[Philippians 3:1-11]
1Finally, 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. 2Watch out for those dogs, those men who do evil, those mutilators of the flesh. 3For 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— 4though I myself have reasons for such confidence.
If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5circumcised 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; 6as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless.
7But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8What 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 things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9and 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 and is by faith. 10I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.
The title speaks for itself, doesn’t it? Well, in case you missed the connection, here it is: In this passage, the author, Paul, starts by warning people to not become like “those mutilators of the flesh” – people who were teaching that circumcision (a command in the Old Testament as a sign of covenant to God; see Genesis 17) was still a necessary part of being made right with God even though Jesus was in the picture.
This had enormous implications for Paul – most importantly it meant that people were glorying in themselves and in their life for saving and redeeming faith, which meant that they weren’t putting all their faith in Christ. In other words, they were hopeful in themselves.
So Paul says, okay, fine. Let’s say salvation (forgiveness of sins, being changed from the inside out by the regeneration of the Holy Spirit) is based on my works. Guess what: I have some pretty sweet qualifications, but it still doesn’t cut it (see the list he gives in verses 4-6).
Our salvation comes from God, through Christ Jesus, alone (verse 9). Our righteousness, or right standing with God, is available to us through Jesus’ death and resurrection, not our good deeds or titles. And thus we need to boast in Jesus, not ourselves! (see verse 3)
Paul knew this so well that he called the list of things in verses 4-6 rubbish. Now, to me rubbish sounds a little too polite. It doesn’t quite get the point across.
The Greek does a good job: dregs, refuse; any refuse, as the excrement of animals, offscouring, rubbish.
It’s gross!!! Compared to Christ and his surpassing greatness, all of those other things are nothing but poop. Yes, poop. Refuse. Excrement.
Take some time to praise God for the glorious way He’s given to us to be made right with Himself, to have sins forgiven, and new life possible! Amen?!