The Losses And Gains Of Knowing Christ Series

Introduction

In the 1730’ s in England, a young man named George Whitefield desperately wanted to be right before God. As a student at Oxford, he was part of the Holy Club, along with John and Charles Wesley. The members of that club rose early every day for lengthy devotions. They disciplined themselves so as not to waste a minute of the day. They wrote a diary every night in which they examined and condemned themselves for any fault during that day. They fasted each Wednesday and Friday and set aside Saturday as a sabbath to prepare for the Lord’s Day on Sunday. They took communion each Sunday. They tried to persuade others to attend church and to refrain from evil. They visited the prisons and gave money to help the inmates and to provide for the education of their children. Whitefield nearly ruined his health by going out in cold weather and lying prostrate before God for hours, crying out for deliverance from sin and Satan. For seven weeks he was sick in bed, confessing his sins and spending hours praying and reading his Greek New Testament. Yet, by his own admission, he was not saved, because he was trusting in all these things to save him. Finally, “in a sense of utter desperation, in rejection of all self-trust, he cast his soul on the mercy of God through Jesus Christ, and a ray of faith, granted him from above, assured him he would not be cast out” The burden of his sins was lifted, he was filled with joy, and he went on to become the great evangelist used of God in the First Great Awakening.

Thankfully we do not all have to go through the agony of soul that George Whitefield went through. But we must all come to the same place he did, where we throw overboard as worthless all trust in human merit and cling to the Lord Jesus Christ as our only basis for acceptance with God. If we lose all our pride and self-trust in exchange for Christ and His grace, we gain everything!

That is what Paul is saying in this passage. Trusting in Christ and our good works for salvation is not trusting in Christ at all. We have to give everything up as far as our good works, our religion, our morality in order to receive Christ as our Savior.

If ever there was a person who could be right with God on the basis of keeping the Jewish law, it was Paul himself. He had the credentials by birth; he had the track record by experience. But on the Damascus Road he came to realize that all those things he was counting on for right standing with God were worthless. He threw them all on the trash heap and laid hold of Christ through faith.

What Paul lost

In verses 4-6, Paul talks about the things he must not put confidence in. This list is strikingly relevant today as many continue to put confidence in these areas to earn favor with God. Paul had an even better pedigree than the Judaizers and seems to be challenging them to a showdown, saying that he can match and even excel any human goodness they want to glory in as the basis for right standing with God.

First, Paul mentions ritual. Paul had been circumcised as a child eight days after his birth, which was in accordance with the Jewish law. The Judaizers were teaching that one must be circumcised to be saved, but Paul’s argument is that no one can put confidence in any religious ritual to earn favor with God.

Secondly, Paul mentions his rank, he was from the tribe of Benjamin. He was a blood-born citizen of the covenant nation of Israel, specifically of the tribe of Benjamin, in whose territory was the holy city Jerusalem. This was the tribe that provided the first king (which Paul was named after apparently) and later remained with the tribe of Judah in the southern kingdom when the northern tribes broke away. However, Paul concludes that this didn’t help him gain salvation.

Thirdly, Paul mentions his race - Hebrew of the Hebrews. This term points both to his lineage and language. Both of his parents were thoroughly Jewish and Paul had not began to speak the Greek language as so many Jews had begun to do. He was still speaking Hebrew.

Fourthly, Paul mentions his religion. Paul had become a Pharisee, the strictest sect of Judaism. They sought to obey the Law in the most scrupulous manner possible, down to tithing even their table spices (Matt. 23: 23). Also, as a Pharisee, Paul was zealous to persecute the Christians, whom he viewed as rejecting the Mosaic Law.

Fifthly, Paul mentions his righteousness. As to the righteousness which is in the Law, that is, outward obedience, you couldn’t have found any violation with Paul.