Post by Deleted on Nov 18, 2020 17:28:01 GMT -5
False Confidence By: Glenn Packiam
Click on this link for the audio message
I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things.
Philippians 3:8
Today's Scripture & Insight:
Philippians 3:2–8
A few years ago, my doctor gave me a stern talk about my health. I took his words to heart and began going to the gym and adjusting my diet. Over time, both my cholesterol and my weight went down, and my self-esteem went up. But then something not so good happened: I began noticing other people’s dietary choices and judging them. Isn’t it funny that often when we find a scoring system that grades us well, we use it to lift ourselves up and put others down. It seems to be an innate human tendency to cling to self-made standards in an attempt to justify ourselves—systems of self-justification and guilt-management.
Paul warned the Philippians about doing such things. Some were putting their confidence in religious performance or cultural conformity, and Paul told them he had more reason to boast of such things: “If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more” (3:4). Yet Paul knew his pedigree and performance was “garbage” compared to “knowing Christ” (v. 8). Only Jesus loves us as we are, rescues us, and gives us the power to become more like Him. No earning required; no scorekeeping possible.
Boasting is bad in itself, but a boast based on false confidence is tragic. The gospel calls us away from misplaced confidence and into communion with a Savior who loves us and gave Himself for us.
Reflect & Pray
What would it look like to trust in God’s grace today? How can you live and work from a place of rest and trust in His love for you?
Dear Jesus, thank You for Your love for me. I set aside the scorecards of self-justification. Those are misguided grounds of confidence.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
To call someone a “dog” was a terrible insult for a Jewish person to make, yet Paul applies it to those who rely on religious rules to make themselves righteous (Philippians 3:2). The rule in view here is circumcision, a physical sign of God’s covenant with His people. God implemented this practice as part of His covenant with Abram (Abraham) to make a great nation of his offspring (Genesis 17:9-14). Circumcision was “the sign of the covenant” between God and His people (v. 11), but it was only an outward sign. Moses, Jeremiah, and Paul said that God’s people are to be “circumcised in heart” (see Deuteronomy 10:16; Jeremiah 9:25-26; Romans 2:28-29). This is what God meant when He told Abram to “keep my covenant” (Genesis 17:9). Paul wrote, “Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is the new creation” (Galatians 6:15) that we become by placing our faith in Christ. Tim Gustafson
Philippians 3:2-8
King James Version
2 Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision.
3 For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.
4 Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more:
5 Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;
6 Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.
7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.
8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,
Click on this link for the audio message
I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things.
Philippians 3:8
Today's Scripture & Insight:
Philippians 3:2–8
A few years ago, my doctor gave me a stern talk about my health. I took his words to heart and began going to the gym and adjusting my diet. Over time, both my cholesterol and my weight went down, and my self-esteem went up. But then something not so good happened: I began noticing other people’s dietary choices and judging them. Isn’t it funny that often when we find a scoring system that grades us well, we use it to lift ourselves up and put others down. It seems to be an innate human tendency to cling to self-made standards in an attempt to justify ourselves—systems of self-justification and guilt-management.
Paul warned the Philippians about doing such things. Some were putting their confidence in religious performance or cultural conformity, and Paul told them he had more reason to boast of such things: “If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more” (3:4). Yet Paul knew his pedigree and performance was “garbage” compared to “knowing Christ” (v. 8). Only Jesus loves us as we are, rescues us, and gives us the power to become more like Him. No earning required; no scorekeeping possible.
Boasting is bad in itself, but a boast based on false confidence is tragic. The gospel calls us away from misplaced confidence and into communion with a Savior who loves us and gave Himself for us.
Reflect & Pray
What would it look like to trust in God’s grace today? How can you live and work from a place of rest and trust in His love for you?
Dear Jesus, thank You for Your love for me. I set aside the scorecards of self-justification. Those are misguided grounds of confidence.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
To call someone a “dog” was a terrible insult for a Jewish person to make, yet Paul applies it to those who rely on religious rules to make themselves righteous (Philippians 3:2). The rule in view here is circumcision, a physical sign of God’s covenant with His people. God implemented this practice as part of His covenant with Abram (Abraham) to make a great nation of his offspring (Genesis 17:9-14). Circumcision was “the sign of the covenant” between God and His people (v. 11), but it was only an outward sign. Moses, Jeremiah, and Paul said that God’s people are to be “circumcised in heart” (see Deuteronomy 10:16; Jeremiah 9:25-26; Romans 2:28-29). This is what God meant when He told Abram to “keep my covenant” (Genesis 17:9). Paul wrote, “Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is the new creation” (Galatians 6:15) that we become by placing our faith in Christ. Tim Gustafson
Philippians 3:2-8
King James Version
2 Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision.
3 For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.
4 Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more:
5 Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;
6 Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.
7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.
8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,