Monday March 13, 2017 Philippians 8:8 - 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.

Nick:

This was one of the key verses when I first got saved. It encouraged me to let go of everything I was or had so that I could gain more of Christ. Paul counted any title he may have had, any position, anything attained, as loss. Sounds like Jesus earlier in Chapter 2 verse 6-7, "who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God, a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant.” This has been something that has been coming up in my life recently. I have been given a destination and a position in which I am being raised up for. I have recently also found out from the Lord some of my giftings that I will be applying once I have taken the position. What God is teaching me is even though I am called to theses things from him, they are not something that am to hold on to. They are not my identity. They are not some level of christian that I have now attained. Its not something I have earned because of me service to God. It is so easy for me to become prideful and become confident in the flesh. Paul says earlier in the chapter that if there is anyone who should be confident in the flesh, it should be him because of his background. Paul Counts them as garbage, worthless. Jesus did the same when he came to earth. My righteousness or identity isn’t in titles or positions, its in Christ and what he did for me. Its in the love of God. Its in the faith that God has given me in himself. Its knowing, trusting, and depending on who he is and what he did. It isn’t the things he calls me to or the roles and circumstances in which he puts me in. It isn’t the things in which were predestined for me. I didn’t save myself and I haven’t gotten myself here, God did. 

Julie:

In this section, Paul is having to get on the same level as the Philippians to get them to understand.  Paul is not an arrogant guy, but he knows the Philippians will not listen to him unless he talks like them.  They are like children who think they know and have everything.  It's the same way I talk to Trent when I want to make a point.  I cannot talk like an adult because he is not one.  I have to talk in terms that he will understand.  So these Philippians think they are set because they have all of this knowledge and status.  And Paul tells them that not only did he once have have the same thing, but he was greater.  They may be circumcised, but Paul was circumcised more.  He was a Hebrew and a Pharisee.  He truly knew the law and abide by it.  He persecuted those who followed Jesus because it did not fall in line with the law.  I can only imagine that right now the Philippians are thinking something along the lines of "Wow, this man Paul is the real deal.  Look at all that he is and what he has done.  Obviously he isn't an idiot.  Maybe we should listen to what he says and take his advice.".  Now that Paul has hooked them, he begins to reel them in.  He goes on to tell them that all of his fame and accomplishments, he counts as loss for the sake of Christ.  I'm sure the Philippians are scratching their head thinking "You are willing to totaly give up your life and your status and your control to follow a man?".  I believe that's why he starts v8 with "Indeed".  Paul counted everything as loss.  Everything truly is a lot.  But in the same breath, it is so freeing once it is let go of.  Especially, when we let go because we know that simply knowing Jesus Christ is worth more than anything that this world has to offer.  Paul actually said that it was a "surpassing worth".  So him being a Pharisee (being with the "in" crowd of religion), being a Hebrew (higher social class), and knowledge he had from both was so far less important to him than Jesus that it was surpassing in worth.  I want to feel the same way for Jesus.  I want just knowing Christ to be worth more than what I own, or my family, or my status, or my money.  My true identity is being the daughter of Jesus.  And praise God that Paul, this man who seems to have no problems with letting go of the world, says that he "suffered the loss of all things".  He is assuring us that it will be hard, but putting Christ on the throne of my heart is not the hard part.  It's when I have to remove my idols and count them as nothing.  But in doing that, God does not forsake me.  I believe that I will actually draw closer to Him.  I should know that I will not be left alone with Jesus on the throne of my heart.  And I believe that in doing that, I will gain Christ.