Paul's Example

I've been studying Phillipians using Warren Wiersbe's "Be Joyful" lately.  The other night I read Phillippians 3:4-11.  Verses 4-6 really are talking about Paul's past and the example he is laying out of how he tried to gain righteousness through works.  He knew the futility of trying to attain salvation through works.  He was a Hebrew of the highest caliber.  He had been circumcised.  He was a Pharisee of the highest ideal that a Jew could hope to attain.  He followed the rules to a tee.  He persecuted any followers of Jesus because he saw them as the enemy of Israel and the Jews.  But Paul found that he was using the wrong measuring stick to measure salvation and righteousness.  He was looking at the outside, not the inside - comparing himself to the standards set by men, not by God. 

How often do we do this?  Constantly I am comparing myself to man's standards instead of God's standards.  It comes so easily to us.  We are surrounded by the standards of men - needing to succeed in this world, needing to look a certain way, needing to get certain grades, needing to get into a certain school, needing to be seen as successful and something to aspire to.  However, these are not God's standards.  God looks to the heart.  He sees our inner desires.  His standards look at our heart, at who we want to honor (ourselves, others, or God), at how loving we are towards others, at how selfish we can be, at how much we want to glorify Him above anything else.  That is what really matters in the end.  A bad grade on a final exam or a missed shot at the big game are not what God measures us by - and isn't that wonderful!  He loves us so unconditionally that even if we fail at "man's standards" we can succeed at God's standards. 

Verses 7-11 continue on speaking of Paul's losses and gains.  Verse 7 speaks on his losses.  Paul lost whatever had been gain to him before his relationship with Christ.  He lost his "religious" reputation, his worldy achievements, his old friends, his old life.  Yet he counted this as gain because of everything he gained after his salvation experience on that blinding road.  Verse 8 speaks of his gain of knowing Christ.  No longer did he just know ABOUT Christ, but he had knowledge OF Christ.  He experienced being a part of Christ's family and having a real relationship with him.  He experienced the peace and love and joy that accompany that relationship.  Verse 9 speaks of his gain of the righteousness of Christ.  Before he had worked toward self-righteousness through following the laws of men, but now he has found the righteousness of Christ bestowed upon him.  Verses 10-11 speak of his gain of the fellowship of Christ. Paul rejoiced in his sufferings that he suffered because of his relationship with Christ.  He shared in Christ's sufferings.  It was no longer about a list of rules for Paul, it was about a relationship.

I think a lot of people see Christianity as a list of rules that we have to follow.  People don't like rules, especially having a lot of them.  I think Paul is a prime example that that is not what being a Christian is all about.  Before Paul had a relationship with Christ he followed rules.  He thought following rules and being a "religious" man would bring him righteousness and fulfillment.  But it didn't  Not until he had a relationship with Christ did he find freedom from the rules.  Christ brings freedom.  Christ does not want us to be burdened down with rules.  He wants us to follow him and to love like him and to make glorifying him our number one desire in life.  When that becomes our top priority, it is not about rules, it is about doing everything we can to glorify God in every thing we do - whether it is telling other about his glorious name or encouraging those around us or living our lives with purpose and joy. 

Phil 3:4-6 -->  4 though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. 7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith-- 10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.