St. Paul's Salvation

vm1445What things were of gain to me – these I have counted as loss for Christ. Indeed, I count all things as loss for 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 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.

Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus (Phillipians 3:7-14).

About Fr. Stephen Freeman

Fr. Stephen is a priest of the Orthodox Church in America, Pastor Emeritus of St. Anne Orthodox Church in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. He is also author of Everywhere Present and the Glory to God podcast series.



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4 responses to “St. Paul's Salvation”

  1. zoe Avatar
    zoe

    Father Bless,

    Thank you for reminding us of St. Paul’s words regarding Salvation.

    Zoe

  2. isaac8 Avatar
    isaac8

    Fr. Stephen,

    I thought I once read that the word translated as “rubbish” in that text is a very strong word in Greek equivalent to us using a four letter word, but I may be mistaken. It would seem that the tone would match that sentiment, however.

  3. fatherstephen Avatar

    You’re correct about the Greek. We would scandalize everyone if St. Paul were translated literally.

  4. Doug C. Avatar
    Doug C.

    Father Stephen,
    Thank you for posting the words of St. Paul. As a former protestant I struggled with this passage, now as I become Orthodox it makes great sense.

    Doug

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