Philippians 3:1-14
Finally, my brothers,[brothers and sisters] rejoice in the Lord!
To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you.
2 Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh. 3 For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh— 4 though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for 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; as to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law blameless. 7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order 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 comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— 10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
12 Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Finally!
We are getting to what Paul is recording as the bottom line of walking down the road with Jesus.
Paul says he loves this! Let him go on and on about this subject - JESUS.
Then he says - look out for what other people think about impressing their Christianity upon you.
Paul says he put more sacrifice into knowing the Lord than others. Then he veers over into the suffering - not anyone's favorite aspect. This all seems pretty violent, like a dog fight. The Holy Spirit is really saying to watch were the hips move, watching Christian actions going along with the words. The Holy Spirit is telling us following Christ is a personal thing, not Simon says. And I love the reminder of Abraham.
I AM NOT PERFECT!!! Through faith in Jesus Christ - not a righteousness of the law/perfection instead a righteousness from God saying - I believe YOU! I trust You! I believe Your Word! I believe Your promises!
Genesis 24
Now Abraham was old, well advanced in years. And the Lord had blessed Abraham in all things.
We know Abraham had hardships, yet God was in the process of working all things to good.
Genesis 12:3a
I will bless those who bless you
Abraham according to Genesis 24, spent a lot of time looking for blessings and blessing others. Attitudes of blessing and being blessed.
I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Numbers 6:24-27
The Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;
the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.
“So shall they put my name upon the people of Israel, and I will bless them.”
I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
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