Lesson 2112

(Lesson 2112)(09-17-17)  Philippians 3:1-14
    “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 annot 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: y 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 warned the Philippians to “beware of dogs”. He used the term “dogs” to defined the Jews who were constantly trying to kill him and destroy the efforts of all the original Christians.
    Paul then went on to express that he himself was a Jew in every respect, even to the point of being a perfect Jew before God because he, unlike those whom he referred to as “dogs”, had accepted the righteousness of Lord Jesus Christ crucified instead of trying to attain righteousness by himself through adherence to the rules of the Law.
     Paul said that he now counted all the things that he had done, as a Jew under commandment of the law, to be as useless as human waste. Paul said of himself, “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”.
    Sadly, the vast majority of so-called Christian world still adheres to the old traditional Jewish contention that righteousness can only be attained by “good works”, or absolute adherence to the old law. Few truly understant that all the elements of the old law were fulfilled by Jesus Christ when He arose from the grave, thereby exempting all those who will believe in Him from the requirement of righteousness through “good works”.~