All for Christ
1 Finally, my brethren,rejoice in the Lord. For me to write the same things to youisnot tedious, but for youitissafe.
2 Beware of dogs, beware ofevil workers,beware of the mutilation!
3 For we arethe circumcision,who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh,
4 thoughI also might have confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, Imore so:
5 circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel,ofthe tribe of Benjamin,a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law,a Pharisee;
6 concerning zeal,persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.
7 Butwhat things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ.
8 Yet indeed I also count all things lossfor the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ
9 and be found in Him, not havingmy own righteousness, whichisfrom the law, butthat whichisthrough faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;
10 that I may know Him and thepower of His resurrection, andthe fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,
11 if, by any means, I mayattain to the resurrection from the dead.
Pressing Toward the Goal
12 Not that I have alreadyattained, or am alreadyperfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.
13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thingIdo,forgetting those things which are behind andreaching forward to those things which are ahead,
14 I press toward the goal for the prize ofthe upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
15 Therefore let us, as many as aremature,have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise,God will reveal even this to you.
16 Nevertheless, tothedegreethat we have already attained,let us walkby the same rule, let us be of the same mind.
Our Citizenship in Heaven
17 Brethren,join in following my example, and note those who so walk, asyou have us for a pattern.
18 For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping,thattheyarethe enemies of the cross of Christ:
19 whose endisdestruction,whose godistheirbelly, andwhosegloryisin their shame—who set their mind on earthly things.
20 Forour citizenship is in heaven,from which we alsoeagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,
21 who will transform our lowly body that it may beconformed to His glorious body,according to the working by which He is able even tosubdue all things to Himself.