Philippians 3:8 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 English Standard Version (ESV)
I read this passage today in preparation for studying it in our men's Bible study next week. It is one of those passages, like so many others in the Bible, that I wish had a "selah" (as in the Psalsms) after it, meaning to pause and think about what you've just read. Paul is counting all of his life's accomplishments as rubbish, garbage or even dung (according to the Greek word) in comparison to the privilege of knowing Christ. He's not just talking about a head knowledge here, it is his person, personality, literally all he could know about Him.
As we grow older in life it is inevitable that we will lose family, friends and loved ones. Sometimes we'll hear of the passing of someone we haven't seen or communicated with in years, still at their passing there is a time of reflection, remembering them, what they meant to us and how they impacted their lives. We may have memories about which we would say if I had to do it all over again, I wouldn't change a thing, treasuring moments in a relationship whether recent or all the way back to childhood.
Paul wouldn't change a thing about knowing Christ, but we would gladly trade anything else to have known Him better and His desire now is to know Him better, making Him a priority over all other things. David Jeremiah writes, "As we mature in our walk with the Lord, we'll learn more about His goodness with every step we take. Our Christian faith isn't a religion but a relationship. Prayer and Bible study aren't simply rituals, but conversations. Our God isn't just a distant force; He's an ever-present friend. The focus of our faith is getting to know Him better."
The Amplified Bible Classic Edition renders Philippians 3:10 like this: "[For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly]."
The passage asks us to consider for ourselves what is our, what is my determined purpose? What do I consider a priority above all else?
Matthew Ward puts it to music:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Vl-PIcM7Ro
Blessings,
Mike
Philippians 3:8-11The Message (MSG)
7-9 The very credentials these people are waving around as something special, I'm tearing up and throwing out with the trash—along with everything else I used to take credit for. And why? Because of Christ. Yes, all the things I once thought were so important are gone from my life. Compared to the high privilege of knowing Christ Jesus as my Master, firsthand, everything I once thought I had going for me is insignificant—dog dung. I've dumped it all in the trash so that I could embrace Christ and be embraced by him. I didn't want some petty, inferior brand of righteousness that comes from keeping a list of rules when I could get the robust kind that comes from trusting Christ—God's righteousness.
10-11 I gave up all that inferior stuff so I could know Christ personally, experience his resurrection power, be a partner in his suffering, and go all the way with him to death itself. If there was any way to get in on the resurrection from the dead, I wanted to do it.
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