Paul let go of all his Jewish Heritage to be Clothed
in Christ Righteousness
Philippians
3:8-9 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency
of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of
all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, and be
found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that
which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by
faith: KJV Paul has declared to these Philippian believers and we believers today that all of his privileges as a tribe of Benjamin Jew he has renounced, laid aside, or given up trusting in them to be right with Almighty God and if there were any doubts about his sincerity, he repeats his conviction with an even more serious, solid, and sure tone of speech as he says, “Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ” (Philippians 3:8) (KJV). Paul begins this serious tone by the use of the English word “doubtless” which is translated by the Greek word menounge which is a primary particle of emphasis or qualification; properly indicative of affirmation often compounded with other particles in an intensive sense, such as, certainly or truly or in this case yea meaning indeed. Paul wants it to be understood without being wrongly interpreted that he has completely laid aside all of his Jewish heritage for Christ sake. It is the superior, supreme, and solid knowing or continually getting to know Christ Jesus our Lord that is far higher a pursuit than following after Jewish rites, rules, or rituals that has captured Paul’s soul, his mind emotions, and will. Because of this pursuit to know Christ, Paul declares that he has already suffered the loss of all things and we can recall by the words documented for us by Dr. Luke of Paul’s confrontation with many of the Jews who once loved and respected him, but now hate and despise him because he is now a Christian.
The first such hate displayed itself early on after Paul’s conversion, “Now after many days were past, the Jews plotted to kill him. But their plot became known to Saul. And they watched the gates day and night, to kill him. Then the disciples took him by night and let him down through the wall in a large basket.” (Acts 9:23-25) (NKJV) and this encounter with the Jews in Antioch, “Then Jews from Antioch and Iconium came there; and having persuaded the multitudes, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead. However, when the disciples gathered around him, he rose up and went into the city. And the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe.” (Acts 14:19-20) (NKJV). These are just two of the near death experiences that befell the Apostle Paul during his pilgrimage and sojourn on the earth after he was a Christian, there were many more, but as we see in these two encounters, Christ Jesus our Lord rescued him from them all until his mission for Christ was complete. Note: “Paul became a most wanted man by many Jews after he became Christ bond-servant and Paul being a voting member of the Sanhedrin (prior to his conversion to Christianity) had to be married and he may have even had children, brothers, sisters, parents, nephews, nieces, aunts, uncles, etc. and he lost that close an intimate relationship with them after he was converted, because they most likely continued in the Jewish religion practicing the law of Moses and this brought about separation from Paul.”
Paul considered all of his Jewish achievements, accomplishments, and accolades as “dung” and this English word is translated by the Greek word skubalon which means that which is thrown to the dogs, that is, refuse or rotten food discarded from one’s kitchen no longer fit for human consumption such as happened to the body of Jezebel as it is written, “Then he said, ‘Throw her down.’ So they threw her down, and some of her blood spattered on the wall and on the horses; and he trampled her underfoot. And when he had gone in, he ate and drank. Then he said, ‘Go now, see to this accursed woman, and bury her, for she was a king’s daughter.’ So they went to bury her, but they found no more of her than the skull and the feet and the palms of her hands. Therefore, they came back and told him. And he said, ‘This is the word of the LORD, which He spoke by His servant Elijah the Tishbite, saying, ‘On the plot of ground at Jezreel dogs shall eat the flesh of Jezebel; and the corpse of Jezebel shall be as refuse on the surface of the field, in the plot at Jezreel, so that they shall not say, ‘Here lies Jezebel.’’”” (2 Kings 9:33-37) (NKJV). These things as being a Jewish Pharisee climbing the ladder to higher and higher rungs were now dung, waste, refuse to Paul because it was not a stretch to see Paul (had he continued in Judaism without Christ) become the Jewish High Priest someday, but now his only aim is to win Christ or gain Christ, not that he does not already have Christ since the Damascus Road encounter, but now he means to go deeper and deeper into relationship, fellowship, or closeness with Christ Jesus our Lord as King David spoke of the LORD in this Psalm written by him, “O God, You are my God; Early will I seek You; My soul thirsts for You; My flesh longs for You In a dry and thirsty land Where there is no water. So I have looked for You in the sanctuary, to see Your power and Your glory. Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise You. Thus I will bless You while I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name. My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness, and my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips. When I remember You on my bed, I meditate on You in the night watches. Because You have been my help, Therefore, in the shadow of Your wings I will rejoice. My soul follows close behind You; Your right hand upholds me. But those who seek my life, to destroy it, shall go into the lower parts of the earth. They shall fall by the sword; They shall be a portion for jackals. But the king shall rejoice in God; Everyone who swears by Him shall glory; But the mouth of those who speak lies shall be stopped.” (Psalms 63:1-11) (NKJV).
Although Paul knows that he belongs to Christ, he now states to these Philippian believers and we believers today that his primary goal in life was that he “be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith” (Philippians 3:9) (KJV). Paul always wanted more and more revelation of Christ as Lord and Savior and now that his spiritual eyes have been open to the only way of access to God, Paul wants to go deeper with our Lord (Isaiah 53:11). Paul perhaps in penning this verse (being a student of the Old Testament) now understands clearly what Christ Jesus our Lord was speaking through the Prophet Isaiah many years ago when he said, “But we are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteousness’s are like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.” (Isaiah 64:6) (NKJV). This is why Paul has counted everything he learned and everything he was as a Jewish Pharisee as nothing, so that he might be clothed in the only righteousness that counts or matters to God the Father as he wrote with these words to the Galatian believers in these two verses, “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.” (Galatians 2:16) (NKJV) and “I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.” (Galatians 2:21) (NKJV).
It is that supernatural spiritual union of the sinful soul of man with the sinless perfect soul of Christ that gives the sinner perfect righteousness and standing before God the Father that has found Paul and he wants this to be fully understood by all of the Philippian Church. Like in the days of old for the people of Israel there were established what were called “cities of refuge” when someone would kill another until it could be determined the cause before they were found guilty and stoned to death as it is written by Moses in Numbers here, “So the congregation shall deliver the manslayer from the hand of the avenger of blood, and the congregation shall return him to the city of refuge where he had fled, and he shall remain there until the death of the high priest who was anointed with the holy oil. But if the manslayer at any time goes outside the limits of the city of refuge where he fled, and the avenger of blood finds him outside the limits of his city of refuge, and the avenger of blood kills the manslayer, he shall not be guilty of blood, because he should have remained in his city of refuge until the death of the high priest. But after the death of the high priest the manslayer may return to the land of his possession. And these things shall be a statute of judgment to you throughout your generations in all your dwellings.” (Numbers 35:25-29) (NKJV). Christ is our “city of refuge”. Listen to what Adam Clarke says regarding righteousness before God, “Be found a believer in Christ, not having mine own righteousness - not trusting in anything I have done or could do, in order to my salvation; relying on no scheme of justification, set up either formerly by myself or by others.”
“We are undone without a righteousness wherein to appear before God, for we are guilty. There is a righteousness provided for us in Jesus Christ, and it is a complete and perfect righteousness. None can have interest or benefit by it but those who come off from confidence in themselves, and are brought heartily to believe in him. ‘Not having my own righteousness, which is of the law;’ not thinking that my outward observances and good deeds are able to atone for my bad ones, or that by setting the one over against the other I can come to balance accounts with God. No, the righteousness which I depend upon is that which is through the faith of Christ, not a legal, but evangelical righteousness: The righteousness which is of God by faith, ordained and appointed of God.” Matthew Henry
If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...
Sincerely in Christ,
Clifford D. Tate, Sr.
Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…
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