This week we move to the heart of
chapter 3 and the heart of the Gospel.
Have you ever wondered why so many Christians say that the reason people
aren’t Christians is because of their sin?
“It’s the love of their own sin that keeps them from Christ,” they
say. “It’s the love of their own sin
that drives them away from repentance.”
For many this is common knowledge; an axiom beyond question. More than that, it is, for them, the heart of
the Gospel.
Think about the prescriptions that
are given by those who hold to such a view.
The essence of the prescription is this: “Leave your sin behind and
start practicing godly behaviors.” In
other words, “Turn from your irreligious behavior and begin practicing
obedience to God’s Word. Go to
church. Read your Bible. Join an accountability group. Cut ties with the world, etc. Simply put, leave your irreligious life and
get religious!”
And yet, nothing could be further from
the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Indeed, Paul
rejects such talk. The truth is that
such talk was the heart of the false gospel advanced by the enemies of Paul and
Christ at Philippi. Paul knew first-hand
that such a view was devoid of truth and joy.
In fact, the strength of his denouncement of such teaching, here in
Philippians 3, knows few parallels in Paul’s writings. For Paul could clearly see that the religious
are just as separated from Christ and the Gospel as the irreligious. Paul knew that it’s not our “badness” that is
at the root of our spiritual blindness, but our “goodness”. He knew that sin is not the principle reason
why people reject Christ, but their own righteousness. It’s their trust in their own righteous that
leads them to ask, “Why do I need the righteousness of another?” No one understood this better than Paul, for
he himself was once committed to this way of thinking.
You see, what Paul came to realize
is that the irreligious and the religious are in the same boat. Both have a strong sense of control over their
own lives. When it comes to God they
believe He owes them. That’s one of the reasons
you hear so many people, even Christians, say, “I did everything right, why isn’t
my life any better than it is?” The
startling news of the Gospel is that what makes you a Christian is not
repenting of your badness, it’s repenting of your goodness. What Paul discovered when he came
face-to-face with Christ is that his righteousness couldn’t save him or free
him from his misery, only an alien righteousness could do that.
Nowhere in all of Paul’s writings is
this heart of the Gospel more clearly apprehended than in Philippians
3:4-11. We will dig into this text this
Sunday. In preparation for the message, “Joy
in Being Found in Him,” you may wish to consider the following:
1. Why
does Paul cite his own pedigree?
2. Some
have called verses 5 & 6 Paul’s resumé. What is the purpose of a resumé?
3. What
are the five elements in his resumé?
4. How
is Paul’s “goodness” a greater problem for him than his “badness”?
5. What
does he mean when he says that he counts all his gain as rubbish? What is a better translation of the word “rubbish”?
6. Why
does he consider his resumé
rubbish?
7. For
what reason does he lay it aside?
8. How
is righteousness our greatest need?
9. How
is righteousness our greatest problem?
10. How
is righteousness God’s greatest gift to us?
See you Sunday!