More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ
– Philippians 3:8
Although we know Christ alone is pure, it is so easy to accumulate things and not quickly let them go. In the Old Testament, the children of Israel were warned not to hold onto the manna from God, otherwise it would breed worms and become foul (Exo. 16:19–20). Anything that was once fresh from the Lord can frustrate the possibility of having a fresh Christ today. This is why Paul was so strong here. He wanted only to gain Christ. Therefore he suffered the loss of all things and counted them as rubbish.
Adapted from Philippians: That I May Gain Christ by Titus Chu, page 189