8.10 Paul gave up self-righteousness of the law in exchange for God’s righteousness through faith
Last week, we said that Israel rejected the righteousness of God through Christ because they sought to establish their own righteousness through the law.
Today, we look at the remarkable life of Saul (later the apostle Paul). His life is a story which contrasts between the two kinds of righteousness.
First, like Israel, he was zealous to establish his self-righteousness through the law. He pursued the law beyond his peers to the extent that he persecuted the church. He saw the church as a threat to the law of God. He saw Christ as the law-breaker who had been crucified. He was blameless concerning the righteousness which is of the law.
Then while he was on a mission to persecute the church, he had an encountered the Lord Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus. Despite his good intentions, He realized that he has been pursuing the wrong kind of righteousness – his own righteousness that is of the law.
He was transformed by Christ. He then thrashed all that he had lived for – the pursuit of righteousness of the law. He counted them loss for Christ. He counted his self-righteousness of the law as rubbish – that he may gain Christ and be found in Him. He only wanted the righteousness which is from God by faith.
(Phil 3:4-9)
If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so: 5 circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; 6 concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the RIGHTEOUSNESS WHICH IS OF THE LAW, blameless.
7 But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. 8 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, that I may gain Christ 9 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…
It was a dramatic change. The man who sought to destroy the church ended up as the greatest apostle of the Church. The man who was most zealous for the law, now became the apostle who was most zealous for Christ. In fact, God used him to write the book of Romans – which explains what Christianity is all about.
Today, like Paul, God wants us to consider as rubbish all that we have attained through the law – all our self-confidence of the flesh and self-righteousness. He wants us to gain Christ, to depend on Christ, and to put our faith in His righteousness alone.
Today, we look at the remarkable life of Saul (later the apostle Paul). His life is a story which contrasts between the two kinds of righteousness.
First, like Israel, he was zealous to establish his self-righteousness through the law. He pursued the law beyond his peers to the extent that he persecuted the church. He saw the church as a threat to the law of God. He saw Christ as the law-breaker who had been crucified. He was blameless concerning the righteousness which is of the law.
Then while he was on a mission to persecute the church, he had an encountered the Lord Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus. Despite his good intentions, He realized that he has been pursuing the wrong kind of righteousness – his own righteousness that is of the law.
He was transformed by Christ. He then thrashed all that he had lived for – the pursuit of righteousness of the law. He counted them loss for Christ. He counted his self-righteousness of the law as rubbish – that he may gain Christ and be found in Him. He only wanted the righteousness which is from God by faith.
(Phil 3:4-9)
If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so: 5 circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; 6 concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the RIGHTEOUSNESS WHICH IS OF THE LAW, blameless.
7 But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. 8 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, that I may gain Christ 9 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…
It was a dramatic change. The man who sought to destroy the church ended up as the greatest apostle of the Church. The man who was most zealous for the law, now became the apostle who was most zealous for Christ. In fact, God used him to write the book of Romans – which explains what Christianity is all about.
Today, like Paul, God wants us to consider as rubbish all that we have attained through the law – all our self-confidence of the flesh and self-righteousness. He wants us to gain Christ, to depend on Christ, and to put our faith in His righteousness alone.
posted by Joshua Lye @ 11:07 PM
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