Key Verse: “More than that, I also consider everything to be a loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. Because of him I have suffered the loss of all things and consider them as dung, so that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own from the law, but one that is through faith in Christ—the righteousness from God based on faith.” (Philippians 3:8-9 CSB)
Every month without fail, a certain amount of money is debited from my bank account in order to provide a guarantee of compensation in case of an accident or damage to my home or car. Should something unexpected occur, I can rest assured knowing that the insurance company will pay for my losses. I’m literally banking on it!
Back in the Apostle Paul’s day, there were those who were placing their confidence or security in all the wrong things when it came to ensuring their rightful standing before God. As a result, Paul didn’t have a lot of good things to say about them. He warned the Philippians believers to “watch out for the dogs” and “the evil workers” (v.2).
What was it that they were doing that was so wrong? These “dogs” or “evil workers” were a group of Judaizers who were falsely teaching that in order for someone to follow Jesus they first needed to become a Jew. Among other things, they were teaching that people needed to “mutilate the flesh” (v.2) through circumcision in order to have right standing before God.
Ultimately, the problem was that their confidence before God was in themselves. They were caught in the trap of legalism, convinced that as long as they had all the external boxes checked in their lives, they were standing on solid ground.
Paul seemed to understand their temptation toward self-confidence. From a religious perspective, he had a very impressive résumé. As a faithful Jew, Paul had been “circumcised on the eighth day.” He also was “of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews” (v.5). In terms of his accomplishments, he had been a strict observer of the Jewish Law and was zealous in his commitment to God. In every way, Paul was the model Jew.
As Paul reflected on all of this however, he came to an important conclusion. “But everything that was a gain to me, I have considered to be a loss because of Christ. More than that, I also consider everything to be a loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord” (v.7-8). To Paul, the only thing that he was banking on before God was the surpassing value of knowing Jesus Christ. It wasn’t about what Paul had done. It was all about what Jesus Christ had done for him. So Paul chose to rest in this completely, knowing that it was the only thing that held any value.
As we consider what it means to know God, it is an important reminder of where we should be placing our confidence. Our security should not be found in our ministry résumé, our knowledge of the Bible, our gifts, or our reputation before others. These things matter. But compared to the value of knowing Jesus, they don’t come anywhere close. Ultimately, our confidence must be entirely found in knowing Jesus Christ. He is our righteousness. He is our eternal hope. There is nothing more valuable than this.
Prayer: God, help me to see again what is of surpassing value before you. It is not about what I’ve done, but all about what you have done for me on the Cross. Jesus, I want to know you more. Help me to count everything else as loss compared to this. Amen.
Author: Jonathan Miller has served in pastoral roles for more than 13 years in churches in Barrie, Oakville and Burlington, Ontario. He currently serves as the Chief Operating Officer at Prison Fellowship Canada, a ministry that mobilizes and equips local churches to engage in the restorative work of prisoners, ex-prisoners, their families, and victims across Canada. Jon holds degrees from McMaster University and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He and his wife Adrienne have been married since 2004, and live in Burlington, Ontario with their 4 children. Jon’s greatest passion is to know Jesus and to see lives transformed by Him and for Him.
