Surpassing Value

You're probably aware of Paul's famous, "I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord" (Php 3:8). That's an astounding statement to us in a comfort-driven, pleasure-seeking, self-centered society. "'All things', Paul? Really??" In the text he lays down everything about him that most people would classify as "good" (Php 3:4-6) -- his proper religion, his birth right, his heritage, his right doctrine, his devotion, his zeal, his right living. He had it all, but counted it all as loss. Compared to what? Simply knowing Christ. Quite a statement considering how many of us say, "Yes, I know Jesus" and proceed to demonstrate that it's had exactly no effect on who we are.

It's easy, in all of Paul's wordiness, to miss the "and." He says, "I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ" (Php 3:8) followed by "and may be found in Him" (Php 3:9). Oh, so it's a two-part thing -- gain Christ and be found in Him. In what sense? What does he mean? He tells us. He doesn't have his own righteousness (Remember, he just said he lost it all), so he counts on a righteousness "which is through faith in Christ," a righteousness "which come from God on the basis of faith" (Php 3:9). Why is that important? If we are counting on our own good works, our own efforts, our own lifelong struggle to be good enough, we can expect failure ... at best. But if we have the mandatory righteousness that is not our own, but is God's righteousness, we cannot fail. We can't fail because it's not ours.

Paul's longing, then, is to toss everything out in favor of gaining a righteousness beyond his own meager efforts. How? By knowing Christ. By faith in Christ. Remember, God "made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him" (2 Cor 5:21). It's the only way. It's the only hope we have. And as it is not a product of our own efforts, it is foolproof. Since it's not our own, we can't mess it up. Instead, "He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus" (Php 1:6). And now "I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus" makes a whole lot of sense.