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by Sandy Shaw
In Philippians Chapter 3verse 4 onward, Paul goes on to give another aspect to his testimony, as he lists the things he thought which might have commended him to God. These were worthless.
When it came to self-righteousness, it would be difficult to beat Saul of Tarsus. This man had everything going for him – and he found it all vain and empty and worthless and of no value. It was an impeccable pedigree.
Look at this list – tribe of Benjamin – Jacob – Isaac – Abraham. He could go right back to Abraham, and he was named after the first King of Israel - royalty.
If this sort of thing counted and mattered, Paul was more than one up on anyone else! What a pedigree he had – a Hebrew of the Hebrews. He is saying – I was the greatest Jew – it is the same phraseology as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
What emerges from all of this? Put little trust in what you have been.
Saul looked for the strictest sect and joined it. A Pharisee meant business with God. Saul was serious about his faith – whatever I thought God wanted from me, I was prepared to give. This man had it all going for him, but all that he had was nothing. Confidence in the flesh? Nonsense!
Verse 6 – If I saw a rival I persecuted it. Paul had wanted to be rid of us lot! He is so honest and so open as he writes and shares. He then was persecuted.
The hunter became the hunted, after Jesus Christ met him. We read all about that in the book of Acts.
This list may not touch our hearts because we are not Jews, but this would have impressed any Jew reading it. This is what they would have aimed for.
We hear this today in a different form – If anybody is going to heaven he is – if anyone deserves to go to heaven she does – God only takes the best! Paul had thought he had made it until he met Jesus Christ. We meet this today, in the church, and in the business world – they will not rest until they are top of the pile.
Verse 7 – When I came to add it all up – when I came to settle my accounts with God – what I thought were profits were actually losses. Now, that must come as a shock to anyone.
On he goes – I consider everything a loss – strong words – rubbish = shit.
Good deeds can be a great hindrance to our coming to Jesus Christ. Bad deeds can make us feel ashamed, but good deeds can make us feel complacent and pleased and even proud. Bad deeds can make a man take that road that leads to Repentance.
Verse 9 – Paul did not want to have a righteousness that was of his own, coming from the law, and yet, all this is in Isaiah 64verse 6 . All our righteous acts are like menstrual cloths – not our bad deeds – but our good deeds. This is what God said to Israel through Isaiah. Saul had found a better righteousness – and that too was prophesied by Isaiah in 61verse 10 – and Saul found all this in Jesus Christ.
He was called to preach Jesus, as being the Messiah!
Yes – only Jesus the Christ – the Messiah – the Saviour – the Son of God, crucified and risen from the dead – can save and rescue us from our sin and sins.
Verse 10 – On he goes – I want to know His power – the power of the Holy Spirit – in a fuller way. We would all wish that. What a transformation!
But there is another experience Paul is reaching out for – “I want to know more of the fellowship of sharing in His sufferings – becoming like Him in His death.” He knew he still had a long way to go. There is more. This one thing I do – forgetting what is behind – and straining towards what is ahead.
If Paul had not arrived – then neither have we. Paul had an objective – a goal – he was committed to God and open to God.
In the Old Testament the people thought they were all right as they brought their sacrifices – and that is why God had to send them prophets. There are some things we just have to forget after they are confessed and forgiven. It is best to forget them. It is not easy, but there is nothing we can do about them. Then we reach forward for what God has for us – to what Jesus has and even now is holding out to you.
We cannot be looking around and remembering what is behind and past and also straining towards what is ahead and pressing on. It is physically impossible and it is spiritually impossible.
For this practical passage – give God thanks and praise.
“Lord God Almighty – we do give thanks and praise for the truths revealed in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments. Enable us to appreciate every new and fresh revelation which flows through the written word. Help us to accept and embrace all that You have spoken through the written word, even when it is difficult to hear and receive – so feed us and teach us and strengthen us – as we pray in Jesus’ Name.” Amen
Alexander 'Sandy' Shaw is pastor of Nairn Christian Fellowship in Nairn, Scotland. Nairn is 17 miles east of Inverness - on the Moray Firth Coast - not far from the Loch Ness Monster!
Gifted as a Biblical teacher, Sandy is firmly committed to making sure that his teachings are firmly grounded in the Word.
Sandy has a weekly radio talk which can be heard via the Internet on Saturday at 11:40am, New Orleans time, at wsho.com.
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