Forget the Baloney

Don't misunderstand the wonderful objective to be good and upstanding and moral. But as Charles Spurgeon set 150+ years ago. Good morals can keep a person out of jail but only Jesus Christ can keep a person out of hell. For by grace you been saying, through faith in me will I meet clear for you, not yourselves is remain pure, contrary to what many people seem to think being good does not save us.

For that we need Jesus Christ it's only through what Jesus Christ did for you that God can look at you with pleasure and we receive the blessing of God's pleasure. By faith, Paul wrote about this in Philippians chapter 3 and were looking at that passage today. This is wisdom for the heart with Stephen Devi.

Stephen is continuing through his series called aiming higher with this lesson that is calling forget the baloney. If you are with us in our last Thursday study.

Paul is severely warned the believers in Philippi of the Jewish false teachers who are wanting to add to grace.

They were all wrapped up so to speak in their baloney sandwich, and they were impressed by what they brought. It wasn't Jesus only remember it was Jesus plus it would be Jesus plus says the religions of the world and I say Jesus plus circumcision Jesus plus baptism, Jesus plus devotion.

Jesus plus good works.

They were trusting in the flesh and and and you may remember the plot minces no words. He calls them dogs because them workers IV volley because the mutilators of the flash proud of their own picnic basket what they could unpack and offer to God does. Next is immediately followed that up.

He still fired up. By the way he is going to call these religious leaders out.

It is a show down of religious credentials.

In other words, let's just let's compare what were bringing to the table apart from grace. Notice the latter part of verse three. The pickup little steam. He says put no confidence in the flash now verse four.

Although I myself might have confidence even in the flesh. If anyone else has a mind to put confidence in the flesh.

I far more with Paul begins to do here is speak hypothetically for the sake of effect. In other words you write if you really want to have a credentials contest. If you want the battle of the resume. If you really want to compare our stuff. Let me tell you what I can bring to the picnic policy to rattle off seven thing let's move through fairly quickly will revisit my morning actually. Let's move through these seven broken into three categories for the sake of an outline. Paul begins. First of all, by taking them through his pedigree. Let's take one at a time. Verse five circumcised the eighth day so fast to loaded introduction to his resume is clearly informing the Philippians and those would read it that he had been born into into a home that honored the Old Testament's parents and follows along the requirement of the covenant circumcising their Jewish baby boy in this case Saul his name before his conversion. According to Leviticus chapter 12 on the eighth day Paul is also in this.

If this is all we knew about him. It would be clear to his readers that he was not a Gentile proselyte who'd been circumcised later after converting to Judaism know he was born a Jew.

He was born into a faithful Jewish home in the very first requirement of the law was met by his parents on his eighth day is it to say I started out at eight days and the writer. Secondly, notice the schism of the nation of Israel.

Israel was the name which had been given to Jacob. After that, all my wrestling match may remember in Genesis 32 we read the account. Whenever a Jew wanted to stress the special relationship to the covenant promise of God to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. They would refer to Jacob's new name Israel, the Ishmaelites could trace their descent to Abraham because Ishmael was the son of Abraham through Hagar. The lights though trace their descent to Abraham through Isaac and Esau, the founder of the Edomite nation was Isaac's son was Abraham's grandson Ishmael and Esau were descendents of Abraham, but they were not the recipients of the covenant promise uniquely given through two and through Jacob later called or named by God. Israel is what Paul is saying in that little phrase is effectively only a descendent of Abraham direct descendent of the want to receive the covenant promise, I send a descendent of Abraham through Israel and by identifying himself as an Israelite. Paul is effectively stressing the absolute purity of his pedigree. There's more. He writes some also of the tribe of Benjamin. In other words, I didn't just ascend Jacob, one of his 12 sons and the tribes would be named after the 12 sons of Jacob II belong to that. What I belong to the elite of Benjamin, Benjamin and I tried produce the first king of Israel. Saul, more than likely Saul. Later Paul was named after the way here of applying the Paul had the right favored treatment even within the nation's from the elite try this with the aristocracy of the nation you study your history of Israel discover that Benjamin was the son of Jacob's beloved wife Rachel Benjamin was the only patriarch of the 12, was born in in the promised land. The Benjamite were known for their courage, their battle cry would be managing Benjamin go first and the words will follow your courageous lead. This was the era of aristocratic tribe of the nation to be like somebody in America today going on one of those sites little genealogical study finding out that they are a descendent of one of the early Pilgrim families that were there would be beneath it. Maybe you've met someone who's a descendent and they told you that there related to a someone famous or wealthy. There there a descendent of Washington. The Washington world or a Kennedy or Rockefeller were Devi just checking to see if you're away. They know no wealth or fame and that our our producer. By the way wisdom for the heart.

Rob Lincoln is a distant relative of Abraham Lincoln.

I think that's just just need Paul is saying if you want to match credential for credential.

I'm off to a pretty good start, Paul adds to the list in verse five the Hebrew of Hebrews what is pointing out, here's telling the fact that he was a Hebrew boy going to Hebrew parents but is more than likely pointing out the unique fact that he spoke Hebrew. There were millions of Jews to live in Paul's day couldn't they spoke Greek.

They were Hellenists. They had adopted agriculture.

They had adopted the Greek custom and they spoke the Greek language not Paul certainly can speak Greek devotions, so to speak. Not out of the Greek translation of the Old Testament known as the Septuagint. He would quote from the Lord, but he could have his devotions directly out of the Hebrew text. He knew the mother tongue is impressive. I spent $200 an hour in seminary slogging through the Hebrew language. I wish I knew what Paul when I turned the Old Testament. The truth is, most Jews in Paul's day couldn't either. I get all back to Nehemiah. One of the problems of needed revival was the fact that the nation no longer understood Hebrew language.

Jacob understand a little bit when the spoke with the couldn't read and translated so there was a wall of barrier, so to speak. And so as we would come along and he would literally read it and translated and explain and expound so they could draw closer to God. Paul is effectively saying that anybody you know explaining the Old Testament Scriptures in the mother tongue to me.

I can I can study the Scriptures by the very language in which God originally delivered the text to press the Paul Nunnally points to his resume and in his pedigree in the second category he refers to his performance.

Notice the last part of verse five asked of the law, a Pharisee, I mentioned them in our last study.

The Pharisees were sort of the Olympic athletes of Jewish culture and holy living in in our vocabulary to call somebody a Pharisee more than likely are calling somebody a hypocrite that wasn't true. This, in this day they were the ones who were not hypocrite, so to speak, and they were meticulously attempting to keep the law in all its nuance all its variations. All assortments one author commented that the Pharisee had reached the very summit of religious experience. We lived back then it would be the Pharisee that would get our attention. You just sort of quiet down when one of those men showed up and listen when they spoke they had. They were pursuing the highest ideal Jew could ever hope to take back the very name Pharisee means the separated they had one name one primary objective in life now is to keep the very smallest innuendo of the law on the ordinance and ceremony Festival in whatever the tradition of the religious system and Paul was among the most dedicated. He was sort of out Pharisee. The Pharisees was advancing.

He was a leader, I noticed the last part of her six tied back to this right as to the righteousness which is in the law found blameless posing saying he was perfect.

What he meant was that he never slacked off. It was clearly his objective to be conscientious and constant in his observance of the law and I was when I came out the living when it came to living every tradition when he came to living out every ceremony and every ordinance and every observance whole never ever took a day off. Paul goes even further. He not only brings up his pedigree in his performance. The last, he highlights his personal passion noticed the universe six as to seal your talk about zeal, a persecutor of the church knows I didn't just believe my religion I was going to hunt down anybody you tampered with it, especially those Jews that he converted to this carpenter, criminal Paul will travel study is live hundreds of miles in order to find Christians and drag them back to Jerusalem and chains and cast a vote for their execution. Paul will later on several occasions openly confesses his past life and tell the church that that he had indeed persecuted the Christians, and it seemed on the road to the Corinthians. I am the least of all the apostles.

Why not fit to be called an apostle. Why, because I persecuted the church of God, but by the grace of God I am today. What I am.

Maybe there's something about your past that haunt you. You think all is what I once did, make sure you don't live there. You move on as he said, by the grace of God I am today. What I forgiven one of my friends and I decided to take an elective typing class for senior year guys didn't take the typing class we were required to learn on both the manual and electric typewriter, and even learn how to use carbon. Some of you don't even know what a typewriter is and you need to thank God for that right now anyway. Okay, but just for fun. Effective is really just kinda more like a prank.

We had to fill an elective now turn our friend Haley sick typing with two guys in excess of 25 girls in strategic thinking as far as we were concerned, but without me trying without even really knowing, probably eight years of piano would help us out.

I ended up typing faster and better than anybody in the class.

60 words a minute without any error.

And now, to my great embarrassment and shame I was being called for to win typing no more you hold your applause. See only boy I never did live that went down for the headphone well I don't know what you've won over the years, but maybe you got some pretty neat stuff thing on your wall.

If Paul could effectively take us into his trophy room, which he has done you just your jaws open… Your amazed he he he he told the Galatians he was advancing EEs moving he's their leader and the highest echelon of spiritual leaders.

If anybody's going to get to heaven. It's that guy. And that's his point is, he moves now to his transition and he tells us his personal testimony. Look at verse seven but whatever things were gain to me those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord while Paul is even further notice.

The last part of her savory as I I count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ disparaging his capacity saying in terms of winning, salvation is rubbish. He doesn't mean nothing's gotta earn Christ. What he's trying to say is that you can't trust in his nationality and his mother tongue.

This is religious devotion in the fact that he was at the top of the class and is here for Jewish tradition, custom and ceremony festival and at the same time, trust Christ can. To put it simply, in the words of this analogy, forget your baloney sent forget you don't bring that to the table and expect God while pulses all of my trophies that I thought were really important rubbish in terms of winning Jesus Christ as my Savior that that your testimony or would you if I had a conversation with you and I have many of these civil Steve and I don't want to have. Why well, let me show you this certificate and let me show you that better than the limit.

Let me show you what I want to limit me show you my devotion that limit me me me me are you trusting Christ alone. The word Paul uses here. I'm a believer, but it would've rubbish would've made the Philippian church probably blush a little nervous shiver crest word is translated.

I think best for the King James translation as dung dung. The term can actually refer to excrement, human waste, it can also refer to food its spoiled food that's thrown away from the table basically put altogether, what it means is a refers to stuff that belongs in the sewer at that in the trashcan. Somebody might say Paul, you're being a little too blunt, I come on back off a little bit your rash to be made a snap decision will Paul I think anticipates that criticism and Zoey effectively says that is again in verse eight I have counted them. I count them but rubbish the word count again is an accounting term. I have carefully read it all out, but I've thought about it. Every phrase was significant. I know exactly what I'm saying into the plus column that I get to the bottom and because of the gospel.

I count it all up and it is rubbish. It doesn't belong at the table, it deserves to be thrown aside spoiled belongs in the trashcan so to speak. As a relates to salvation. Paul now adds to his personal testimony. Here's what I've learned.

Look at verse nine may be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the wall but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith. This is what this is what theologians refer to as the doctrine of imputation is maybe a little tedious on the very quickly to need to understand. By the way our forefathers died in their heads cut off because they believe this doctrine it means to put to someone's account. It means to not merit.

Grace it means to not earn salvation and hours what it means is because looking at is life ledger, and he recognizes that he's actually bankrupt and then he looks over at Christ's ledger, and he sees nothing but perfection and then by faith. He believes the gospel where God the father puts Christ's perfection and imputes it without it being earned or deserved transfers into our bankrupt account and takes our sinful account and attributed to Christ any dies for any paid the penalty for suffering in his death victorious in his resurrection and able to give us his righteousness that he alone can give, and you claim the righteousness of Christ for yourself. Notice the last part of verse nine which comes from God on the basis of faith is in faith plus ceremony isn't faith plus pedigree isn't faith.

Plus, faithfully attending Roman Catholic mass isn't faith plus being baptized in some Protestant church isn't faith plus zealous devotion to whatever your definition of God happens to be isn't faith plus keeping the golden rule were trying to never commit the dirty dozen syndrome is understand the wonderful objective to be good and upstanding and moral. But as Charles Spurgeon set 150+ years ago.

Good morals can keep a person out of jail but only Jesus Christ can keep a person out of hell here's the gospel.

For by grace you been saying, through faith. What is me and let me clear up for you, not yourselves, it is the gift of God not of warrants, look at what I got in my picnic basket because if it was we would all those with what we've brought to the table. It is ingrained in me.

Can you imagine coming to the banquet feast of grace and saying a word. I am so grateful have a bite of my baloney sent my thanks, Paul wrote to the Ephesians we have been redeemed through his blood, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us love that he lavishes his grace upon us.

I like to think of Grace's giftgiving that can hardly wait. Excited God is doling out this offer of grace with resentment, bitterness, reluctance's to lavishes upon its impact is lavished upon us in ways we have no comprehension. He has flooded us with grace this week of what it again tomorrow. Our lives with grace, that we must ask him to allow us to recognize and isn't doing it because our sandwich met the standard, but his son in the gifts of grace and grace giving is probably more evident at anniversaries and Christmas and birthdays. Probably when we get the closest to this understanding because you don't give a gift to your child. Perhaps, or your loved one in list on my card. I did this and this and this and this and this, this and and you deserve he might be thinking, but here you're not writing couple of weeks ago I had a birthday. The exact number of candles is no longer important in a while I receive some cards from folks in the church very kind and sober male summer dropped off and you and it struck me was in every one of them just about every single card I got a picture of the cat warmed my heart.

One person actually sent me a paperback book of cartoons here is the book title caught my attention.

101 ways to use it did. I think that's over the satellite actually I read it for devotions.

Not teasing birthday cards, gifts, Christmas, whatever is given to be repaid agrees for Pauline's clear that that's not salvation either. He offered me Paul effectively says in the place of what I had to offer him stable banquet for and by faith. That is my personal trust in the truth of his invitation. I took my seat. There at the table you by faith.

I sent down I accepted his imitation and you know what soon as I was seated there forgot all about the handle below to begin the fees table of grace. Today's lesson was good. If our standing before God was based on what we had to offer him we'd all fall infinitely short. This is wisdom for the heart with Stephen Devi. Today's lesson is called forget the baloney and it comes from a series aiming higher. Our ministry is rooted in the desire to help you know and understand God's word so that you can live a life of obedience and joy. In addition to these daily lessons. We have a monthly magazine we call heart-to-heart if you don't receive it, please call us because we want to send you the next three issues. Call 86 648 Bible for information. Please join us for our next lesson tomorrow right here on wisdom for the heart