This is what I read this morning-
Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you. Watch our for those dogs, those men who do evil, those mutilators of the flesh. For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh-though I myself have reasons for such confidence.
If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless.
But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all thins. I consider them rubbish, 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 ans is by faith. I want to know Christ and teh power of his resurrection and the fellowship of shariing in his sufferings, becoming like him in death, an so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.
Not that i have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take holdof that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I don ot consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, i press on toward the goal to win the proze for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
-Philippians 3:1-14
Over the past several days I have been working my way through Galatians and the prison epistles. The heart of Paul is so clear especially as he speaks from his jail cell in Rome. Even in his condition we see him write in Philippians 1:14, "Because of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly." It was because of Paul's imprisonment that the believers were being encouraged. Later in chapter 2 he declares to us that, "it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him."(2.29) So, i guess as i read these words I am wondering where the suffering part comes in for me. I am aware of the fact that man Christians around the world today are suffering and dying for their faith and nothing in my life compares to that. I am pondering the thought that maybe we aren't putting ourselves in the position to suffer. I mean, honestly, how many American Christians really suffer for their faith. I don't even think this is an issue of living in a country where we have religious freedoms at all. I think it has more to do with where we position ourselves. If we aren't suffering for our faith then maybe we aren't being active enough in what Paul calls the "forceful gospel" (Matthew 11:12). Maybe I will develop this more and maybe I wont, but wanted to share this with you this morning.
What do you think about this? How much does freedom of religion play into the whole idea of suffering?....or should it? And if it shouldn't what's the deal in your opinion....
Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you. Watch our for those dogs, those men who do evil, those mutilators of the flesh. For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh-though I myself have reasons for such confidence.
If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless.
But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all thins. I consider them rubbish, 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 ans is by faith. I want to know Christ and teh power of his resurrection and the fellowship of shariing in his sufferings, becoming like him in death, an so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.
Not that i have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take holdof that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I don ot consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, i press on toward the goal to win the proze for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
-Philippians 3:1-14
Over the past several days I have been working my way through Galatians and the prison epistles. The heart of Paul is so clear especially as he speaks from his jail cell in Rome. Even in his condition we see him write in Philippians 1:14, "Because of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly." It was because of Paul's imprisonment that the believers were being encouraged. Later in chapter 2 he declares to us that, "it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him."(2.29) So, i guess as i read these words I am wondering where the suffering part comes in for me. I am aware of the fact that man Christians around the world today are suffering and dying for their faith and nothing in my life compares to that. I am pondering the thought that maybe we aren't putting ourselves in the position to suffer. I mean, honestly, how many American Christians really suffer for their faith. I don't even think this is an issue of living in a country where we have religious freedoms at all. I think it has more to do with where we position ourselves. If we aren't suffering for our faith then maybe we aren't being active enough in what Paul calls the "forceful gospel" (Matthew 11:12). Maybe I will develop this more and maybe I wont, but wanted to share this with you this morning.
What do you think about this? How much does freedom of religion play into the whole idea of suffering?....or should it? And if it shouldn't what's the deal in your opinion....
