During our 30-stadium MLB tour, we traveled to Canada and discovered something interesting while shopping. Several retailers were more than happy to accept our U.S. dollars. But when we paid by credit card, we often got a much better deal.
Our American money was real money. It had value. But just because a retailer was willing to accept it didn’t mean it was our best option.
That experience reminds me of something the apostle Paul writes in Philippians 3.
Paul had quite an impressive résumé. He had the right religious background, the right ancestry, the right training, and an extraordinary record of religious achievement. If anyone had reason to be confident in his credentials, Paul did.
But somewhere along the way, Paul discovered something far more valuable than everything he had accumulated. He discovered Jesus Christ.
In Philippians 3:7–8, Paul writes:
“But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.”
Paul wasn’t saying that his background, accomplishments, or religious devotion had never mattered. He was saying that none of those things could give him what he needed most: a right standing before God.
His religious credentials couldn’t make him righteous. His moral record couldn’t remove his sin. His accomplishments couldn’t earn the salvation that God freely gives through Jesus Christ.
And that’s a truth we all need to consider.
We may not have Paul’s religious background, but we all have things we’re tempted to count as gain. Perhaps it’s our reputation, our accomplishments, our family heritage, or even our years of church involvement. We may look at our lives and think, “I’m a pretty good person. I’ve tried to do the right things. Surely that counts for something.”
But the gospel reminds us that our confidence before God cannot rest in what we have done. It must rest in what Christ has done for us.
Paul explains that he wants to be found in Christ, “not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith” (Philippians 3:9).
That changes everything.
The Christian life isn’t about building an impressive spiritual résumé and hoping it’s enough. It’s about trusting Jesus Christ, who lived the life we could not live and died the death our sins deserved. Through faith in Him, we receive a righteousness that we could never accomplish for ourselves.
But Paul doesn’t stop there. Knowing Christ is more than knowing facts about Him or simply receiving forgiveness. It means sharing in His life and becoming more like Him.
Paul writes about knowing Christ, the power of His resurrection, and even sharing in His sufferings (Philippians 3:10–11). Following Jesus doesn’t mean we will avoid hardship. Sometimes faithfulness to Him leads us through difficult circumstances. But suffering does not have the final word for those who belong to Christ. Because Jesus has been raised from the dead, we have the hope of resurrection and eternal life with Him.
This is the surpassing worth of knowing Christ. He gives us a righteousness we could never earn, a relationship with God we could never establish on our own, and a hope that reaches beyond this life’s difficulties.
So, what are you counting on?
What gives you confidence that you stand right before God? Is it your religious background, your accomplishments, your moral record, or something else you have worked hard to achieve?
Those things may have value in their proper place, but they cannot replace Christ.
Perhaps today is an opportunity to reconsider what you have been counting as gain. Don’t trust in what you’ve accomplished. Don’t rest your confidence in your religious background or your moral record.
Treasure Christ. Trust in His righteousness. And pursue the surpassing worth of knowing Him.
Because what we count as gain means nothing compared to gaining Christ.
