Do you want to gain your soul? Then consider all else as “a loss for Christ.” (v. 7) It is simple to read or say, but costly in practice. This is how it should be, for something so valuable. What is it that sticks out the most? “The excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus” as Lord. (v. 8) Two things stand out – first knowledge of Christ Jesus,” with the end of knowing Him as Lord. One cannot have a saved soul by the Saviour without repenting by confessing Him as Lord. Paul understood this costly discipleship. One must indeed ‘suffer’ with the losses. Anyone who says they do not suffer losses is lying to others, and possibly to themselves. 

To gain Christ means to be “found in Him.” (v. 9) Note well, if we find Him, it is only because he first ‘found’ us. What the Father ‘finds’ is the righteousness of Christ in our stead, and this is a declaration that we are justified – ‘just-as-if-I-died’, and rose again. This impacts how we live (II Cor. 5:15). “Likewise, you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom. 6:11) There will be a time for the reckoning of every human being conceived – make sure you reckon with Him now. We are “justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by works of the law no flesh shall be justified.” (Gal. 2:16)