Lesson 14
Assets Or Liabilities?
Philippians 3:4-7
JUST SUPPOSE ... for a moment that it was necessary to turn in a Resume' in order to see if you qualified for eternal life! At some time in our lives' most of us have had to write a personal resume'. Perhaps you were taught in school, or took a special course, or checked out a book from the library, to help you know what to include in your resume' and exactly how to present yourself. Generally, a resume' includes a biographical section, so that the potential employer knows how old you are, and how healthy you are, the size of your family. Then there is also a section which lists your education. A third section, is your employment history. Other things which might be on a resume' are your personal interests, your memberships and involvement in civic, charitable organizations, and maybe even a few references. A resume' is kind of a brag sheet, where you are attempting to put yourself in the best light. You want the job so you want the employer is see that you are a really good person and qualified for the job. You will be an asset to the company. A resume' is not written in abstract terms. It does not say, for example, "I'm a good person who is stable, family-oriented, and qualified both educationally and experientially to handle this job." A resume' is not abstract but very concrete. Instead of saying "I am stable" it says "I have worked for the same company since I graduated from school." Instead of saying, "I am qualified", it says "I have this training and experience." It is not abstract but concrete.
So let's put our qualifications for eternal life in form of a resume', in concrete not abstract language! What would yours say?
The text for our study today, Philippians 3:4-7, is kind of like a spiritual resume'. It is a list of all of Paul's religious qualifications which he was trusting in before he actually became a Christian.
Or, if I could use a different analogy, I might compare this passage to accountant's "Net Worth" Financial Statement. You basically have 2 columns. There is the asset column where you list all of things that you own (house, car, contents, savings, etc) and a liability column where you list all of your debts. You then subtract you liabilities from you assets and come up with you net worth. This passage lists all of Paul's religious assets. Or are they?
Now, the setting of this passage is this... Paul from the confinement of house arrest in Rome, is writing a letter to a church in Philippi. In the course of this letter, he warns them about false teachers who may come their church preaching a false gospel. ("Beware, beware, beware, v.2). In verse 3, he clarifies what a true Christian is and then he illustrates that in verses 4-7.
Now, today, I want us to just follow through the flow of text which I have divided into 4 simple headings: Paul's Reasoning, Paul's Resume', Paul's Revision, Paul's Relationship.
I. Paul's Reasoning, 3:4.
In verse 3, Paul says that the truly saved are those who worship God from within, whose trust is in Christ Jesus, and who put no trust in their own self.
In verse 4, Paul reasons that if anyone had a reason to trust in self in would be him. He is not speaking out of pride but from the standpoint of pure logic. His logic is this ... It would be easy to say that personal assets are not advantageous if you are one of the "have-nots". In frustration or because of envy, you could claim that those things are not advantages. You are more likely to trust in them if you have them. And Paul is one of the "haves", not one of the "have-nots". He has more going for him than most people. "For those who would consider trusting in themselves, I have greater reason for trusting in myself."
Not abstractly, but concretely, Paul is going to demonstrate what it means to confidence in Christ not self.
II. Paul's Resume', 3:5-6.
In verses 5 and 6, Paul lists his assets, his advantages. Basically, this list of seven assets falls into 2 categories, those inherited and those earned.
A. Those Received Through Ancestry (Inherited).
1. Ritual - "circumcised on the eighth day".
Paul is saying that he is a Jew by birth, not a proselyte. He bears in his body the symbolic token of his people's covenant relationship with God. He is Jewish, the chosen people of God. The 8th day was the very day on which God commanded that infant males be circumcised (Gen.17:10-12; Lev. 12:1-3).
Paul indicates that his parents were not proselytes either, they were born Jews. Paul could trace his ancestry back to Jacob and Abraham. None of his ancestors had converted to the Jewish religion, they were all blood-pure Jews.
3. Respectability - "of the tribe of Benjamin".
Ancient Israel was divided into 12 tribes, from the 12 sons of Jacob. The tribe of Benjamin considered themselves to be superior.
a. Benjamin was the son of Jacob's favored wife, Rachel.
b. Benjamin was the only son actually born in the promised land.
c. Benjamin had given Israel her first king.
d. When the kingdom divided, Benjamin alone had stayed true to Judah, through which the line of David continued.
e. The city of Jerusalem was within the borders of Benjamin's territory.
4. Race - "a Hebrew of the Hebrews"
The word "Hebrew" is most often used with reference to the Jewish language. Paul may be referring to his ability to speak the ancient language (Acts 21:40; 22:2) (writing in Greek). Or he may be restating his racial purity, there were no Gentiles in the woodpile.
B. Those Received Through Accomplishment.
The strictest sect of the Jewish religion; the most intensely orthodox the ones who worked hardest at keeping every little tittle of the law; the most strident defenders of the law and tradition, the most devoutly sincere.
Often you can measure a person's zeal by how much they hate the opposition. Paul, before being saved, hated the church because it undermined his Jewish tradition. Thus, he persecuted Christians. Acts 9:1.
Paul had every eternal act of righteousness. No one could find fault in the way he obeyed the law. There was no outward evidence of breaking any Old Testament Jewish law.
Pretty impressive resume'! By right of birth, by right of affiliation, by right of experience, and by right of moral integrity, Paul was impressive!
III. Paul's Revision, 3:7.
But Paul revised his estimation of his own self-worth. The words used in verse 7 come from the world of economics and accounting (gain, counted, loss). The word "count" means to evaluate. We evaluate on the basis of our values. (Illustrations: Indians, Children). There came a time in Paul's life when his values suddenly changed. Those things which once had been counted as gain, were now counted as loss. He had his list of personal advantages under the asset column, and he scratched out the word asset and wrote liability! Those things did not help Paul attain eternal life. In fact, they hindered! They were losses, liabilities. They weren't just neutral, they were negative.
Did you know that your personal assets can actually be your spiritual liabilities? Those things which you think help you attain eternal life, may keep you from eternal life!
IV. Paul's Relationship, 3:7
"for Christ"
The criterion on which Paul's values were now computed was Christ. Paul did not count those things loss for a new religion but for a person, Jesus Christ! Eternal life does not come from religion but from a relationship with Jesus Christ. We are not saved by human achievement but by grace through faith in Jesus Christ!
Aren't you glad that we do not attain eternal life on the basis of our resume'!? Examine yourself. Where are your spiritual values? Make sure that you are not trusting in yourself, but resting in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.