Philippians 3:7 - When Profit Becomes Loss and Loss Becomes Gain

Upto this point, Paul has been describing the things that once gave him greatconfidence before God. If anyone could have boasted in religiousaccomplishments, as we have seen over the last few days, it was Paul. He hadthe right family, the right education, the right religion, the right zeal, andthe right reputation. But then something happened. Paul met Jesus Christ, andeverything changed that day on the road to Damascus. The very things that Paulonce counted as assets, he now viewed as liabilities. The things he once placedin the profit column, he moved to the loss column. Thelanguage Paul uses here comes from the world of accounting and bookkeeping. Itis as though Paul took out a ledger sheet and carefully examined his life. Onone side, he listed all the things he thought would earn him favor with God. Onthe other side, he placed Jesus Christ. When Paul finished his calculations, hediscovered that everything he had trusted in was worthless compared to Christ. Infact, he says, "I have counted loss for Christ." NoticePaul did not merely say that these things were less important. He says theywere loss. Why? Because those things were actually keeping him from seeing hisneed for a Savior. His religion had given him a false sense of security. Hismorality had convinced him that he was righteous enough. His achievements hadfilled him with spiritual pride. The very things he thought were helping himget to God were actually keeping him from God. Thatis why salvation is often so difficult for self-righteous people. The personwho knows he is a sinner is often closer to the kingdom of God than the personwho believes he is already good enough. Jesus illustrated this in Luke 18 withthe Pharisee and the tax collector. Remember, the Pharisee stood and thankedGod that he was not like other men and listed all his religious achievements.The publican, the tax collector, bowed his head, beat his breast, and criedout: "God, be merciful to me, a sinner." Jesus said that the taxcollector went home justified. Why? Because he recognized his need. Thatis what Jesus was talking about in Matthew 9:11-13 when He called Matthew to beHis disciple. Then He went to Matthew's house to eat. The Pharisees asked,"Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?" Jesusreplied: "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those whoare sick. But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy and not sacrifice.'For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance." Myfriend, God cannot fill hands that are already full. As long as we are holdingon to our own righteousness, we cannot receive the righteousness of Christ. Aslong as we trust in ourselves, we cannot fully trust in Him. Thisverse reminds us that becoming a Christian is not merely adding Jesus to ourlives. It is exchanging everything we trust in for Christ alone. In Matthew 13,Jesus told of the man who found the pearl of great price. He went and soldeverything he had to purchase that pearl. That is what we do when we come tounderstand who we are and realize that what we truly need is Jesus Christalone. That is why Paul said, "I have counted loss." Thisspeaks of a deliberate decision. Paulcarefully evaluated his life and came to a settled conclusion. He determinedthat Christ was worth more than anything and everything else put together. Haveyou ever done that? Have you ever come to that place in your life? Today I askyou a personal question: What is in your profit column? What are you dependingon for your acceptance with God? Is it your church membership, your baptism,your good works, your morality, your family heritage? Or are you trusting inJesus Christ alone? The moment we truly see Jesus Christ for who He is,everything else fades into the background. Paul's testimony is simple butpowerful: "What things were gain to me, these I have counted loss forChrist."