“Rubbish” – Philippians 3.8-9

Philippians 3.8-9 – “I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, 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 and is by faith.”

There was one thing that mattered to Paul above all else. This one thing was knowing Christ. Paul was willing to give everything else up. The word that is translated “rubbish” here literally means excrement, or dung. So, what Paul is saying here is that everything is vile refuse compared to knowing Jesus. Knowing Jesus was his consuming passion.

Paul did not just want to know Christ in the sense of knowing all that there is to know about Him, but he wanted to know Him in an intimate way. He wanted to be “found in Him.” Paul wanted to experience union with Christ so that Christ lived through him. When we experience such an intimate and personal connection, Christ becomes our righteousness through faith. We will look differently and sound differently from the world when we know Him and are found in Him.

Nothing compares with knowing Jesus. Paul was willing to give up everything in exchange for knowing Jesus. Are we willing to do the same? Would you be able to honestly say that you consider everything a loss compared to knowing Christ Jesus your Lord? What have you placed before Him? It’s all rubbish. Do your priorities need to change? Let’s together seek Jesus and be found in Him.