"Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe. Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision. For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. 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. 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. 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. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."
In today's quote, Paul described himself as being, and having, for all his life, been, a Jew in every aspect, a Pharisee. He then goes on, in essence, to explain that because of his conversion on the road to Damascus and his faith in Jesus Christ, he had overcome the bindings of the Law and had given himself entirely over to the ministry of the Gospel of that same Jesus Christ.
Paul herein, and again, explained that the righteousness that is required to receive eternal salvation does not come from the "good" deeds that we might do here on earth, but rather, that righteousness comes from having faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, as Paul said, "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".
No human is capable of living a perfect, sin-free life as Jesus did, therefore, because God the Father demands absolute righteousness in His own, Jesus gave Himself as a perfectly righteous offering to die for ALL the sins of those who will put their faith in Him.
Paul also, again, encouraged the children of God at Philippi to, "press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." That should also be our "high calling". We should devote ourselves daily to the spreading of the glorious good news of God's eternal salvation through faith in Jesus Christ our Lord.~
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