To read: Philippians 3:2-12
New Revised Standard Version Bible,Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of those who mutilate the flesh! For it is we who are the circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and boast in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh - even though I, too, have reason for confidence in the flesh. If anyone else has reason to be confident in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, a member of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.
Yet whatever gains I had, these I have come to regard as loss because of Christ. More than that, I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but one that comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God based on faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death, if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal; but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.
copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the
National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.
To think about:
I
walked into her office and was stunned by the number of degrees and diplomas on her wall. There were also citations, certificates and pictures with famous people shaking her hand and smiling. She was given six keys to different cities around the world and a presidential proclamation was hanging there. She noticed I was looking at the awards and she commented, "Oh, that's just my 'I love me wall.'"
Paul tells the Philippians of all the religious credentials, certificates, and great honors which have been bestowed on him in his zeal to be religious. But now he counts them all as worthless when compared to everything he has gained through faith in Jesus Christ and righteousness from God based on that faith.
For Paul the only credential or recognition he needs is the knowledge and faith of being a follower of Jesus. Being that follower no matter where it leads &even to death. The only honor we need is to know that Christ Jesus has made us his own forever.
To pray:
Dear Lord, when I get too full of myself, please direct me to the foot of your cross and guide me to look up. Amen.
Northern Great Lakes Synod Council member
St. James Lutheran Church, Rudyard, Mich.