My all time favorite passage from Scripture is Phil. 3....
Paul says:
No Confidence in the Flesh
"If someone else thinks they have reasons to put 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; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless."
Paul is listing his credentials basically in this passage. A modern day version of this would be if someone were to say; I was Bill Gates' son and grew up with having everything I ever wanted. I studied at Harvard and have 2 B.A's, 3 Masters degrees and a doctorate. I have about 5 cars, all brand new. And I have never lied to my parents, never done anything horribly wrong. I have always been a model citizen.
He goes on to say, "But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, 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 is through faith in[a] Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. 10 I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead."
Paul states that any credit to his name does not matter in the light of Christ. In Is. God says, "Your righteous deed are like filthy rags," meaning anything good we do that we think we can brag about in actuality is not good. Our intentions are always bent for evil before we are regenerated by the Holy Spirit. Even in giving food to a homeless person, does that not boost your own pride and make you feel really good about yourself? Everything we do has an underlying motive that is selfish and sinful. No deed we do is completely good.
Paul says that he considers these good things about him garbage; in Greek the correct translation would be crap actually. Why does he say this? Because if we focus on our accomplishments and think that will get us into heaven we are actually very far from the kingdom of God.
I loved Kenton's sermon this Sunday at Mariners Church. He said, "If you're looking at yourself thinking, 'You know I'm a pretty good person. I do good things. I think I should have no problem getting into heaven.' Then Jesus would say to you, 'You are very, very far from the kingdom of God.' But if you look at yourself and say, 'I know I am broken. I am beyond a sinner and I desperately need a savior.' Then you are right there. You are where you need to be."
Jesus said, "I did not come to save the healthy but the sick," meaning he came to save those who think they need to be saved. Many people do not think they need to be saved, and so will not be, sadly.
Thus pride comes before a fall. When we exalt ourselves we will be brought low. A good saying for this is, "Bend the knee or have it broken, either way you're going down."
I will share my story about how my knees were broken by God.
In high school I was a bit prideful, a bit arrogant. I thought I had it all going for me. I was always rather attractive so I had no problem getting any guy I liked to like me. I was smart. I graduated with a 4.3 GPA. I was athletic. I was possibly the best shooter on my basketball team. I was a great singer and sang in school assemblies.
But what did all this do for my walk with God? I was close to him in high school but not very close.
It was when I went to college, Biola, a private Christian college, that God broke my knees and humbled me to draw me closer to him.
I did not get asked out once at Biola, well not until a month before graduation. Needless to say that was quite humbling. Any guy I liked didn't seem to be interested in me. I was in Torrey, an honors program they have, and was surrounded every day by people 10 times smarter then I thought I was. I was still a good singer but in the choir at Biola I may as well have been singing with the angels! lol They were far superior to me in how well they sang. I could never have been as good as they were. I was on an intramural basketball team but we lost just about every game we played. It was still fun but also quite humbling.
So God took away my idols slowly and painfully; idols of vanity, pride, success, intelligence, people pleasing, my voice, my athletic ability, everything that I found my identity in.
He stripped it all away so that all that was left was me. And I had to figure out who I was without all of those trappings and masks and faces.
He had to make me realize that HE was all I needed when He was all I had in the end. I realized that nothing else really matters. Only knowing Jesus and falling more and more in love with Him is what matters. Sitting at Jesus' feet and taking in all he has to say is better then anything anyone else could say to me.
Like in Ecclesiastes written by Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, I can say my accomplishments were all just "a chasing after the wind."
The only thing that matters in this life is knowing Christ and being in an intimate relationship with Him.
Ecc. concludes with Solomon saying:
"Now all has been heard;
here is the conclusion of the matter:
Fear God and keep his commandments,
for this is the duty of all mankind."
In the end, that is all that matters.
After all, "Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised." Amen? Amen!
May God strip you of your idols and identities in order to humble you so that you can see Him for who is really is when you see yourself for who you really are.
Like a potter molding a clay pot, pray for him to mold you. It will be painful, but it will also be worth it.
God be with you! May God bless you!
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