an Israelite. Thus he could claim close relation to God not only be cause of his racial origin, but also since he was a member of God's covenant people Israel. Next he pointed out that he was of the tribe of Benjamin. This was something he inherited. After the death of King Solomon Benjamin was the one tribe which remained with Judah in the South. The ten northern tribes separated from God's revealed truth and went into apostacy and later slavery. The Apostle could take justifiable pride in his own ancestry. Furthermore, he was a Pharisee. This position came as a matter of choice. This group constituted the faithful of all Jewish religious sects. They rig idly adhered to the letter of the law. Their whole lives seemingly dedicated to proving that they were law-keeping individuals. Hu manly speaking, Paul could say that he was blameless as far as the keeping of the law was concerned. He was extremely zealous going after anyone who would pervert what he saw to be truth. He was a persecutor of the early church and naturally feared by many. He was present at the stoning of Stephen, consenting to the death of this early deacon. What a list of attain ment which could cause anyone to be proud and boastful. Yet, in his new life, Paul counted all these entries in his spiritual ledger as nothing more than refuse in ex change for the possession of Jesus Christ. He realized that all of his human righteousness was simply filthy rags in the sight of God. That day, on the road to Damas cus, he had come to the place where he could confess that he was the chiefest of all sinners. He Page 33
most devilish actions in practice. God must pronounce His curse upon such things so that true right eousness may be established through the work of the Saviour. Paul was able to testify person ally, "I have discarded all human righteousness. In its place I have substituted the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself." Could this be our positive asser tion as well? Without question our lives need to measure up to everything God would have us be. To show the absolute poverty, spiritually speak ing, of one who depends on any thing but Christ's imputed right eousness, Paul gives his impressive background (Philippians 3:4-8). He had acquired all of the spiritual assets anybody could possibly im agine. As a Jew he could enjoy the special place in God's dealing with the human race. Yet in terms of salvation, the Apostle Paul had come to admit that all of these things had actually kept him away from the Lord. He frankly ad mitted, "But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excel lency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord" (vrs. 7-8). In this section we have a list of seven different achievements which might set Paul above the humanly spiritual stature of others. He had been born into a Jewish family, circumcised according to the law on the eighth day. He was not a convert who had been circumcised in later life, nor Ish- maelite who would be circum cised at his 13th birthday. He was a Hebrew of the Hebrews from his mother's womb. He was definitely
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