The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my mind and heart in Philippians 3:8-9,
"What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith."
The big problem we all face in this life is that we have all sinned. For those who think otherwise, two commands Jesus gave, the violation of which makes us sinners, will remove all doubt: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." Matthew 22:37-40. If you don't see yourself as failing in these two, may I suggest that the sin of prevarication will suffice. We are all sinners.
We are taught that the judgment of God hangs over all who have sinned, "... the wages of sin is death", Romans 6:23. Eternal death is God's judgment for the sinner. And, since, "...all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God", Romans 3:23, we are all in a fix.
"What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith."
The big problem we all face in this life is that we have all sinned. For those who think otherwise, two commands Jesus gave, the violation of which makes us sinners, will remove all doubt: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." Matthew 22:37-40. If you don't see yourself as failing in these two, may I suggest that the sin of prevarication will suffice. We are all sinners.
We are taught that the judgment of God hangs over all who have sinned, "... the wages of sin is death", Romans 6:23. Eternal death is God's judgment for the sinner. And, since, "...all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God", Romans 3:23, we are all in a fix.
The reason Paul considered his prior advancement in the things of God as a prominent Jew "a loss", is that he discovered a wonderful reality in Jesus Christ. We can all have a right standing with God conferred upon us, we can have all our sins forgiven freely based on one condition: that we embrace Jesus Christ in faith. God's election, his choice, is that all who embrace him in faith in this life will be forgiven of everything. The problem with Paul's former way of life was that he could never be good enough, he could never have a good standing with God through his own efforts. No one can.
Although we may feel that forgiveness is free, as it certainly is for those of us who receive it, it did cost something. God's justice requires payment for all sins. This is why it is said that Jesus died for our sins. His death is a payment applied to our account with God when we embrace him in faith. This results in a right standing with God, "righteousness", conferred upon us. Those who do not have that deposit in their account with God will pay with their own eternal death for sins committed in this life.
How could anyone pass up such an opportunity?!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
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