A Faith Worth Having

If you have your bibles open up to Philippians 3:1-11. I have titled this message A Faith Worth Having.

A faith worth having is necessary in a culture without saving faith. I wanted to specifically preach this message today because of its impact in my own life. Years ago before the Lord called me to ministry I was struggling with my faith. I believe the Lord saved me when I was 16 years old, but I wasn’t ever discipled by anyone until later in my life, and when I began to wrestle with scripture I was seeing that I was indirectly adding to the gospel, and building a resume of self righteousness that I was prepared to give to God when I met him. While at the same time knowing it was only Christ that could save me, and yet I was still trying to add to the work of Christ. It wasn't until I dealt with many false teaching in the church, and had some better teaching that I realized I didn't have a faith worth having. By the grace of God he pointed to my error, and showed me what I was doing, and later on after he showed me what I was doing I read this text, and it broke me. Yet at the same time showed me the grace of Christ that only comes from Faith alone. So today I want us to walk through this text, and see what a faith worth having actually looks like.

A faith worth having worships God in the proper way.

Paul begins this section of the text with a transition, and and a statement to rejoice in the Lord. The Letter to the Philippians is a book themed around the concept of joy. Joy is a fruit of the spirit, and joy should come from hearing the words that Paul is about to say. In verse 1 he is telling them that to write these same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you. What Paul is about to tell them is something they should always remind themselves of. Christians are forgetful people and we need to be reminded of Christ and his word often. An understanding of this truth is going to help them combat anything any false teaching that may creep into the church.

In verse 2 Paul warns the people of Philippi of these false teachers who attempted to add works to salvation. The group that Paul is referring to in this text is known as the judaizers. They would often creep into the church and say you had to do various things in order to properly be saved or worship God. Paul lists three different things in verse 2

Dogs at that time were known to be wild, unlike the dogs we have today. The term dog would also be used to refer to gentiles, because the jews thought they were wild, but Paul called them Dogs for what they were trying to do.

In terms of evildoers they were the ones who would require people to follow the law in order to be saved.

In addition they would require circumcision in order to be saved. They were seeing circumcision as a spiritual act, but Paul says really they are just mutilating themselves. The fact is none of these things could save them or lead them or have proper worship. Works of the flesh will not prompt God to save.

Matthew 23:15 is how this was truly working. “ Woe to you, scribes and Pharisses, hypocrites! For you travel across sea and land to make a single proselyte and when he becomes a proselyle you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves.” Today this is no different we see people from both inside and outside the church saying you must add to the gospel to really worship God or be saved, yet this could be further from the truth.

Paul in verse three gives the antidote for this kind of thinking and shows us what real worship looks like. Paul says we are the circumcision Romans 2:28-29 says, For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. 29 But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God” * 1.A True Believers are circumcised by the heart* A believers heart is changed because of Christ, not because of an act of flesh. The Judaizers of the day were seeking to worship god outwardly but were not changed inwardly. We can’t truly worship God unless we have been changed by him.

Which brings me to my second subpoint *1 B. True believers worship by the spirit.* Ezekiel 36:27 “And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.” Ezekiel provides us with a promise of the new covenant to come that God will put his spirit in his people. This in turn leads the believer to proper worship.

Finally he says glory in christ and put no confidence in the flesh. *1 C. True believers worship for the glory of God.” 1 Corinthians 10:31 says, “ So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” a believers aim is to worship God fully because of who he is.

When we worship God we must be saved. When we are saved he gives us a new heart, and new spirit, and a new direction.

Can you see the difference between the two parallels that Paul just presented? One is based on faith and the other is based on works. One worships God rightly the other does not. Paul is reminding them of their changed hearts, and their new spirit, and there proper perspective, that their confidence doesn’t rely on themselves, but in relies in Christ. The same applies to us today. A faith worth having worships God in the proper way.

A faith worth having is not based on works.

While I just touched on this earlier Paul is going more in depth in the text on why this is true. But he doing so with a twist. He now is making the case for his own righteousness. He building a resume to present to the people of Philippi and look how he does so. Lets look together at these together and see what it says.. He starts off by saying that If anyone things he has confidence in the flesh I have more.

He was circumcised on the eighth day. Unlike the judaizers he was circumcised in the proper way. Lev 12:3 says, “And on the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised” He one uped the judaizers who would often be circumcised lated in life.

He was of the people of Israel. He was a descendent of Abraham, Isaac , and Jacob. Not all converts to Christianity were Jewish, God was calling people from all over the world to himself, but Paul was a true Jew. Again his resume looks a little nicer.

He was of the tribe of Benjamin. The tribe of Benjamin was unique for several different reasons. One it came from Racheal. If you know your bible , you will know that Jacob greatly loved Rachael, the Tribe of Benjamin also remained faithful to the davidic dynasty. Paul not only was a Jew but he was a Benjamite. Even for the Jew it was often hard for them to know what tribe they were from, yet Paul knew, and again he has the more impressive resume.

Hebrew of Hebrews. At the time most Jews would be known as Hellenistic Jews. Which would in turn kind of borrow some aspects of Greek and Roman culture including the language, and certain customs. Most of them would speak Aramaic and not be schooled in Hebrew. This wasn't the case of Paul he was raised in a Jewish home, and maintained the lifestyle, law and customs of the Jews including the language even though he lived in Pegan society. Resume is looking pretty impressive.

He was a Pharisee and one who followed the law. A Pharisee was a religious sect that focused on the written law and 600 other plus laws in the Torah, including all the rituals, ceremonies that go along with it. They were ones who claimed to be separate from everyone else. And Paul was one of them which added to his owe righteousness.

It continues on he says as to zeal and persecutor of the church. Paul was a zealous man so much so that he sought to arrest and kill Christians who opposed Judaism. ( the story of Steven was one example found in scripture ) It was his goal to kill Christianity, and he used all his energy to do so. ( he had greater zeal thus adding to his resume)

Finally he closes out with probably the most important statement. He says as to righteousness under the law blameless. No-one could accuse Paul of breaking the law he was outwardly pure. He was a man who walked the walk ( the resume looks really good, compared to the judaizers )

Today many people make their own resumes they are ready to hand God. They say I have been saved because of so many different reasons. They are prepared to go to God with a list of accomplishments they have done in this life, and expect that God is going to save them because of it. This list often includes but is not limited these things, Baptism, Family history, church service, church attendance, giving, certain spiritual gifts, their own righteousness, and the list could go on and on… Don’t be like pre-conversion Paul who was caught up in works, because that is not a faith worth having.

which brings me to my third point..

A faith worth having sees Christ as its greatest treasure.

Read 7,8,9 because they are so powerful…

3a. We see Christ as our greatest treasure by faith. In verses 7,8,9 He says, but whatever gain I had I count it as a loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ. and being found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ the righteousness from God that depends on faith.

Paul perfectly sums up the response to one who has been truly saved by Christ. Remember he looked at his whole life from circumcision to conversation. All the advantages that he had and yet when he was saved by Christ he counted it as a loss.

I love what Charles Spurgeon says, “ Grace leads a man to renounce his most prized and boasted privileges for Jesus’ sake.”

The resume he was building was a replaced with a better resume the resume of Jesus Christ, the one who was pure in all ways and without sin the one who lived the life that Paul could never live or anyone in this room or may who be listing online could, the one who went willingly to the cross to die for his children, the one who rose again proving he had dominion over sin, and death, the one who walked this earth 40 days after his resurrection and then ascended , and the one who is seated at the right hand of the father. This is the resume wanted.

He replaced his own value system to the one who had true value. i want you to see it as he sees it. Paul took every thing that he taught justified himself before God, and said this is worth far less than Christ. We may have done hundreds of things in the name of God in the flesh, and it still doesn't compare to the one God man Jesus Christ. His mindset was all those advantages he had ended up being disadvantages when he truly found out who Christ was.

In verse 8 he repeats the idea that he previously laid out but adds to it. He now adds everything to that resume that he had. This is powerful, because the judaizers had no counter to that point. They could have taking his resume, his accomplishments and said ok what about adding this or that, but with Pauls statement of all things he makes it clear that he truly counted everything as a loss, not just his accomplishments listed but everything. He was not holding on to any self righteousness.

BECAUSE of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. He again magnifies what he has already said, but includes a few more things… He valued Christ over all things. He put Christ into a league of its own. He seen Christ as his greatest treasure. He now had an intimate and personal relationship with Christ.

Notice what else he called Christ. He also called him his Lord. This is astonishing, a true radical transformation of man who was lost and dead in his sins and self righteousness, to man who rightfully called Christ Lord. Spurgeon put it perfectly when he said, “

How delicious is the apostle’s next word, “my Lord”; not merely the Lord, but “my Lord.” His knowledge was an appropriating knowledge. He knew the Redeemer as anointed for him, as saving him, as Lord over all for him, and now as Lord to him. The honey of the sentence lies in that word “my.” To me it is one of the sweetest words that can possibly be used by mortal lip, “the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord.” You see, then, how truly, fully, practically, and personally he knew the Lord Jesus. Remember how Thomas cried, in ecstasy, “My Lord and my God.” Paul, by faith putting his finger into the prints of the nails, says, “My Lord.”

Spurgeons words are true if Jesus isnt your lord you are not really saved.

Paul could have stoped there the point was made. But he says something else. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ.

Your bible may translation may say something other than rubbish it may say say garbage. But better translation is dung, its bodily fluids. Think about that. Paul who we just talked about having this great resume, counted it as dung, bodily fluid, worthless compared to Christ. He had a proper perspective of who Christ is in light of his works, which led him to believe that in the end they were just dung, but He gained Christ!

I thought of it like this Christians should be willing to give up all earthly standing if it means gaining Christ. He is far more valuable than anything else. When we believe in Christ for salvation its not just a get out of hell free card, its a get God card. Christ is the greatest treasure. Paul expressed that in these last two verses. These two verses should scream out the truth that is in every believers hearts. Christ is greater!!!

Verse 9 shows us what that actual reality looks like. and being found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ the righteousness from God that depends on faith.

The resume of self righteousness is gone and his new resume says faith in Christ. When the Lord convicts someone and the Spirit comes and they repents of their sins and puts their faith in Christ something amazing happens. Christ’s righteousness is imputed/ transfered to them. and this doesn't take works of the law do so. it only takes faith. In that final day Paul will not be hanging on to his own righteousness but the righteousness of Christ that was given to him by faith. Pre-conversion Paul saved by works, Post- conversion Paul saved by faith. pre conversion luke thought he was saved by works, post conversion luke saved by faith

One man said it like this “Real Christianity keeps our confidence column singular: Christ alone saves. False teaching focus on the flesh on what we do. Inevitably minimizes our confidence in what Christ has already done”

Thats good, Faith in Christ doesn't minimize the work of Christ in maximizes it. Our resume isn't my works plus Christ its Christ plus nothing else. My old pastor would say Christ plus nothing equals everything.

In verse 10 we see Paul say “That I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,

Paul wanted to know Christ in a deeper way. He wanted to experience the power of the resurrection in his own life, and the truth is he did he was powered by the same spirit that raised Christ from the dead, and that saved him. ( Ill come back to the resurrection in a moment) Now I want to quickly shift to sharing in his sufferings.

3.B we see Christ as our greatest treasure in suffering ( suffering is not often the easiest thing to see Christ in but its often where he reveals himself the most) Paul had his share of Sufferings. 2 Corinthians 11:23-28 says, “ I am talking like a madman—with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, and often near death. 24 Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one.25 Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; 26 on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; 27 in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure.28 And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches” These are just a few of them, yet he did it knowing it would advance the gospel.

( My wife and I’s Lose of Isabella’s twin Hannah, then sharing the gospel shortly after, and the testimony of that drawing us nearing to Christ) Often we dont see suffering as treasure, but God uses it for his glory and to change others.

3C. We see Christ as our greatest treasure in the resurrection. This life isn't it. There is so much more than just this temporary life. This doesn't minimize its importance of life, but it maximizes the importance of resurrection. Paul was forward focused, and ready for that day. Even though this text is most likely referring to believers there will be a future resurrection of both the living and the dead, and on the day you will be judged , and it will either be judged by your faith in Christ or in human works. On that day when you are judged will you have a faith that sees Christ as a greatest treasure or will you be hoping that God looks at your works, and says well done?

Closing thoughts…

The question goes back to the title of this message. Do you have a faith worth having?

Do you worship God in the proper way? Is your heart, spirit, attitudes in the place that God wants them to be or do you need to make a change today.

Are you basing your salvation on human works? Are you indirectly adding to salvation? Don’t look over those questions.

Do you see Christ as your greatest treasure? Are you saved by faith alone? (Everyone must answer this question)

Do you see him greatest when you are suffering?

Are you longing for the resurection?

Where are you today?

Let us pray..