7 But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ.
8 More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ,
Vs. 7 - “But... “ - Paul is not ashamed of his background. He also is fully aware those things listed in verses 5 and 6 (above) have no bearing on his salvation. It doesn’t matter that he is a Jew, a Hebrew, or a Pharisee! Christ died for Jews and non-Jews alike, for Pharisees and pagans. The advantage Paul has over the rest of us - he was immersed in Judaic history, prophecy and scripture. He understands how the sacrifices and rituals have all been fulfilled in Christ.
“those things I have counted as loss” - And that being said, he says, “It’s all been a waste of my time and energy!”
“For the sake of Christ” - Paul didn’t just decide these things were rubbish on a whim. He made a value comparison. What is worth more: Accomplishments and accolades or Salvation through Jesus Christ? What is more lasting: earning an honor or position, or freedom from sin and eternal life?
Vs. 8 - ”I count all things to be loss” - Paul is adamant. He wants you to know he has considered all the information available. He has compared all the pros and cons. All things considered, nothing is more important than...
“The surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord,” - The value of this knowledge is far beyond anything else. I am not referring to “knowing about” Jesus - the kind of information you get when to study the Bible as literature, or an article in Wikipedia. (I just saw a magazine, in the grocery check out line, about the historical Jesus and the beginnings of Christianity by National Geographic.) Jesus taught about the worth of the kingdom. In Luke 15:8ff, we see a woman looks desperately for a lost coin. And in Matt. 13:44ff, a man sacrifices everything he has to buy a field in which a treasure is buried. In both examples the value of the item is worth more than anything else to those people.
Jesus warned that nothing else is as important as following (knowing) Him (See: Luk. 9:60ff; Matt. 8:22ff). Paul echoes that theme in 2 Cor. 10:5, emphasizing that everything else is subservient to knowing Jesus as Lord and Savior. Knowing Jesus Christ is eternal life - not just a method to get to eternal life, but life itself. (John 17:3) True godliness comes through knowing Jesus Christ. (2 Pet. 1:3)
See the emphasis Jesus placed on knowing: He knows God the Father, because the Father sent Him to us (John 7:29). Jesus knows God (John 8:55). He knows His followers (John 10:27). Conversely, the world does not know Jesus or God, so the world rejects Him (John 15:21).
You can see why being a Christian is a very personal faith. The Savior knows you and loves you. He knows all your faults, all the good things about you, all your sins. He knows, and died for you so you could be with Him. Loving and believing in Jesus is not just emotions. Our love for Him is also mental, scientific so to speak, because we have evidence of His love for us. Our faith is based on nothing less than Jesus Christ and His righteousness.
Paul is saying, very clearly, jettison anything standing between you and belief in Jesus as Lord and Savior. Don’t let honors, accolades, science, hobbies, or any other thing stop you from accepting Jesus. Nothing is worth eternity separated from God!
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