WHAT ARE WE BOASTING IN? (ANO ANG ATING NA IPINAGMAMALAKI)
Phil 3:1-14 [7-10]
BACKGROUND
Paul in prison in Rome (Si Pablo ay nasa bilangguan)
The Phil. Church sent a brother with a love gift : (Nagpadala ang simbahan ng regalo pag-ibig sa kanya)
Phil. Is a thank you letter (ito ay isang pasasalamat)
But, in it he mentions the Judaizers (nabanggit niya tungkol sa judaizers)
JUDAIZERS
Paul despised them.
“Dogs,” “Evil workers,” “Concision”
(“Mga aso,” “ang mga gumagawa ng masama,” “Ang mga putol ng laman”)
TAUGHT that being a Christian means RITUALS so people could go to heaven when they die
TAUGHT that people must make themselves ACCEPTABLE to God
TAUGHT you must be CIRCUMCISED and follow Jewish laws and practices (meats, days, times)
TAUGHT a system of “do’s” and “don’t’s” (RULES) so a person could go to heaven
Example: You must be circumcised / Don’t eat meat / You must observe the feasts / etc
We have the same today:
EXAMPLE: You must wear certain clothes / You must read a certain book / You must go to only one kind of church or only ONE church / You must pray a certain prayer / You must not eat certain foods / You must go to church on the Sabbath / etc. WHAT OTHER RULES CAN YOU THINK OF?
WHY FALSE TEACHING?
They IGNORED Eph 2:8-9 (by grace, not by works lest any man boast)
Gal 5:1 (liberty [kalayaan] in Christ)
They BOASTED in their human efforts (saved by works)
Complete OPPOSITE of what Paul taught : The Gospel of Christ
What is the Gospel?
John 3:16; Eph 2:8-9 – Salvation is FREE / by GRACE / NOT by works
Rom 3:20 (“Sapagka't sa pamamagitan ng mga gawa ng kautusan ay walang laman na aariing-ganap sa paningin niya; sapagka't sa pamamagitan ng kautusan ay ang pagkakilala ng kasalanan.”)
Gal 6:14 (“Bagama't naaalaman na ang tao ay hindi inaaring-ganap sa mga gawang ayon sa kautusan, maliban na sa pamamagitan ng pananampalataya kay Jesucristo, tayo rin ay nagsisampalataya kay Cristo Jesus, upang tayo'y ariing-ganap sa pamamagitan ng pananampalataya kay Cristo, at hindi dahil sa mga gawang ayon sa kautusan: sapagka't sa mga gawang ayon sa kautusan ay hindi aariing-ganap ang sinomang laman.”)
1Pe 3:18 (“Dahil si Cristo man ay minsang nagdusa dahil sa kasalanan. Ang matuwid para sa mga di matuwid upang madala niya tayo sa Diyos. Pinatay siya sa laman ngunit binuhay siya sa pamamagitan ng Espiritu.”)
So he says in verse 3:
We worship God in spirit, we rejoice in Christ Jesus, We have NO confidence in the flesh
SPIRIT: NOT any work of the flesh
CHRIST: NOT our works
No confidence in the flesh – abilities (“di nagtitiwala sa gawa ng tao”)
John 6:63 – The flesh profits nothing (“walang napapakinabangan ang laman)
WHAT DO WE BOAST IN TODAY? (To go to heaven; spiritually) / HOW CAN A PERSON GO TO HEAVEN?
Go to church / be baptized / join a certain kind of church / a certain denomination / take the Lord’s supper / pray a sinner’s prayer?
Before, it was circumcision and becoming a Jew : follow their RELIGION
Those are ALL works (if you are boasting in them)!
Ro 3:20 – by the deeds of the law … no flesh justified (“Sapagka't sa pamamagitan ng mga gawa ng kautusan ay walang laman na aariing-ganap sa paningin niya”)
Ga 3:11 – just live by faith (“Maliwanag nga na sinoman ay hindi inaaring-ganap sa kautusan sa harapan ng Dios; sapagka't, Ang ganap ay mabubuhay sa pananampalataya.”)
IF ANYONE COULD BOAST, PAUL COULD (V4-6)
Circumcised : A religious ceremony
Hebrew of Hebrews (Tribe of Benjamin – known as a faithful tribe)
Pharisee : High religious leader
Zeal (kasigasigan) : persecuted the church
Blameless in the law (walang maipupula sa kanya) :
WHAT ARE YOUR SPIRITUAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS?
CIRCUMCISION : Church membership / baptism / communion / a denomination?
PHARISEE : Church position (reverend, pastor, elder, deacon, wife of a …)?
ZEAL: Church Ministry, worship team, church worker, regular attender?
BLAMELESS : Read all of the bible last year / faithfully go to church / always early or on time to church / pray the Lord’s Prayer / have quiet time every morning?
These are all wonderful things, but they are NOT for BOASTING : They are the RESULT of a transformed life (bunga ng isang bagong buhay kay Cristo)
PAUL CONSIDERED ALL OF THESE THINGS WORTHLESS
3:7 – loss (for Christ – “itinuring kong kalugihan alang-alang kay Cristo”)
3:8 – dung (dumi : “itinuring kong dumi ang lahat ng mga ito, makamtan ko lamang Cristo”)
Nothing else mattered to him except winning (getting) Christ; eternal life with Christ (v10-11)
(“lahat ng mga bagay ay inaari kong kalugihan dahil sa dakilang kagalingan ng pagkakilala kay Cristo Jesus na Panginoon ko”)
In fact, it was so useless, he called it “dumi”
Nothing could replace a personal knowledge, walk, and pursuit of Jesus Christ.
(Walang maaaring palitan ang isang personal na kaalaman, walk, at pagtugis ni Jesus Cristo.)
How about you and me?
THE ONLY THING THAT MATTERED TO PAUL …
1. To be found in Christ (v9)
2. Knowing Jesus Christ (v10)
3. Getting to know Him better (v10)
4. Eternal life with Him (v11)
ILLUSTRATION: It’s the difference between:
Knowing ABOUT someone : I’ve heard about him but do NOT know him (Nalaman ko tungkol sa kanya ngunit di ko kilala sa kanya)
KNOWING them : Acquaintance (kakilala ko siya)
Knowing them INTIMATELY : a close relationship (close kami)
High RESPECT : taas ng tingin ko sa kanya
LET’S EXAMINE OURSELVES
1. What are we boasting in for salvation (to go to heaven)?
a. Gal 6:14 – God forbid … glory in the cross only (“Datapuwa't malayo nawa sa akin ang pagmamapuri, maliban na sa krus ng ating Panginoong Jesucristo”)
2. Where are we spiritually?
a. Out of Christ? (kakilala mo lang)
b. In Christ (kilala lang)
c. Close (c/w 2Pe 3:18)
d. Lord & God
PAUL TELLS US TO FORGET …
PAST SUCCESS (BOASTINGS)
Example: Diet = lose weight, then stop and gain weight
PAST FAILURES
Paul did not want to stop; He wanted to keep moving forward
He did not want to rest on his successes (mga tagumpay) or his failures
God wants the same for us : to keep moving forward to the Prize, which is Jesus Christ
Col 3:18 – Heavenly minded (“hanapin ninyo ang mga bagay na nangasa itaas, na kinaroroonan ni Cristo, na nakaupo sa kanan ng Dios.”
He 12:1-2 – laying aside (“itabi namang walang liwag ang bawa't pasan, at ang pagkakasalang pumipigil sa atin, at ating takbuhing may pagtitiis ang takbuhing inilagay sa harapan natin, Na masdan natin si Jesus na gumawa at sumakdal ng ating pananampalataya”)
IF YOU ARE WONDERING IF YOU ARE A CHRISTIAN …
1. Examine yourself – Where are you looking: Christ or yourself?
2. Ask God to reveal it to you.
3. Please talk to me, or Ptr Chris, Elder Noel, Deacon Jomar, or another Brother or Sister here in the church
