Therefore I exhort you, be imitators of me

 Good morning. Skipping a number of verses: rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things again is no trouble to me, and it is a safeguard for you. There are too many believers who are always looking for something brand-new. If they are not getting something brand-new, never heard before, they move on to some other church. It's OK to hear something more than once. In fact it helps to seal it into your memory. They keep getting that "milk to drink" because they have not put into practice what they've already heard. You are also in danger of believing some error simply because you're looking for that brand-new thing – that new knowledge that the Gnostics we're looking for. Paul warns them to beware of the false circumcision. Similarly we are to beware of false believers. They can cause all kinds of strife and dissension in a church. But we are the true circumcision – who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh. Are you a true believer – then you should be worshiping in the Spirit of God. Paul then tells them about his pedigree. And yet he counted that all as loss for the sake of Christ. No matter who we are or what we have done on our own, only who we are and have done in Christ means anything. That we may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of our own but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith. As we've said before, if we could do it on our own, then we would not have needed Christ to die for our sins. Our righteousness is as filthy rags. Father thank You that the reader rejoices in You. He/she worships in Your Spirit and is righteous in You.