In writing to the Philippian Christians the apostle Paul talks about a particular knowledge that he proclaims surpasses all other knowledge and in fact everything else.

I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,    Philippians 3:8

According to Paul, this is no ordinary knowledge but knowledge worth ditching everything else for. It is interesting to note the things that the apostle considers loss and counts as dung (worthless, fit only for the loo to be flushed down the toilet, gotten rid off and discarded) when compared to the surpassing, unparalleled value of the knowledge of Christ. These were things the apostle Paul had, at one time or another considered worthy and of great value enriching his life and affording him status and recognition. In responding to those who claimed to occupy the moral higher ground in terms of keeping the Old Testament law, the apostle Paul boldly declares, If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more! (Philippians 3:4)

He then continues by detailing his credentials, going down the impressive list on his CV – circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. (Philippians 3:5 – 6) But only to let us down by wiping it all away, deleting it with one stroke of a button in favour of something else, something totally different – But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.

All for the knowledge of Christ which he considered matchless, incomparable to and unparalleled by anything else. He couldn’t even consider all that he had added together of an iota of value when compared to the value of knowing Christ, knowing God. It was worthless, it was as if all of it weighed nothing and was of no value except to be thrown out when placed on the scales of comparison with what he now possessed, the knowledge of Christ.

This is the knowledge that the apostle identified as surpassing all others when it came to value. This is the knowledge that we too should value above everything else and maintain top of the list of our value system making sure we are dedicated to its ever increasing growth and development in our lives.

This is the knowledge that we should give number one place and priority to not only in our Spiritual lives but in our lives full stop. 

Tomorrow we shall have a look at how this practically translates in our lives but in the meantime, let us seek the Lord for a deeper hunger of His knowledge in our lives.