Three Looks Of The Apostle Paul

God is not willing that any should perish. After God saved Paul, God used him to show us that we can not be saved through our lineage, or good works.

For example, in verses 4-6, Paul is laying his past life out before us. And, if anyone had a right to boast in their lineage and accomplishments, he had every right to boast.

Look what he says in verses 4-6, we read, “Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.”

Paul was saying, if LINEAGE and GOOD WORKS will save a man, then he had more reason to brag than any other man. However, in verses 7-11, Paul tells us he recognizes, that all these past accomplishments and his lineage are as dung before God.

Look at these verses. We read, “But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.”

In these verses, he is expressing an earnest desire to be found in Christ. But in the following verse, he is pressing on toward perfection, and recommends his own example to other believers.

Look at verse 12. “Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.”

Paul, with all his accomplishments and lineage, saw himself as a man who had not yet arrived when it came to perfection.

So that we can grow in the Lord, let me show you four things we need to look at. We need to-

I. LOOK BACK AND THANK HIM.

Look at verse 13a, “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended:...”

When it comes to the PAST, Paul reveals to us THREE things. Such as-

A. WE SHOULD LOOK AT THE PAST.

Some would tell us that we should not look at the past. But God gave us a memory, so that we can remember things in the past. So evidently, God wants us to LOOK BACK.

WHY DOES GOD WANT US TO LOOK AT THE PAST? Why? Through the years, He has been good to all of us. He does not want us to forget what He has done for us.

Illus: This is one of the reasons His Word teaches us that we should periodically have communion in our church services. He said as often we do this, we are to do it IN REMEMBRANCE OF HIM.

But what is so sad today, is that many have spiritual Alzheimer’s disease, and day after day goes by, and they never remember the great price He paid for their sins, nor how He has blessed them in the past.

WE SHOULD LOOK AT THE PAST, but also-

B. WE SHOULD LEARN FROM THE PAST.

God would have us to LOOK, but God has a purpose in wanting us to LOOK. We are to look, so we may LEARN from the past.

Illus: Do you know the reason I do not stick my hand in an electric socket? Because I can remember a time when I did such a dumb thing, and it sent electricity all through my body. I said to myself, during that hair raising experience, if I can ever get rid of this electric socket, I WILL NEVER DO THIS AGAIN!

Listen, if we could not look back at the past and learn from our mistakes, we would have to repeat those lessons. And there are some things we have learned the hard way, and we certainly do not care about repeating those lessons.

Thank God, He made us so that we can look at the past, and see our mistakes, and LEARN from them. We should LOOK AT THE PAST, LEARN FROM THE PAST, but also-

C. WE SHOULD LEAVE THE PAST.

God would have us to LOOK, LEARN, and LEAVE the past. There are some, who feel they must continue to talk about past failures and sins. They continuously live in the past.