Philippians 3: Counting All Things Loss
Paul warns against confidence in the flesh, counts his credentials as refuse for the sake of knowing Christ, and presses on toward the prize of God's high calling.
Philippians 3 (WEB)
1 Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not tiresome, but for you it is safe.
2 Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the false circumcision.
3 For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh;
4 though I myself might have confidence even in the flesh. If any other man thinks that he has confidence in the flesh, I yet more:
5 circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee;
6 concerning zeal, persecuting the assembly; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, found blameless.
7 However, what things were gain to me, these have I counted loss for Christ.
8 Yes most certainly, and I count all things to be loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord, for whom I suffered the loss of all things, and count them nothing but refuse, that I may gain Christ
9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own, that which is of the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;
10 that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, becoming conformed to his death;
11 if by any means I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.
12 Not that I have already obtained, or am already made perfect; but I press on, if it is so that I may take hold of that for which also I was taken hold of by Christ Jesus.
13 Brothers, I don’t regard myself as yet having taken hold, but one thing I do. Forgetting the things which are behind, and stretching forward to the things which are before,
14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
15 Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, think this way. If in anything you think otherwise, God will also reveal that to you.
16 Nevertheless, to the extent that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule. Let us be of the same mind.
17 Brothers, be imitators together of me, and note those who walk this way, even as you have us for an example.
18 For many walk, of whom I told you often, and now tell you even weeping, as the enemies of the cross of Christ,
19 whose end is destruction, whose god is the belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who think about earthly things.
20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from where we also wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ;
21 who will change the body of our humiliation to be conformed to the body of his glory, according to the working by which he is able even to subject all things to himself.
Philippians 3 (KJV)
1 Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe.
2 Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision.
3 For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.
4 Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more:
5 Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;
6 Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.
7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.
8 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,
9 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:
10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.
12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.
13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
15 Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.
16 Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.
17 Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.
18 (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:
19 Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)
20 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:
21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.
Philippians 3 (ASV)
1 Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not irksome, but for you it is safe.
2 Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the concision:
3 for we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God, and glory in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh:
4 though I myself might have confidence even in the flesh: if any other man thinketh to have confidence in the flesh, I yet more:
5 circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;
6 as touching zeal, persecuting the church; as touching the righteousness which is in the law, found blameless.
7 Howbeit what things were gain to me, these have I counted loss for Christ.
8 Yea verily, and I count all things to be loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but refuse, that I may gain Christ,
9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of mine own, even that which is of the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith:
10 that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, becoming conformed unto his death;
11 if by any means I may attain unto the resurrection from the dead.
12 Not that I have already obtained, or am already made perfect: but I press on, if so be that I may lay hold on that for which also I was laid hold on by Christ Jesus.
13 Brethren, I count not myself yet to have laid hold: but one thing I do, forgetting the things which are behind, and stretching forward to the things which are before,
14 I press on toward the goal unto the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
15 Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, be thus minded: and if in anything ye are otherwise minded, this also shall God reveal unto you:
16 only, whereunto we have attained, by that same rule let us walk.
17 Brethren, be ye imitators together of me, and mark them that so walk even as ye have us for an ensample.
18 For many walk, of whom I told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:
19 whose end is perdition, whose god is the belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.
20 For our citizenship is in heaven; whence also we wait for a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:
21 who shall fashion anew the body of our humiliation, that it may be conformed to the body of his glory, according to the working whereby he is able even to subject all things unto himself.
Summary
Paul calls the Philippians to rejoice in the Lord and warns them sharply against those who would put confidence in the flesh, insisting on outward marks like circumcision rather than the Spirit. If anyone could boast in such credentials, Paul could: circumcised the eighth day, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews, a Pharisee, blameless under the law. Yet he counts all of it as loss for the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus his Lord. Indeed, he considers everything refuse so that he may gain Christ and be found in him—not with a righteousness of his own from the law, but the righteousness that comes through faith. His one consuming desire is to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, becoming like him in his death. Paul does not claim to have already arrived; instead, like a runner, he forgets what lies behind and strains forward to what is ahead, pressing on toward the goal for the prize of God's upward call in Christ. He urges the mature to share this mindset and to imitate his example, weeping over those who live as enemies of the cross, whose minds are set on earthly things. For the believer's citizenship is in heaven, from which we eagerly await the Savior who will transform our lowly bodies to be like his glorious body.
Key Figures
- Paul — The apostle who renounces his impressive religious pedigree as loss, longing above all to know Christ and his resurrection power, and pressing on toward the heavenly prize.
- Christ Jesus — The Lord whose surpassing worth makes all else refuse; in him is found the righteousness from God by faith, and from heaven he will transform our bodies to be like his.
- The enemies of the cross — Those whose minds are set on earthly things, whose god is their appetite, and whose end is destruction, against whom Paul warns with tears.
Key Verse
Philippians 3:8 (WEB)
Yes most certainly, and I count all things to be loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord, for whom I suffered the loss of all things, and count them nothing but refuse, that I may gain Christ
Lessons Learned
- Every human credential is worthless compared to knowing Christ.
- Right standing with God comes through faith in Christ, not our own law-keeping.
- The deepest desire of the Christian is to know Christ and his resurrection power.
- The Christian life leans forward, forgetting the past and straining toward the prize.
- Put no confidence in the flesh. True believers “worship God in the Spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh” (Philippians 3:3, WEB). Our standing does not rest on pedigree or performance.
- Knowing Christ surpasses all. Paul counts everything “loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord” (Philippians 3:8, WEB). He alone is worth losing everything to gain.
- Righteousness comes by faith. Paul wants to be found “not having a righteousness of my own… but that which is through faith in Christ” (Philippians 3:9, WEB). We are accepted by grace, not by merit.
- Press on toward the goal. “Forgetting the things which are behind… I press on toward the goal for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13-14, WEB). The Christian life is a forward race.
- Why does Paul list his religious credentials, and what does he conclude about them?
- What does Paul mean by gaining a righteousness “which is through faith in Christ” rather than “a righteousness of my own” (3:9)?
- What is Paul's one consuming desire, and how does he describe his pursuit of it?
- How should the truth that our “citizenship is in heaven” (3:20) shape the way we live now?
- What things are you tempted to count as gain, and how might counting them loss for Christ change you?
- Paul lists his impressive Jewish heritage and law-keeping precisely to show that even the best human credentials are loss compared to Christ (3:4-8). He concludes they are refuse beside knowing Jesus. Help the group see that the issue is not that these things are bad, but that nothing can rival Christ as the ground of confidence.
- Paul contrasts a self-made righteousness earned by law with the gift of righteousness received by faith in Christ (3:9). This is the heart of the gospel—we are credited with a standing we could never achieve. Reassure members that acceptance with God is a gift, freeing them from the exhausting effort to earn it.
- Paul's one desire is to know Christ, the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings (3:10). He pursues it like a runner, forgetting the past and straining toward the prize (3:13-14). Invite the group to consider what it would mean to make knowing Christ their single aim.
- Heavenly citizenship means we live as those awaiting a Savior who will transform our bodies to be like his (3:20-21). It frees us from setting our minds only on earthly things and gives us hope beyond this life. Discuss how this hope can reorder daily priorities.
- This is a personal-application question. Members may name achievements, status, or security they quietly rely on. As leader, gently invite them to reckon these as loss compared to Christ, not despising good gifts but refusing to let them rival him.