Whatever

Philippians 3:3-7 - For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh—though I myself have reasons for such confidence. If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless. But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.

Luke 14:33 - In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.

Acts 9:4 - He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?"

Conclusions:

• The cost, Jesus warned, is complete surrender to Him
• Legalistic righteousness is righteousness produced by using the law as an attempt to merit God’s approval and blessing—a use of the law strongly opposed by Paul as contrary to the gospel itself
• Paul was faultless in terms of legalistic standards of scrupulous external conformity to the law
• To persecute the church is to persecute Christ, for the church is His body

Application:

• Have you surrendered completely to Him?
• Do you use the law in attempt to merit God's approval and blessing?
• Are you part of the church body?

All Scripture verses taken from NIV

Conclusions derived from NIV Study Bible