Showing posts with label righteousness of the law. Show all posts
Showing posts with label righteousness of the law. Show all posts

Wednesday, April 09, 2008

What's your poop?

If you were to tell me what it is that you gave up so that you could have Christ, what would you say? Seriously... what would you say is the "dung" in your life that you had to do away with so you could lay hold of Christ? What have you considered "loss" so that you could have Christ?

I know how I used to answer that question. I suppose I know how many other people would answer the question as well, but for now I won't assume that I know what you'd say. You can answer the question for yourself, if you'd like.

In the meantime, I'd like to offer up what the Apostle Paul said on this issue. What did Paul say was the dung, the rubbish, the garbage, the poop in his life that he necessarily had to give up in order that he may be found in Christ? What did Paul count as loss, that he might gain Christ?

I'll list part of the following passage of scripture (quoting Paul's very own words from Phil 3:4-11) in numbered form as a way to highlight Paul's list of things he counted as dung.
"If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so:

1) circumcised the eighth day
2) of the stock of Israel
3) of the tribe of Benjamin
4) a Hebrew of the Hebrews
5) concerning the law, a Pharisee
6) concerning zeal, persecuting the church
7) concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.

But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish ('dung' - KJV), that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead."
Does your list of things you count as dung resemble Paul's list? :)