Chapter 3, Verse 7 “But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.”
Paul had accomplished much in the Jewish religious world. The Judaizing teachers in Philippi knew this all too well. Perhaps they though Paul would be inclined to agree with their position because of his accomplishment in their understanding of the law. One can almost imagine their shock when he rejects his gains under the law. Not only does Paul reject his gains but he counts them as a negative. What he might once have bragged about he now disowns. He not only disowns it but dis-values it completely. What was gain Paul now presents as loss. He no longer desired to brag about his Jewish history, his upbringing under the law, or his physical sign of Jewish membership. In the light of the discovered Christ, they are worse that worthless.
Paul now wishes to push the law and Judaism aside and proclaim Christ Jesus as the all in all. The concept of the Christ was, after all, the true hope of the Jewish nation. They had been looking for the Christ all their lives but they did not want him if he replaced the law and that is exactly what Paul is advocating.
Task for Today: Many today still want to cling to the law and have Christ too. Can’t be done. You must decide on one or the other. That is Paul’s message to the Philippians and to us. The law, the commandments, the sabbath, and circumcision were replaced by the new covenant of the Christ. Like Paul, embrace Jesus Christ as the only means of salvation for you today.
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