Roger Thrower

Philippians 3:7-14 - But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.8 What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ….

Garbage – skubalon – dung, refuse
Refers to the things like filth, lumps of manure, food thrown away from the table left lying around, and thing the sight of which would tend to make one vomit. Paul describes his life before Jesus as sickening garbage.

Is there trash in your life?

12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead.

Forgetting (epilanthano)
Epi = turning from one thing to focus one something else. Lanthano = something that is finished, done with, or obsolete.

Behind (opiso) = old, antiquated, outdated, and no longer applicable; describes something that no longer has relevance in your life

Stop thinking about it! Put it out of your mind! Put it behind you, wipe it out, and erase it from your memory. Get it out of your system; quit paying attention to it; get your eyes off of it; be oblivious to it; and forget about it!

Straining toward what is ahead,
Straining toward (epikteinomai) – pictures a runner in a race – running with every ounce of strength to finish the race.