by Dr. Grant C. Richison
“concerning the Law, a Pharisee”
We have examined four accomplishments that Paul imagined at one time commend him to God. Now we turn to his fifth boast before God.
“concerning the Law, a Pharisee”
There were two wings of religious leaders in Judaism: the Sadducees and the Pharisees. The Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection. […]
Concerning zeal, persecuting the church….
The sixth of Paul s perceived assets is his religious zeal. To prove that he was at the top of his religion he became the foremost persecutor of this new rival religion.
“Concerning zeal, persecuting the church”
The man who wrote half the New Testament was at one time its principal persecutor: […]
“…concerning the righteousness which is in the Law, blameless.”
The seventh and last asset which Paul deeded before his conversion is about his own human righteousness.
“concerning the righteousness which is in the Law, blameless.”
This is a righteousness without God. It is a counterfeit righteousness. It is equivalent to the righteousness of v. 9: “Not having my […]
“But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ.”
In the immediate context we have seen the autobiography of an intensely religious man. Paul has just listed seven accomplishments he thought would commend him to God. He supposed he could gain God s favor by his religion. Verses seven and eight […]
“Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord…”
We have before us the life ambition of a spiritual giant. More than anything else Paul wanted the excellence of the knowledge of Christ his Lord. Initial salvation does not exhaust the person of Christ. Paul has […]
“…for whom I have suffered the loss of all things…”
After deliberate reflection Paul came to three negative conclusions about personal ambition. First he concludes his whole career as loss simply for Christ himself (v.7). Then he considered it loss for the surpassing privilege of knowing Christ personally (v. 8). Finally, he considered his aspirations as […]
“…and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ.”
Paul’s personal ambition centered around knowing Christ fully. He wanted to become Christ centered in his spiritual life. In order to achieve that goal he needed to do something both negatively and positively. Negatively, he viewed personal achievement in a special way. Positively, he held Christ […]
“and be found in Him”
Some people suspect they have committed some terrible sin that precludes them from an eternal relationship with God. By entertaining this anxiety they build their own purgatory. They lose the confidence of their tie to the family of God.
“and be found in Him”
The person doing the finding in this verse is […]
…not having my own righteousness which is from the Law…
“not having my own righteousness which is from the Law”
At death we can never stand in our own righteousness. Our righteousness from trying to live up to the standards of the law will be consumed in the fiery judgment of God’s perfection.
Paul’s “own righteousness” […]
“…but that which is through faith in Christ…”
“but that which is through faith in Christ”
“But” here is a strong conjunction of contrast. In contrast to the law there is another righteousness. There are two kinds of righteousness. First, there is a spurious righteousness, a counterfeit righteousness, a man-made righteousness, a synthetic righteousness, a righteousness of […]
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