All for Christ
1 Finally, my brethren, 1 Thess. 5:16rejoice in the Lord. For me to write the same things to you is not tedious, but for you itis safe.
2 Ps. 22:16, 20; Gal. 5:15; Rev. 22:15Beware of dogs, beware of Ps. 119:115evil workers, Rom. 2:28beware of the mutilation! 3 For we are Deut. 30:6; Rom. 2:28, 29; 9:6; (Gal. 6:15)the circumcision, John 4:24; Rom. 7:6who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh, 4 though 2 Cor. 5:16; 11:18I also might have confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I 2 Cor. 11:22, 23more so: 5 circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, Rom. 11:1of the tribe of Benjamin, 2 Cor. 11:22a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, Acts 23:6a Pharisee; 6 concerning zeal, Acts 8:3; 22:4, 5; 26:9–11persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.
7 But Matt. 13:44what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. 8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss Is. 53:11; Jer. 9:23; John 17:3; 1 Cor. 2:2; (Eph. 4:13)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 9 and be found in Him, not having Rom. 10:3my own righteousness, which is from the law, but Rom. 1:17that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; 10 that I may know Him and the Eph. 1:19, 20power of His resurrection, and (Rom. 6:3–5); 2 Cor. 1:5; 1 Pet. 4:13the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, 11 if, by any means, I may Acts 26:6–8; (1 Cor. 15:23; Rev. 20:5)attain to the resurrection from the dead.
Pressing Toward the Goal
12 Not that I have already 1 Cor. 9:24; (1 Tim. 6:12, 19)attained, or am already Heb. 12:23perfected; 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 thing Ido,Luke 9:62forgetting those things which are behind and Heb. 6:1reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 2 Tim. 4:7I press toward the goal for the prize of Heb. 3:1the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
15 Therefore let us, as many as are Matt. 5:48; 1 Cor. 2:6mature, Gal. 5:10have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, Hos. 6:3; James 1:5God will reveal even this to you. 16 Nevertheless, to thedegree that we have already attained, Gal. 6:16let us walk Rom. 12:16; 15:5by the same rule, let us be of the same mind.
Our Citizenship in Heaven
17 Brethren, (1 Cor. 4:16; 11:1); Phil. 4:9join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as Titus 2:7, 8; 1 Pet. 5:3you have us for a pattern. 18 For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, thattheyareGal. 1:7the enemies of the cross of Christ: 19 2 Cor. 11:15whose end is destruction, 1 Tim. 6:5whose god istheir belly, and Hos. 4:7whose glory is in their shame—Rom. 8:5; Col. 3:2who set their mind on earthly things. 20 For Eph. 2:6, 19; Phil. 1:27; (Col. 3:1; Heb. 12:22)our citizenship is in heaven, Acts 1:11from which we also 1 Cor. 1:7eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 (1 Cor. 15:43–53)who will transform our lowly body that it may be 1 John 3:2conformed to His glorious body, Eph. 1:19according to the working by which He is able even to (1 Cor. 15:28)subdue all things to Himself.