My Morning Meal

It seems that wherever Paul went preaching the gospel of freedom, there were those who followed with the “freedom plus” plan. Paul declared that righteousness before God was made possible by faith in the works of Another . . . these others supplemented that good news with an assertion that true righteousness was found by additionally adhering to the commands of the law . . . particularly that of being circumcised. But whether male or female, the implications of this “enhanced gospel” was that the work of Christ on the cross needed to be perfected by a full-out, all-in adherence to the law of righteousness as defined and practiced by the religious elite of the day. Effort was required . . . works were necessary . . . the flesh was key to knowing full acceptance before God. And to this Paul simply said, “No Confidence!”

For we are the real circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh . . .    (Philippians 3:3 ESV)

Paul said if it were about relying on our best efforts then he had reason to be confident . . . born and circumcised of the people of Israel . . . his lineage traced to the tribe of Benjamin . . . a Hebrew through and through. When it came to the law, He had attained the ranking of Pharisee . . . one of the few that graduated through the ranks as a religious scholar of noteworthy potential . . . deserving of the best teachers and tutors . . . evidencing that he had the right stuff to lead from the platform. But even beyond that, he was driven by a zeal like few others . . . so zealous, in fact, that he went after those who preached the heresy of a new way founded on the purported resurrection of the Carpenter of Nazareth. Bottom line, says Paul, “As to righteousness under the law, blameless” (3:4-6).

But at the end of the day, big deal! Through his encounter with Jesus on the road . . . and his time spent at “Paradise U” (2Cor. 12:2-4), being given a one-on-one crash course in the things of righteousness by the Lord Jesus Himself (Gal. 1:11-12) . . . Paul realized that there was no advantage in boasting in the works of the flesh . . . in fact, it could only result in bondage. Instead, Paul deemed whatever gains he had made through the efforts of his self-righteousness to be “counted as loss” . . . a write-off . . . of no eternal value. He had given the works of his flesh a vote of “No Confidence” and instead focused on “gaining Christ” . . .

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 . . .    (Philippians 3:9 ESV)

Oh, praise God that the foundation for my salvation is not dependent on my religious fervor . . . that it’s not measured by my acts of righteousness . . . but that it solely and wholly is founded on the solid rock of the finished work of the spotless Lamb of God on my behalf.

He is my confidence . . . He is my surety . . . He is the one and only reason for God’s overflowing favor in this life and the one to come.

That I might beware of relying on self . . . of somehow resting in my works . . .

Instead, that I might worship by the Spirit of God . . . glory in the Son of God . . . and give unceasing thanks before the throne of God . . . putting no confidence in the flesh.

Amen?

This morning I’m reading in Philippians 2:12-18 and am reminded again that being saved is not just an event . . . something that occurred in the past . . . but it is a process. We WERE saved from the PENALTY and judgment of sin . . . the blood of Jesus atoning for all our sin, past, present, and future. And one day, we WILL BE saved from the PRESENCE of sin when we are taken out of this world to be with Jesus. But for now, we ARE BEING saved from the POWER of sin as we learn to walk in the Spirit . . . refusing the flesh . . . dying to the old man . . . learning to put on the new man . . . being conformed into the image of the Son of God . . . thinking more like Him . . . doing life, more and more, as Jesus would do life . . . working out this new life we’ve been given in Christ.

Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.   (Philippians 2:12-13 ESV)

Work it out . . . pursue the faith . . . learn to let the Spirit run your life . . . figure out what “good works God has prepared in advance for you to do” (Eph. 2:10).

Paul would consider his labor in vain if those he led to the Lord didn’t actually look and live like children of God, shining as lights, and holding fast the word of life in the midst of a dark world (2:15-16). It wasn’t just about counting conversions, but it was about seeing disciples made . . . real, authentic “new creations in Christ.” And so Paul says to the Philippians and to me, “Work out your own salvation.”

Work it out . . . put effort into it! Oh, how easy it is to float. But if I am to become “in Christ” what God has called me to be, it will be accomplished as I determine to work it out. Not that it’s about my power or my capability. No, the work which begun in the Spirit will be perfected in the Spirit . . . the work which was initiated by grace and made possible by the power of God through the cross of Christ will be completed by grace and the power of God through the cross of Christ. It’s by His grace . . . it’s by His power which resides in me . . . but it won’t happen apart from a sincere desire and a holy determination to submit to Him and work it out.

And Paul says it is my “own salvation.” It doesn’t necessarily look like everyone or anyone else’s. God works in me to will and do His good pleasure. So working it out is also figuring it out . . . what’s my gifting . . .what’s my calling . . . where does God want me to plug in . . . the answers may take a lifetime to fully realize . . . but I am to work it out.

Paul says do so with fear and trembling . . . and I think that’s because one day I’ll be standing before Jesus and giving an account for what I did with the “free gift of salvation” He gave me . . . “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil” (2Cor. 5:10).

How we choose to live for Christ — or not — matters . . . so work it out. And working it out is what makes the Christian life so exciting . . . this is what can jazz us about being His . . . as we see glimpses of Christ actually coming through in us . . . as we actually start hearing the still small voice of the Spirit prompting us . . . as we see the hand of God at work in and around us . . . as we fall deeper and deeper in love with Jesus. Not that we don’t experience our failings and fallings and set backs . . . but, by His all sufficient grace, we keep working it out . . .and He keeps becoming more and more real.

Work it out . . . by the grace of God . . . for the glory of God.

The first eleven verses of Philippians 2 never cease to grab me . . . they always cause me to slow down and consider the high calling of humility on the life of a believer . . . and the high example set by the Savior. Because of what I have come to experience as a sinner saved by grace . . . because I have known “encouragement in Christ” . . . “comfort from love” . . . “participation in the Spirit” . . . “affection and sympathy” . . . in light of such unmerited favor from heaven itself, I am to respond in kind (2:1-2).

I am to do nothing . . . nil . . . nada . . . nyet . . . no thing from a place of selfish ambition or ego. In humility . . . in lowliness of mind . . . from a deep sense of my own littleness, I am to put others before myself. While I have a number of things to take care for my own well being, they are not to be to the exclusion of considering the needs of others (2:3-4). Kind of a high bar . . . if there’s any one thing that reminds me that I am a work in progress it’s considering how prone I am to be fueled by self-image and self-consideration.

And then there’s the example . . . Christ Jesus . . .

. . . Who, though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.  
                                                                                   (Philippians 2:6-8 ESV)

Oh, what selflessness! Oh, what sacrifice! Oh, what a Savior!

How could I ever emulate such humility?

So here’s my “aha” from this morning’s reading. In other bible translations I’m familiar with, I’m exhorted that my “attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus” (NIV) . . . that I am to “let this mind be in you which also was in Christ Jesus” (NKJV). But the ESV is a little different in it’s translation . . . and with that difference comes a huge implication . . .

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus . . .   
                                                                                      (Philippians 2:5a ESV)

Do you see the difference? It’s not that I have to start to power my way to thinking like Christ . . . instead I need to start yielding to the mind of Christ which I already possess in Him. The mind of humility . . . the mind that released all claim to heavenly glory . . . the mind that willing accepted the role of bond servant . . . that mind is mine in Christ Jesus. To the Corinthians, Paul writes that “we have the mind of Christ” (1Cor. 2:16) . . . and that mind is the mind of selfless submission and service to others.

Thus, mine is to declare along with John the baptizer, “He must increase, I must decrease.” In yielding more to Him, I will think more like Him. In pursuing more of Him, I will act more like Him. In considering afresh the reality and implications of His cross, it will become more natural to lay down my will for the sake of others. As is so true with the things of the gospel, it is not about my ability but about His power . . . not about my manufactured humility, but about being conformed to His image by His grace through the sanctifying work of the Spirit (Rom. 8:29).

But we have the mind of Christ . . . oh, that it may show . . . in humility . . . in service . . . in a life-directing desire to bring glory to Him who alone is worthy.

Amen?

To say that Paul lived a driven life probably would be an understatement. I’m guessing that, if they had used the term then, he’d have been considered a “Type A” personality. Even before his encounter with the risen Christ on the road to Damascus he seems to have been pretty driven . . . an up-and-comer in the ranks of the Pharisees . . . taught by the best . . . top of his class . . . with a zeal displayed by few others. Take this “natural” wiring for laser like focus and reconstitute the spiritual DNA from sinner to saint and you have a powerhouse, by the grace of God, for the kingdom of heaven.

I’m reading in Philippians 1 this morning and Paul’s single mindedness is so evident. Brothers, he says, I want you to know that my imprisonment is really furthering the gospel . . . the imperial guard and anyone else associated with my situation understands that it is for Christ that I am locked up . . . and beyond my prison walls, many others are becoming bold to speak the word of life . . . sure, some do it as a way of causing trouble for me . . . but others out of a love for Jesus and a love for the lost . . . bottom line is, it doesn’t matter as long as Christ is declared . . . and in that I am over the top pumped! (Php 1:12-15 PPV – Pete’s Paraphrase Version)

Paul was focused. It all funneled into one grand objective . . . one mission statement . . . one over-arching desire . . .

. . . it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death.    (Philippians 1:20 ESV)

At the end of the day . . . whatever happened . . . whatever the circumstance . . . Paul’s fueling passion was to honor Christ in his body. The NIV and NASB translates it that Christ would be “exalted” in his body . . . and the NKJV, which I think nails this one, translates it, “so now also Christ will be magnified in my body”.

The original word is megaluno . . . literally to make great . . . to make conspicuous . . . to enlarge . . . to magnify . . . leading to deem or declare great . . . to highly esteem, extol, laud, celebrate . . . leading to bringing glory and praise. Whatever was going down around Paul his heart’s cry was that it would bring honor to Christ . . . that it would bring Him into greater focus . . . that within Paul’s circumstance Christ would be enlarged . . . that Jesus would be mega-sized.

And, whether you’re naturally a “Type A” or a “Type B” or “Type whatever”, as a believer you can’t noodle over this too long before being stirred to want to be a bit more like Paul . . . to wanting to also be a vessel through which Christ is magnified. I’m no Paul . . . I’m not sure I’d want Paul’s calling . . . nor would I want Paul’s confinement . . . but I am me . . . and I have my calling . . . and I have my circumstance . . . and in that, I too can desire that, with the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ within me, whether by life or by death, Christ would always be magnified in me.

Lofty goal . . . certainly beyond my natural ability to power my way towards . . . but with God all things are possible.

So Father, would you mega-size that? By Your grace . . . for Your glory . . .

Amen.