"His Gift" -4

"I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ my Lord!!!" This is Paul's statement within the expression of the power of Jesus Christ compared to the power of his stature and gains (exclamations added). "The excellency of the knowledge", is debatable as to exactly what Paul is saying; if you do not consider the whole context of what points are being brought out. First off, Paul is speaking about rejoicing in Jesus Christ, not in works of the flesh; which he refers to as: "For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit , and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh." (Philippians 3:3) At first glance, our natural tendency is to make the "spirit" into the 'Spirit', as to assume that Paul is talking about our worship of God in the Holy Spirit; however, Paul is referring to our mind, or our rational spirit. What he is talking about here is the seat of our affections, emotions and passions; which are to be brought in line with our understanding that we spiritually helpless. It is then that we can begin to see Paul's point in "The excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ", because without Jesus Christ, we are broken and helpless, in every way. And the knowledge which Paul is speaking of, is the kind of knowledge which is established by the power of knowing; which takes us to greater understanding of who God is, and what He has done for us. Then, when we look at the word "excellency", we see a word that means 'far Superior', depicting the deity and the Lordship of who Jesus Christ is, of which Paul referrers to Him as, "My Lord". The word "Lord" used here is equivalent to the Old Testament word 'Jehovah', of which, the Watch Tower Tract Society has changed all the words 'Lord' listed in the Old Testament to 'Jehovah' where they are attributed to God. I find this very interesting, considering what the word 'Jehovah' actually is translated to mean 'The Lord'. Therefore; it really does not matter what you might think today about who Jesus is, because, "That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and in earth, and things under the earth; and every tongue should confess the Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father". (Philippians 2:10 & 11) So, whether you like it or not, Jesus Christ is Jehovah!!!!