Philippians 3:4 - Meaning and Application

The apostle here presents himself as an example of trusting in Christ alone, not in his Jewish privileges. No one should think he dismissed these things because he did not have them. If a person wanted to boast in human advantages, Paul had as much reason as anyone, and more: “If anyone else thinks he has grounds to put confidence in the flesh, I have more” (Philippians 3:4).

He had every privilege a proud Jew could claim. He was not a convert from another nation, but a native Israelite, from the tribe of Benjamin, one of the most honored tribes. Benjamin was the favored son, and his tribe stayed loyal to Judah when the other tribes broke away. Paul was also a “Hebrew of Hebrews,” meaning his family line stayed fully Jewish, with no mixed Gentile ancestry.

He could also boast of his place in the covenant community, since he was circumcised on the eighth day, exactly as the law required. That means he received the covenant sign in his flesh at the appointed time. For learning, he was a Pharisee, trained under Gamaliel, a well-known teacher of the law (Acts 22:3). He was the son of a Pharisee too, and he lived by the strictest form of Jewish religion (Acts 23:6; Acts 26:5).

Paul also had a blameless outward life, as far as the Pharisees’ reading of the law went. In terms of outward conduct, no one could point to a clear violation of the law’s letter. He was also very active for his religion. He did not only profess it as a Pharisee, he persecuted those he thought were its enemies: “zealous for God,” and he even pursued this way to death (Acts 22:3-4).

All of this would have given a proud Jew great confidence, and it was enough to make someone think he could stand before God on that basis. But Paul says he now counts all of it as loss compared with Christ: “What things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ” (Philippians 3:7). He means that what once seemed like profit, he now sees as a loss if it keeps him from Christ.

Paul was not urging others to do what he had not done himself. He had already given up what he was speaking about, and he had already staked his soul on Christ. He says, “I count all things as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord” (Philippians 3:8). He wanted a real, living knowledge of Christ as Lord, not just facts about him.

That knowledge is far better than all human wisdom or religious privilege. The gospel fits the need of fallen sinners, and it gives everything needed for saving wisdom and grace. Paul says he still counts all things as loss. He is not speaking only of his Jewish advantages, but of everything that could compete with Christ for first place in his heart.

He had already lived this way in practice. He says, “For whom I have suffered the loss of all things” (Philippians 3:8). He gave up his honors and advantages as a Jew and Pharisee, and he accepted the shame and suffering that came with preaching the gospel. When he entered the Christian life, he risked everything for Christ.

He even calls all those former gains “dung,” meaning refuse or waste thrown away for dogs. They are not only less valuable than Christ, they are utterly worthless when compared with him. Still, the New Testament never speaks lightly about saving grace. It presents grace as the work of God’s Spirit, the image of God in the soul, a divine nature, and God’s seed within us. That is why faith is called “precious faith,” and meekness is described as very valuable in God’s sight (1 Peter 3:4; 2 Peter 1:1).