Philippians 3: whatever were gains I now consider loss for the sake of Christ

Further, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you.  Watch out for those dogs, those evildoers, those mutilators of the flesh.  For it is we who are the circumcision, we who serve God by his Spirit, who boast in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh – though I myself have reasons for such confidence.

If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless.

But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.  What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ – the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith.  I want to know Christ – yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.  Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: forgetting what is behind and straining towards what is ahead, I press on towards the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenwards in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 3:1-14

As in many of his letters, Paul is contending here with those who believe believe in justification via the acts of the Jewish law, represented by circumcision.  In this passage, Paul refers to 'the flesh'.  The Greek word 'flesh' (sarx) generally refers not simply to the body (our bodies are made by God and good) but more the sinful nature, encapsulated in putting the self first, including all the selfish desires of our bodies and brains (which a biological and evolutionary perspective, and any other perspectives which centre on explaining our being as a bunch of cells and neural pathways, very clearly demonstrate to us).

Why does trusting in adherence to the Jewish law equate to 'confidence in the flesh' (3:4,5)?  Because following the acts of the law without being motivated by the love of God is like thinking we can fix our hearts and souls, and restore our relationship with God, by controlling what our bodies do and by outward signs.  It's like trying to fix a broken marriage by wearing a ring, reading lots of books on marriage, doing all of our household roles perfectly (whether that's bringing in income, managing the home, or both) but not actually seeking out and loving the our spouse.  Before his conversion, Paul was the perfect religious man on the outside, and so much so that he sought to oppose anything that did not fit with the Jewish law. 

And what of circumcision - the part of the law that is being brought into focus here as the main point of contention?  Circumcision was the outward sign (the wedding ring, possibly) of the old covenant, which was a temporary measure encapsulating the promises of God which were fulfilled in Jesus (see, for example, Hebrews 8).

But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ (3:7), Paul writes.  All those things the world holds dear - approval from others, achievements in one's chosen career, impacts on the world - are nothing compared to knowing the love of Christ.  What is more, we must be willing to let go of them - and very often have to!   We cannot love Christ and have faith in him when we are putting faith in ourselves - I consider them garbage that I may gain Christ and be found in him (3:8-9).  

But what is this amazing thing for which it is worth giving up everything?  Paul calls it the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord (3:8) and [being] found in him...the righteousness that comes from the God on the basis of faith (3:9).  What does this really mean?  When Paul talks about knowing Christ it really blows my mind - how amazing that we can know the creator of the universe?!  What it means to know God is the subject of a whole other post.  By why is it we can know Christ?  Because we are in him.  We are allying ourselves with him and he accepts us, taking our sin to the grave and raising to life and bringing us with him, and standing with us before the Father declaring us righteous because he has taken away our guilt.  And what is righteousness?  It is not good behaviour, but a right relationship with our loving God, who is in his very essence love - three persons each putting aside self to love and glorify the other.  It is a relationship that is inaccessible to us due to our own self-centredness.

Finally, Paul talks about press[ing] on towards the goal (3:12).  At first glance, some may interpret this as in contrast with this apparent rejection of 'effort' in the futility of our own works.  However, Paul writes: but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me (3:12).  There's no diminishing of the work of Christ here nor an augmentation of the work of the flesh.  Rather, there is a sense of focus.  It is, of course, heartening to observe that the apostle himself certainly did not consider himself the finished Christian article - as any Christian convicted by the Holy Spirit will surely feel their lack of love and devotion (to God and to others) keenly.  However, here's the critical things: 

1.  forgetting what is behind (3:13): we do not need to keep turning back to our past guilt, trying to atone for what Jesus has dealt with.  In the case of some in the Philippian church (given the other comments in this passage), this may have meant returning to, or trying to add on, religious practice to try and fix what had already been fixed by Jesus.  
2. straining towards what is ahead (3:13):  What is ahead?  Eternal life with Jesus in which we will know him fully, face to face.  The call to Heaven places a completely different perspective on life.  The promise is there, but we in our weakness so often fail to fix our eyes on it.  

And so, this pressing on is a lifelong commitment to trusting in the Lord Jesus more every day, getting in step with the faith he gives us, and learning to turn our eyes towards him.