September 30, 2024
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Reading along with us in Leviticus and Philippians? Here’s today’s reading:
Philippians 3 (NIV)
No Confidence in the Flesh
1Further, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you. 2 Watch out for those dogs, those evildoers, those mutilators of the flesh. 3 For it is we who are the circumcision, we who serve God by his Spirit, who boast in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh—……Continue Reading
Philippians 1
Ephesians 3-6; Leviticus 15-26; Philippians 1-3
There’s no sense boasting in our own righteousness. Any righteousness we accomplish is only by the grace of God and our works are rubbish in comparison to the work of Christ.
Paul warns the believers here in Philippi to be aware of the dogs, evil doers. These are the Judaizers that taught that the believers had to be circumcised to be saved. They were teaching falsely that the people had to have works of the law plus faith to be saved. But Paul disputes this and says that the ones that are circumcised spiritually are the ones that are truly saved. It is by faith alone in Christ. These Judaizers were trying to interfere with Paul`s message that he received from Christ. They were glorifying in the flesh and Paul rebuked them. But first he had to demonstrate how foolish they were being by using his own past as an example. It does sound like he is bragging at first but if it was about how much one did he did more than them. He thinks this is all dung and would rather have Christ. Then he explains how much he would desire to have Christ. He already has Christ as his Savior, but desires to have a closer relationship to Him. vs He once had his own righteousness by works by the law; but now he has a changed heart. He is by faith in Christ now having righteousness which only comes through Christ. For all our righteousness is as dirty filthy rags. Isaiah 64:6b. In verse 10 we have an interesting statement. {That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death. The word ” know “means that he wanted have that closer relationship with Christ. To experience the power of His resurrection. We already have this power in Christ as believers but we need to grasp that we have the ability to overcome resistance through Christ. The ” fellowship of His sufferings” as stated in my source [ The Bible Knowledge Commentary] this doesn`t refer to Christ`s suffering on the cross but to suffer for Christ in speaking out for Christ. As Jesus told His followers; because people hate Him; they will hate you. People don`t want to hear the truth for their deeds are evil. Paul also reminds the believers that he hasn`t attained any of it but he presses on in the faith. He makes a decision as all believers are to forget the things in the past and go forward in Christ our Lord. In other words; not dwelling on the past but looking to Jesus every day for His strength and guidance. How far I know I must grow in Him. Praise be to our loving, patient God!
Philippians 3
7 ¶ But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ.
8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ
Paul relays that there is NO confidence in the flesh, even though by man’s measure, according to the law, Paul measured up. Oh to have that mindset, there is much to fear in the flesh and a desire to control in the flesh, to count it all as rubbish and completely trust Jesus in all matters.
”I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.“
Philippians 3:14 NKJV
Despite Paul being designated for suffering, he didn’t grumble or complain, but joined in: ”that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.“
Philippians 3:10-11 NKJV
Gods plan for Paul included suffering. It is hard to accept that sometimes suffer ing is from the Lord.
”Then Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.” But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.”“
Acts 9:13-16 NKJV
The highest end for all of us is to know Christ in the fullest sense and to have Him working in and through us. To do so we must choose against all those things that would corrupt that process and embrace those things that would enhance it. For the former, we need to see all that we are in our success, ability or status as rubbish if those things keep us from depending on the power of God and not our own, establishing ourselves before Him in His righteousness and not our own. And from the end of the chapter choosing against the flesh that promotes desires that make life about us and not Him. For the things that would enhance it we need to seek Christ in His word and neither grieve or quench His Spirit. We need to be open to God’s will and trust Him for the things He brings us to and seeks to bring us through so that we can further trust and engage Him. How amazing is our God that He would offer this kind of intimacy and closeness and the only thing that can keep us from it is our willingness to seek Him for it.
Relinquish control, trust in the power of God – our rightousness, strength and wisdom comes from Him, not ourselves.