you happy.” “Follow your heart.” We live in a generation that values entertainment, pleasure, and instant gratification.

Profit is another appropriate description of our time. We live in a materialistic world where worth is often measured by net worth. People equate success with the size of their bank account, the kind of house they live in, or the car they drive.

Acronyms

I think you already heard the acronym BAM—Business as Mission. The idea behind BAM is to integrate business and mission in a way that advances God’s kingdom through sustainable and profitable businesses. As such, the movement aims to use profit to serve people, make disciples, and bring social and economic transformation to glorify God. This is a worthy ministry strategy that deserves attention and close scrutiny. The Center for Community Transformation (CCT) Group of Ministries has adopted this model for their mission.

Unfortunately, there are two more powerful acronyms unknown to many that, instead of bringing social and economic transformation, have an outcome of their services that is one of waste and destruction. I am referring to GAB and PAB. GAB stands for Government as Business, and PAB for Politics as Business. These are the two most dangerous ideas today that use politics and government for personal interest. This is the marriage of politics and big corporations. And we see the outcome of this in the widespread corruption among the so-called “public servants” who use their political power to acquire properties and establish businesses under bogus accounts or anonymous names. These questionable practices have been played over and over again throughout history by powerful personalities not only here in the Philippines but also in the West and other parts of the world.

Central Question

Now, preaching the gospel in an era motivated by these 3 P’s is considered outdated, old, and irrelevant. In fact, to keep proclaiming the gospel in such an age as ours is radical and counter-cultural. The Gospel is considered radical and counter-cultural because the 3 P’s motivated age doesn’t consider human accomplishments as loss. Why does a generation that is driven by power, pleasure, and profit not consider human accomplishments as loss?

Of course, there is a short response to this question. It is because our generation has fallen under the sway of the god of this world, of the pride of life, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes; in short, under the power of sin. That’s the biblical-theological response. However, I want to answer this question in a different way, considering both the details of our text and the current context of our time. Though the essence remains the same, I want to formulate the sentence construction of my response differently. And I intend to answer this question in the succeeding articles of this series.

Grace and peace!

Note: Here is the introduction part of the message I just delivered an hour ago in our chapel service at PTS College & Advanced Studies, Inc., Cavite, Philippines.