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The Daily Word of Righteousness
Saved by Faith Alone?, #15
Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win [gain] 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: (Philippians 3:8,9)
Paul's Attitude Toward the Christian Redemption
The Apostle Paul came to regard every one of his accomplishments in the Law as so much trash. This remarkable individual was able in his lifetime to discard all that had been the basis for his hope of God's blessing. He let it all go that he might look up from the Torah and embrace Christ, and come to know the righteousness that is of God by faith in Christ. Paul understood that he who possesses Christ possesses all that God Is and all that God has created.
The Apostle Paul, the Hebrew of the Hebrews, had been very zealous to obey all the aspects of the Law of Moses.
And profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers. (Galatians 1:14)
Why had Saul of Tarsus been so zealous of the Law of Moses? Because he was seeking righteousness.
We will never understand Paul's epistles until we see them from the standpoint of a person seeking righteousness.
O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? (Romans 7:24)
From the context of the above verse we know Paul was not seeking to die so he could go to Heaven to live in a mansion. Neither was he hoping to be free from the aches and pains of an aging body or from the rigors of persecution or Roman imprisonment. Rather, Paul was hoping for release from the body of sin that was dwelling in his flesh so he could behave in a righteous manner.
The answer to Paul's cry for deliverance from the bondage of sin is found a few verses later.
And not only they [the material creation], but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. (Romans 8:23)
In the verse above, Paul reveals that if we persevere in cooperating with the Spirit of God the hour will come when God adopts our mortal body. How will God adopt our mortal body? By redeeming it from indwelling sin.
Here is Paul's crown of righteousness—a body liberated from the compulsion of sin. Now this righteous Jew can serve God with a spirit, soul, and body that have been totally delivered from sin. Now Paul is a candidate for the fullness of eternal life.
In the Old Testament the reward for righteous behavior was life. But life under those conditions was viewed as healthy physical life accompanied by material prosperity. Eternal life, the Life of God in Christ, is the unique message of the Lord Jesus and His Apostles.
To be continued.