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Welcome to everyone. It's good to be back in the house of our God for this Lord's Day evening. For our call to worship, you can turn with me to Psalm 65. Psalm 65. I'll read the first four verses as our call to worship. Psalm 65 beginning in verse one. To the chief musician a psalm of David, a song. Praise is awaiting you, oh God in Zion, and to you the vows shall be performed. Oh you who hear prayer, to you all flesh will come. Iniquities prevail against me. As for our transgressions, you will provide atonement for them. Blessed is the man you choose and cause to approach you that he may dwell in your courts. We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house, of your holy temple. Amen. Will turn in your hymbooks to Psalm 121. Psalm 121A as in alpha will stand as we sing together. [Music] My eyes to the worship. [Music] I help the Lord. [Music] We will not let your good be. Your keeper will sing. Behold, he suffers for he will the Lord your is your shame. A shall strike you on my for [Music] the Lord will keep you from all he going out and going in the Lord Jesus. [Music] Let us pray. Our blessed God and father, we thank you again for the opportunity to gather together in your house on your day with your people. We come before you now. We acknowledge your glory and your majesty and your power. We see in creation the display of that power, wisdom and goodness. We see that in your providence along with your wisdom and your your holiness and your goodness. We thank you that in redemption we see your grace. We see your mercy. We see that blessed forgiveness of sins that you give us freely through the work of our Lord Jesus Christ. We praise you for that gospel of our salvation for the Lord's life and death and resurrection. We praise you that he will return again in glory to judge the living and the dead. We pray that we would look with expectation and with great eagerness upon this wonderful truth as well. God, we pray that you would just encourage and strengthen us and build us up tonight in our most holy faith. And may you be pleased to dwell amongst your people here. God, we see in the book of Revelation, the Lord Jesus is in the midst of the lampstands. and we treasure that and we bless you for that communion that we have with the living and true God. We pray that your Holy Spirit would be in among be in and among us and that you would guide us with that that reverence and that acceptable worship acceptable unto you that you would indeed even now forgive us for all of our sins and our unrighteousness. We know there are uh many admonitions in the New Testament to let our conduct be worthy of the gospel of our salvation. We confess that remaining corruption that we are prone to wander and prone to leave the God that we love. So we pray that you would wash us aresh in the precious blood of the lamb. That you would plunge us beneath that flood and cause us to lose all our guilty stains. And may we indeed rejoice and express our gratitude as we sing as we pray and as we turn our attention to holy scripture. We pray for any and all here tonight that are dead in their trespasses and sins that you would awaken them. That you would open their hearts to receive the truth. And that God, as we look at this great doctrine of justification by faith alone, the way that you save the Apostle Paul, may it be the case that those who are less than the chief of sinners would come to the Lord Jesus Christ for that soul uh full and free salvation. We pray for your blessing upon this local church for all of the the the people that are unwell. We just commend them to you and to the word of your grace. Pray that you would watch over each one of them. Pray God as well spiritually for each and every one of us in this local body that you would help us by the spirit to resist temptation and sin. Help us to shine as lights in this crooked and perverse generation and give us that boldness and courage to hold forth your holy word of truth. We pray God that you would be gracious and merciful to this nation. We pray that as the gospel has gone forth today that many would have come out of darkness into marvelous light confessing their sins before a holy God and finding that free forgiveness in Jesus Christ our Lord. We pray as well for all of the churches in this land that are faithfully proclaiming the truth that you would continue to bless them and prosper them and uphold them. We think specifically of the churches in our association, those churches in our community that we know are are are ministered to by faithful men. And we just pray God in heaven that you would give us grace to serve well in this lower world. We thank you for the church in Kenya. We thank you for the brothers in Elderette and pray for Naphali and for Moses and Remy. These men would be continually uh faithful in their service unto you. We thank specifically of Remy and this church plant that you'd bless this brother and use him for your glory in that land. And Lord God, we pray for Peter and Myanmar. Continue to watch over him. God, we pray that each and every day he would know the the strength that a sovereign God affords. That he would know the power and the presence of the Holy Spirit in his life. You would bless his teaching and instruction of those children. And we pray those little ones would come to the Savior. We ask that you would continue with us now in worship. We praise you for this glad hour and we just pray that all things would be done for your glory and for your honor. And we ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. We may turn again in your hymbooks to number 460 460. We'll stand as we sing together. [Music] Your mer of Christ to his heart. and tell me all is my heart to whom [Music] shall I Christ [Music] theel Christ for me to save me. Who cast the fore [Music] as we all and for earth to save the We alone right alone can be righteousness [Music] to Who cares for shall I? [Music] Well, please turn with me in your Bibles to Judges 21 for our scripture reading this evening. Judges chapter 21. I'll begin reading in verse one. Now the men of Israel had sworn an oath at Mispa, saying,"None of us shall give his daughter to Benjamin as a wife." Then the people came to the house of God and remained there before God till evening. They lifted up their voices and wept bitterly and said,"Oh Lord God of Israel, why has this come to pass in Israel that today there should be one tribe missing in Israel?" So it was on the next morning that the people rose early and built an altar there and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. The children of Israel said, "Who is there among all the tribes of Israel who did not come up with the assembly to the Lord? For they had made a great oath concerning anyone who had not come up to the Lord at Mispos, saying, "He shall surely be put to death." And the children of Israel grieved for Benjamin their brother, and said, "One tribe is cut off from Israel today. What shall we do for wives, for those who remain? Seeing we have sworn by the Lord that we will not give them our daughters as wives." And they said, "What one is there from the tribes of Israel who did not come up to Mispa to the Lord?" And in fact, no one had come to the the camp from Jabbashgilead to their to the assembly. For when the people were counted, indeed, not one of the inhabitants of Jabashgilead was there. So the congregation sent out there 12,000 of their most vigilant men, and commanded them, saying, "Go and strike the inhabitants of Jabbashgile with the edge of the sword, including the women and children. And this is the thing that you should do. You shall utterly destroy every male and every woman who has known a man intimately. So they found among the inhabitants of Jabbashgillad 400 young virgins who had not known a man intimately and they brought them to the camp at Shiloh which is in the land of Canaan. Then the whole congregation sent word to the children of Benjamin who are at the rock of Rimmon and announced peace to them. So Benjamin came back at the time and they gave them the women whom they had saved alive of the women of Jabash Gilead. And yet they had not found enough for them. And the people grieved for Benjamin because the Lord had made a void in the tribes of Israel. Then the elders of the congregation said, "What shall we do for wives for those who remain since the women of Benjamin have been destroyed?" And they said, "There must be an inheritance for the survivors of Benjamin, that a tribe may not be destroyed from Israel. However, we cannot give them wives from our daughters, for the children of Israel have sworn an oath, saying, Cursed be the one who gives a wife to Benjamin." Then they said, "In fact, there is a yearly feast of the Lord in Shiloh, which is north of Bethl on the east side of the highway that goes up from Bethl to Sheckchham and south of Leabona." Therefore they instructed the children of Benjamin, saying, "Go, lie and wait in the vineyards and watch. And just when the daughters of Shiloh come out to perform their dances, then come out from the vineyards, and every man catch a wife for himself from the daughters of Shiloh, then go to the land of Benjamin. Then it shall be when their fathers or their brothers come to us to complain that we will say to them, "Be kind to them for our sakes, because we did not take a wife for any of them in the war, for it is not as though you have given the the women to them at this time, making yourselves guilty of your oath." And the children of Benjamin did so, and they uh they took enough wives for their number from those who danced, whom they caught. Then they went and returned to their inheritance, and they rebuilt the cities and dwelt in them. So the children of Israel departed from there at that time, every man to his tribe and family. They went out from there, every man to his inheritance. In those days, there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes. Amen. Let us pray. Our Father in heaven, we thank you for the reading of your word. We thank you for the giving of it to us. We give you praise that all scripture is given by inspiration of God and we see its profit and utility in our lives. Pray that you would seal it home to our hearts. Cause us to meditate upon it day and night. And may we indeed glorify you. We ask that you would bless our time as we continue on in our worship service. We ask that you would help us to see the emphasis at the end of this passage in Judges that everyone did what was right in their own eyes because there was no king in Israel. Give us grace to always see the kingly office of our Lord Jesus to hear his voice as the prophet who speaks to us in the scriptures. And give us by your spirit ears to hear and hearts to receive those things so that we don't do what's right in our own eyes, but we do what's right according to your holy will. And we ask this in Jesus name. Amen. Well, for our final hymn before the preaching, you can turn to 470. 470. will stand as we sing together. In this passing world, God is Glory shall I hear the people when I see the is all my free and shall I go on I know when I see the asse Where shall I go? [Music] Heat. Heat. Sing as voice shall I still for in the savior side by the spirit sed. Teach me your honor to show my [Music] you can turn with me in your Bibles to Philippians chapter 3 as we continue our way through Paul's letter to the church at Philippi. one of the prison epistles along with Ephesians and Colossians and Philemmon written about uh between AD60 and 62. Paul's first Roman imprisonment. The book of Acts ends on that note. And so he didn't just sit there and languish in a prison cell, but rather by the spirit he wrote letters to churches to encourage them to set forth the truth concerning our Lord Jesus. And in chapter three, this section in verses 1 to 11 is a PMIC section. He's out to attack error. Uh that doesn't mean error was necessarily rampant specifically in the church at Philippi, but it was certainly rampant in the first century in terms of Judaizing the attempt by some to tell Gentile Christians that they needed also to subscribe the Mosaic ceremonies to get uh circumcised to obey the calendar in order for their acceptance with God. So I'll read verses 1 to 11. Then our focus this more uh this evening will be verses 4 to 8. So finally my brethren rejoice in the Lord. For me to write the same things to you is not tedious but for you it is safe. Beware of dogs. Beware of evil workers. Beware of the mutilation. For we are the circumcision who worship God in the spirit. Rejoice in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh. Though I also might have confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so. circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews, concerning the law, a Pharisee, concerning zeal, persecuting the church, concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. But what things were gained to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord. for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having my own righteousness which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith, that I might that I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, being conformed to his death, if by any means I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. Amen. Well, let us pray. Our father in heaven, we thank you again for your word. We pray now for the ministry of the spirit. We pray that we would see Paul's theology worked out via his own experience in conversion on that road to Damascus. And we praise you that you have given us this. We praise you that it shows us the futility of seeking acceptance with God through our own works of the law and for showing us that it's all by God's grace through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. that righteousness of God given to us received by faith alone. Again, forgive us now for all of our sins and we pray in Jesus name. Amen. Well, as we saw last time, we noted the warning that he gives against Judaizers in verses 1 to3. He has a strategy. Verse one, finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. For me to write the same things to you is not tedious, but for you it is safe. So, repetition and an emphasis on joy. He then gives a warning in verse two. Beware of dogs. Beware of evil workers. Beware of the mutilation. He's not actually against canines. He is not pro- feline. He is simply against heretics. He's against those who would add circumcision, as I said, or calendar observance to those who had believed on the Lord Jesus Christ. Those are the dogs. Jews would refer to Gentiles as dogs. And in a turn of phrase here, Paul uses that nomenclature to describe the Judaizers and their attempts to get the Gentiles to comply with the ceremonies of Moses. He calls them as well evil workers. This isn't just a little bit off. It's not just a little bit of a departure, but he says they are evil workers. And then he goes on to call them the mutilation. So while they are attempting to get circumcisions, he is simply saying that they are mutilators. They are themselves the mutilation. They're not practicing circumcision in a way that is consistent with the gospel. He makes then a contrast and he says, "For we are the circumcision," or as the NASB has it, "we are the true circumcision." Paul cites or Paul rather refers to this in Romans chapter 2. You're not a Jew if you're circumcised outwardly, but inwardly. And he says, "We are the circumcision." He says, "We worship God in the spirit. We come to the father through the son in the holy spirit. And then he says, "Rejoice in Christ Jesus." Probably better to translate that as boasting in Christ Jesus. It is Christ alone for our salvation. And then at the end of verse three, he says, "And have no confidence in the flesh." Now, this sets up the opportunity for him to introduce his own experience. What happened to him on that road to Damascus? He tells us about his life prior to conversion. and he tells us about his conversion and then he tells us about his communion with the Lord Jesus. So that's what we'll be looking at his life before Christ verses 4-6. Secondly, his conversion to Christ in verses 7 to9 and then finally his communion with Christ, God willing, next week in verses 10 and 11. And so with reference to this, it is intriguing because as we read say for instance 1 Timothy chapter 1 and verse 15, we read Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am chief. What typically is our response when we hear somebody say something like that? We wonder what is it that he did? Now he could be referring to his persecution of the church. He could be referring to those things that he had done that were antagonistic to the Lord Jesus prior to his conversion. But when we hear that of whom I am chief, we typically think of absolute lawlessness. We think of absolute rebellion. We think of lentiousness. Somebody we meet, they say, "Oh, I'm the chief of sinners." We wonder, "Do you smoke crack? Do you visit prostitutes?" We typically go to that place where the lusts of the flesh and the sins of the flesh most typically prevail. But it's intriguing in this particular passage. We see that the chief of sinners was a very religious man which indicates it isn't just lawlessness but self-righteousness that is condemnable. And I think that's a difficulty for all of us because at some level we're all self-righteous. Now, you might say, "Well, not me, pastor. You are the exception to the rule, and good on you." But most of us are pretty proud of our own accomplishments. We're pretty proud of our own merits. We're pretty proud of our own religious resumes or our lives of upstandingness in a community, in a family, in our workplace. So, it is interesting. The chief of sinners was a very uh religious, a very fastidiously religious man. So let's look at his life before Christ. Notice in verse four, he states the nature of his argument. So at the end of verse three, we boast in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh. That's the true people of God, the true circumcision. Those who worship God in the spirit, they boast in Christ Jesus and they have no confidence in the flesh. So notice he then says in verse four, though I also might have confidence in the flesh, if anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so. So what is Paul doing here? He's basically attacking the Judaizing error. He's basically attacking any works righteousness error. He's basically attacking any error that is predicated on self-righteousness by saying that if there ever was an exemplar for one that could be accepted by God based on his own performance, the Apostle Paul was that man. The Apostle Paul had a resume that was able to knock down anybody else's. If ever there was one that could boast in his own performance, Paul was that specimen of a human being. So he says, "Though I also might have uh uh though I also might have confidence in the flesh, if anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so." So the nature of his argument is simple. The true people of God boast in Christ Jesus. They don't have confidence in the flesh. And to illustrate this and to demonstrate this and to confirm this and corroborate this, I'm going to give you a trip down memory lane. I'm going to let you see my life prior to my conversion. And then I'm going to let you see my life with reference to the road to Damascus. And I'm going to show you that all of those accomplishments, all of that prestige that I possessed was nothing with reference to knowing the Lord Jesus Christ. Why? Because my acceptance with God is not predicated on my performance. My acceptance with God is solely and alone grounded in the active and passive obedience of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is Christ alone or no no no salvation. It's not Christ uh with our works. It's not Christ with our additions, but it's Christ alone. So he speaks first concerning his ethnic condition or connection rather in verse five. Notice in verse five s uh uh verse 5 he says circumcised the eighth day of the stock of Israel of the tribe of Benjamin a Hebrew of the Hebrews. So with reference to his ethnic connection, he wasn't a procelite. He wasn't an outsider. He wasn't outside the confines of old old covenant Israel and sort of converted in. No, that's not what he is saying. His pedigree is solid. His pedigree is rock solid. He was circumcised the eighth day according to the law. He was of the stock of Israel, right people of the tribe of Benjamin, a notoriously or tribe of notoriety. And then he says specifically as well a Hebrew of the Hebrews. He had the benefits of old covenant religion. You can turn to Romans chapter 9. Romans chapter 9 where he highlights that not necessarily as what he possessed then but what he had possessed along with other uh old covenant Israelites. Notice in Romans 9 specifically at verse 4 he says who are Israelites to whom pertain the adoption the glory the covenants the giving of the law the service of God and the promises of whom are the fathers and from whom according to the flesh Christ came who is overall the eternally blessed God. Amen. So in terms of his ethnicity he had the right blood in him. But that wasn't enough to gain acceptance with God most high. He had as well the badges of old covenant religion. He says he was circumcised the eighth day. Interesting because that's specifically the argument going on in the book of Galatians. Judaizers come, the Judaizers commend the Gentiles. It's good that you believe on Jesus as Israel's promised Messiah. But having believed on Israel's promised Messiah, you need to comply with Israel's ceremonies. You need to be circumcised. You need to obey the calendar. So Paul says, "My pedigree is such that I was circumcised on the eighth day. I'm of the right nation. I'm of the right tribe. I have everything impeccable. But that's not enough." He then moves on secondly to his relation to the law. Notice in verse 5b, he says, "Concerning the law, a Pharisee." Concerning the law, a Pharisee. Now, when we hear that word Pharisee, it's a porative. It's a it's an insult. We tell people you're you're acting like a Pharisee. And we all know what that means. That's bad. Pharisee bad. But in this context, Pharisee good. There were four sects within Judaism at that time. Old covenant religion. You had the Pharisees, you had the Sadducees, you had the Essenes, and you had the Zealots. And each of them had their own distinctiveness. But what was unique about the Pharisees is that they were pretty rigorously committed to Old Testament law. They believed in the supernatural. The Sadducees didn't. They denied the spirit. They denied the resurrection. They denied angels. You can see that in Acts 26 as well. The Pharisees had popular support. They were every man's sort of guy. They were the guys that that that that were sort of the backbone of religious life there in old covenant Israel or in this particular time frame. And as well they commonly held to having pretensions to superior sanctity. It was they that would stand on the street corner and pray. It was the Pharisee according to Luke 18 that prayed thus with himself. I I thank you God that I'm not like other men. I thank you God that I fast twice a week. I thank you God that I pay tithes. Is he thanking God or is he congratulating himself? Because it sounds exactly like he's congratulating himself which indicates pretensions to superior sanctity. So the apostle had that as well. Again, if we're looking at his resume, he's got the right connection ethnically. He's from Israel. He's circumcised the 8th day. He's a tribe of Benj or he's a Benjamite. Benjamites don't look too good in Judges 20 and 21. I'll grant you that. But but by this time they were a little bit more uh recognized as being a good tribe. But with reference to his religious resume, he's building it. He's showing us all that he had. If anybody else had or has the the warrant for confidence in the flesh, he says, "I more so." He's not boasting here. He's not bragging. He's going to set up a major contrast when he comes to verses seven and eight. All that stuff I had, all that stuff that that I thought was going to get me into heaven, I count that as dumb. I count that as rubbish. I count that as absolute emptiness when it comes to the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord. It's not boasting in some weird sort of a way. He is simply making a theological point that uh salvation is by God's grace alone through Jesus uh faith in Jesus Christ alone to the glory of God alone. So he moves on then from his relation to the law to his religious zeal. Notice in verse 6a, verse 6a, concerning zeal, persecuting the church. Now I want to spend just a little bit of time here to show us what Paul was like prior to his conversion because he is telling us what he was like prior to his conversion. And I want us to see that even somebody like the Apostle Paul or Saul of Tarsus who engaged in that kind of persecution could be saved by God's grace. The chief of sinners can come to the father through the son by God's grace and faith. But before we embark on that, notice that in the first century, notice that in the first century, a mark of zeal for at least one of the sects of religious Judaism was persecuting the church. It's pretty disturbing, isn't it? He says it verse 68, concerning or excuse me, verse 6A, concerning zeal, persecuting the church. Other words, how do you know that I'm zealous? Because I persecute the church. How do you know that I'm zealous for my religion? Because I try to stomp out other religions. How do you know that I'm zealous for old covenant Israel theology? Because I'm trying to crush the new covenant expression of it concerning zeal, persecuting the church. Brethren, there are religions out there and movements out there where it's part and parcel of their idea of being acceptable to God persecuting the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. In fact, Jesus warned about this or cautioned his disciples concerning this in John's gospel. You can turn to John 15. John 15. It's a very intriguing passage here concerning zeal persecuting the church. Notice in John 15 at verse 18, if the world hates you, you know that it hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, "A servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will keep yours also. But all these things they will do to you for my name's sake, because they do not know him who sent me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin. But now they have no excuse for their sin. He's not saying they would have been sinless creatures, perfect. He's talking about his coming and his revelation of who Israel's Messiah truly is. Other words, he's on the scene revealing himself to them, telling them constantly that he has been sent by the father. The father is the one who sent me. They are sinful in their rejection of and denial of the very Messiah that was promised in their scriptures. Verse 23, he who hates me hates my father also. You you have to internalize that, brethren. The the hatred of Jesus means the hatred of the father. He's not saying if you hate me, you love the father not as much as those who love me. There is an antithesis drawn covenantally with reference to the people of God. We are the circumcision who worship God in the spirit, rejoicing in Christ Jesus and having no confidence in the flesh. By contrast, they're dogs. They're evil workers. They're the mutilation. So the Lord Jesus Christ, or rather the Apostle Paul, is simply picking up what Christ had already put down in the upper room. Notice in verse 24, "If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin." Again, the works that prove, confirm, affirm, authenticate, and demonstrate that he is Messiah. He's not talking in categories that they're perfect, righteous, innocent beings. He's talking about his uh revelation of self, the revelation of the father in his earthly ministry. And they rejected it, resisted it. They saw his signs, they saw his wonders, they attribute it to be to be elabub, and they ultimately crucified him. So if I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin. But now they have seen and also hated both me and my father. But this happened that the word might be fulfilled. Notice this next language. which is written in their law. Their own law condemns them for their attitude. Their own law condemns them for the rejection of the one promised in the law. They hated me without a cause. But when the helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the father, the spirit of truth who proceeds from the father, he will testify of me, and you also will bear witness because you have been with me from the beginning. These things I have spoken to you that you should not be made to stumble. They will put you out of the synagogues. Why will they do that? because they're zealous. And in their zeal, they hate the church. And in their zeal, they'll try to clamp down on the church. In their zeal, they'll put you out of the synagogues. But he doesn't stop there. Yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God's service. Again, we typically apply that to Muslims. We typically apply that to whatever else other gods are out there. He's talking about old covenant Israel that didn't embrace the Messiah, that rejected and and despised the one that God had sent to save his people from their sins. The one that Jesus says, "If you hate me, you you hate him." He's talking about first century uh uh Israel. Notice he says in verse three, "And these things they will do to you because they have not known the father nor me. But these things I have told you that when the time comes, you may remember that I told you of them. And these things I did not say to you at the beginning because I was with you. So for Paul concerning zeal meant he persecuted the church. Now you can turn to the book of Acts. Acts chapter nine. Acts chapter nine just to see a bit of a theology of Paul's persecution of the church. It's intriguing because he went from persecutor to persecuted. And in chapter 9 verse one, then Saul still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord went to the high priest and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus so that if he found any who were of the way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem, men or women. Apostle Paul, Saul of Tarsus, was okay with binding women and bringing them off to prison. As he journeyed, he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him and from heaven. Then he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul Saul, why are you persecuting me?" And he said, "Who are you, Lord?" Then Jes uh the Lord said, "I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goats." So to persecute the church is ultimately to persecute Jesus, the head of the church. If the body is persecuted, the head is obviously interested in that. And the head as well is persecuted. Notice in verses 26 and 27. And when Saul had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him and did not believe that he was a disciple. Why were they all afraid of him? Because of his zeal, the zeal that he had as an unbelieving Jewish man. That zeal that drove him to the point where he would persecute the very church. Barnabas had to grease the way for him. Verse 27, Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles and he declared to them how he had seen the Lord on the road and that he had spoken to him and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus. Notice in chapter 22 of the book of Acts, chapter 22. And again, just to underscore Paul's pedigree, he's offering this up as a piece of righteousness on his resume. He's not saying I mean he is saying on the one hand this is a dark part in my history but that's not how it's functioning in Philippians 3 as far as Philippians 3 is concerned my ethnic connection my relation to the law my religious zeal and my own righteousness was such that if anybody had ground to boast I the more so and it's fleshed out through this statement persecuting the church notice in chapter 22 specifically at verses four and five I persecuted this way to the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women, as also the high priest bears me witness and all the council of the elders from whom I also received letters to the brethren and went to Damascus to bring in chains even those who were there uh there to Jerusalem to be punished. This is bad news. And obviously he would agree and he does agree but this is part of his religious resume. If anybody had cause for boasting in the flesh, I the more so. Notice in verses 19 and 20. Verse 19. So I said, Lord, they know that in every synagogue I imprisoned and beat those who believe on you. And when the blood of your martyr Steven was shed, I also was standing by consenting to his death and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him. This is an admission. And again, he does it to show shame to himself and all praise to the God of grace and glory in these particular contexts. Notice in chapter 26, Acts chap 26 specifically at verses 9 to 11. I guess I have two points here. One, we need to appre well three. One, we need to appreciate the context and what Paul is doing. He's showing us his religious resume and how based on all of that, having the more so ability to boast than anybody else in the flesh, it didn't gain him acceptance with God. So, that's one of the things that we ought to appreciate. The second is is there is great grace and great mercy for great sinners. There is great grace and great mercy for great sinners. Sometimes people say, "Well, I'm so sinful. God will never have me." Well, he had the Apostle Paul and he's had lots of others like him along the way. So, never try to reason that you're too sinful to come to the only remedy for sin. I'm too sick to ever see a doctor. I'm too hurt to ever put on a band-aid. I'm too what? No. No. You need to actually understand the nature of God's salvation. And then the third that I think is contextually applicable based on the the events of this past week, this isn't a new thing. I mean, the assassination of our brother is a horrific thing, but it's not a new thing. And I'm not suggesting that we just move on and forget about it. But Paul's principle in second Timothy 3 is always standing. All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. And so for Paul, he had that zeal wherein he persecuted the church. So notice in 26 9-11. Indeed, I myself thought I must do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. This I also did in Jerusalem, and many of the saints I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests. And when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them, and I punished them often in every synagogue and compelled them to blaspheme. And being exceedingly enraged against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities. This wasn't a oneoff with solitaris. This wasn't a, you know, one time I slapped a Christian on the back of the face and, you know, I felt bad afterward. No, this is the religious resume in Philippians 3. This is a mark of zeal. This was a mark of zeal in the first century trying to exterminate and liquidate the very church of our Lord Jesus Christ. And then notice in verses 14 and 15. Verse 14. And when we all had fallen to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me and saying in the Hebrew language, Saul saw, "Why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goats." So I said, "Who are you, Lord?" And he said, "I am Jesus whom you are persecuting." Again, this whole concept is evident in his conduct in the book of Acts. Turn to first Corinthians chapter 15. just some epistol uh uh uh epistle commentary on his past life as Saul of Tarsus. 1 Corinthians 15:9. For I am the least of the apostles who am not worthy to be called an apostle because I persecuted the church of God. Galatians 1 13 and 14. Galatians 1 13 and 14. Same emphasis. For you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it. And I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my own nation, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers. That exceeding zeal for the traditions of his fathers caused him to act in such a way that to destroy the church of the Lord Jesus Christ was first and foremost in his mind and heart. Notice in verses 21- 24 afterward I went into the regions of Syria and Silosa and I was unknown by faith to the churches of Judea which were in Christ but they were hearing only he who formerly persecuted us now preaches the faith which he once tried to destroy and they glorified God in me. And then first Timothy chapter 1. 1 Timothy chapter 1. Again, Paul never lets us forget what he had been, what he was, how God saved him, why he was indeed the chief of sinners. And if the chief of sinners was saved by that sovereign grace, then the lesser than the chiefs can be saved as well. In other words, if the efficacy of Christ's blood and righteousness avails for one like Paul, the efficacy of Christ's blood and righteousness avails for sinners like us. It's pretty common, pretty simple rather argument. But notice in 1 Timothy uh 1:12, "And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me because he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry, although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man, but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus." This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am chief. Again, not a crack dealer, not a visitor of prostitutes, self-righteous, murderous in his zeal for God in that uh John 16 sort of a way. So, back to our text. If anyone thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so. My ethnic connection, bang on. My relation to the law, Pharisee. My religious zeal, persecuting the church. And then fourthly, and finally in 6b, concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. Concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. Now, you might ask yourself, how could a man ever claim that? I mean, doesn't he know? Well, he's claiming it relative to his life prior to conversion. And if you're wondering how a man could ever claim it, may I remind you of Pastor Porter's excellent sort of uh commentary on the passage in Luke 10 this morning. What was that lawyer's deal? He was justifying himself. He was justifying himself. Why? Because he thought he was a great guy. He thought he was blameless. He thought with reference to the law, I've got it all down. The only issue for that man was, "Well, who's my neighbor?" Again, he's trying to test Jesus, put him on the horns of a dilemma. But that attitude is often cited in the New Testament in terms of unbelieving Jews. Turn to Matthew chapter 19. Matthew chapter 19, which I should say as you're turning there, some commentators believe that Matthew 19, the rich young ruler, is Saul of Tarsus. I don't have the brain power, the competency to try to verify that, but I think it's an intriguing sort of supposition. I think it's an intriguing thing that does kind of fit when Paul speaks concerning his conviction of sin with reference to Ro in Romans chapter 7. What is it? Covetousness. Covetousness that he appeals to. I would not have known lust if the law had not said, "You shall not covet." Again, I'm not saying that the rich young ruler is the Apostle Paul or is Saul of Tarsus, but I am suggesting that there are some parallels in terms of what we know about Saul of Tarsus and what we know about this rich young ruler. So notice in 1916, now behold, one came and said to him, good teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life? So he said to him, why do you call me good? No one is good but one, that is God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments. He said to him, "Which ones?" Jesus said, "You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not bear false witness. Honor your father and your mother. And you shall love your neighbor as yourself." The young man said to him, "All these things I have kept from my youth." All these things I have kept from my youth. That's the tenor in which I think Paul is describing his relation to the law in Philippians chapter 3 concerning the righteousness which is in the law. blameless. This young man to the Lord Jesus says, "I'm blameless. All these things I have kept from my youth." So notice what Jesus does. He preaches the tenth commandment to him. Verse 21, Jesus said to him, notice he doesn't cite the ten command uh the tenth commandment. He doesn't say that. He speaks of the second table of the law. Notice in verse 18, you shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not bear false witness. Honor your father and your mother. You shall love your neighbor as yourself. He doesn't mention do not covet, but it's that do not covet that comes to him with the thunder of si that shows him that he is a long way off. So Jesus says in verse 21, if you want to be perfect, go sell what you have and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven and come follow me. When the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful for he had great possessions. So there's a blamelessness in terms of external compliance to the law that Jesus finds out with this rich young ruler by preaching the tenth commandment to him. Now if this is Paul, he obviously gets saved on the road to Damascus and he understands the nature of the law and how do not covet speaks to that whole idea of lust. But back in Philippians chapter 3, he says concerning the righteousness which is in the law blameless. So the external compliance with the law of Moses and fastidiously notice that Jesus doesn't say to the man, "No, no, you you've broken all those he had, but Jesus doesn't do that. He doesn't upgrade him for each of those in the in the second table, but rather he says, you shall not covet." By telling him to go sell everything you have, take the proceeds and give it to the poor. It is exposing his sin of lust. is exposing his sin of covetousness. But as well the blamelessness which came through the Mosaic ordinances. It's a reality in the old covenant. You could have been an unconverted person and maintain a blamelessness relative to the cult. If you went through the ceremonies, if you offered up the sacrifices, if you did everything that was was mandated concerning you, you got to go to tabernacle. You got to go to temple. You got, you know, to participate in the day of atonement. I think there's a good contrast in Hebrews chapter 9. Hebrews chapter 9. You can turn there. Hebrews 9:6. Now when these things had been thus prepared, the priests always went into the first part of the tabernacle, performing the services, but into the second part. The high priest went alone once a year, not without blood, which he offered for himself and for the people's sins committed in ignorance. The Holy Spirit indicating this that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest while the first tabernacle was still standing. It was symbolic for the present time in which both gifts and sacrifices are offered. Notice which cannot make him who performed the service perfect in regard to the conscience concerned only with foods and drinks, various washings and fleshly ordinances imposed until the time of reformation. It doesn't deal with sin the way the new covenant deals with sin. But it dealt with sin enough so that an old covenant Israelite could participate in the games of old covenant Israelites. I don't mean games, but the cult, the religious apparatus that was Old Testament Israel. So Paul had that with reference to his lawkeeping. There's a great contrast obviously in verse 11. But Christ came as high priest of the good things to come with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is not of this creation, not with the blood of goats and calavs, but with his own blood. body entered the most holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a hepher sprinkling the unclean sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, and it did, and that's why Paul can say concerning the law, blameless, because that old covenant apparatus had that ability, it had that power to uh uh uh sanctify uh purify the flesh. How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternal spirit offered himself without spot to God cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? So back to Philippians chapter 3, the argument is simple. The argument is simple. Beware of dogs. Beware of the evil workers. Beware of the mutilation. For we are the circumcision who worship God in the spirit boasting in Christ Jesus. And we have no confidence in the flesh. But let's just suppose for a moment somebody had confidence in the flesh. Let's just take that as a as a hypothetical. If we have somebody that thinks they have confidence in the flesh, I more so and I more so based on these realities. My ethnic connection, my relation to the law, my religious zeal, my righteousness. Notice what he goes on to say. And we'll bring this to a close just after verse 7. Notice in verse 7, but what things were gained to me. Now, he's actually using the language of economics, he's using the language of a ledger. He's got an asset column and he's got a debit column. He's got gains, he's got loss. Very commercial in terms of his approach. But what things were gained to me? These I have counted loss for Christ. the things mentioned in verses 5 and six, namely his ethnicity, his relation to the law, his religious zeal, and his blamelessness. Those things wherein he says, "If anyone thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so." So in verse 7, but what things were gained to me at one time Paul sounded he wasn't that man. He was like that man. All these things I've kept from my youth. What do I lack? or that man trying to justify himself in Luke chapter 10 engaged in selfjustification or that Pharisee in Luke 18. Thank you Lord that I'm not like other men. Thank you Lord that I give. Thank you Lord that I pray. Thank you Lord that I'm a champion of religiosity in first century Israel. Thank you Lord. That's how he prayed thus with himself. Well that probably was true or indicative of Saul of Tarsus thanking God for what a great guy Paul was. So he says in verse 7 by way of contrast but what things were gained to me these I have counted loss for Christ. Thomas says when he says uh thus or then when he says but the things that were gained to me he shows his contempt for the prestige he had under the law. When he says but what things were gained to me he's not moaning. He's not whining. He's not complaining. He's not looking back saying, "Oh, I had all this stuff and it was so wonderful and it was so good." No, that's not it at all. But what things were gained to me? These I have counted loss for Christ. On that road to Damascus, by the power of the Holy Spirit, affectionately calling him unto Christ, he understood all too well. It's nothing in my hand I bring simply to thy cross I cling. I'm not going to heaven based on the reality that that I'm a Hebrew of the Hebrews. I'm not going to heaven based on the idea that I'm circumcised. I'm not going to heaven because I'm a Benjamite. I'm not going to heaven because I persecuted the church. I'm not going to heaven because of some external compliance with the law of Moses that brought some sort of a blameless. I'm not going to heaven for those things. I'm going to heaven based on what Jesus had done on that road to Damascus. Jesus gave him the key to interpret reality. He gave him the key to interpret theology. He gave him the key to interpret the Old Testament, the scope of the Old Testament, everything tending to this time is that Christ is everything. So all those things that I had amassed that resume that looks so wonderful. I was ex esteemed. I had a great reputation. We're going to move to verse eight next week when he says, "But I also count all things for loss." What do you think he means? Well, his reputation is out the window. His status in first century Roman Empire is out the window. Everything is out the window for him now because of Christ. And he gives that causal connection. Look at verse 8. Just a foretaste, God willing, of next week. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord. Notice for whom I have suffered the loss of all things. For whom? That's causal. It's consequential. That's the effect that follows from the cause. I lost all this because of Christ. But he's not moaning. He's not whining. He's not complaining. Sometimes you hear Christian testimony and you hear the guy say, you know, I had a six figure, seven figure job before I came to Jesus. I I had, you know, this, that, and the other. And you kind of wonder, does he want a bit of that back? That's not his attitude here. He doesn't want this back. He's happy with the contrast. He's happy with the reality. But what things were gained to me? These I have counted loss for Christ. These things that once charmed me, these things that once produced or provided for me, the foundation for my thinking God was going to accept me. All that is gone. The road to Damascus showed me otherwise by God's grace. But what things were gained to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Zony. Jordan uh uh Justin sorted me out on Zon. I was always calling him Zanki, but in a discussion he called him Zonke. We me we we mused if Zonke had a donkey. I checked with Dr. Barcelos. He says Z, so it must be true. But Zonke makes this point in his excellent commentary on Philippians. The only time, well, there's probably been other times that I just want to bring a commentary into the pulpit and read it. It's just that good. It's it's really really really good. He says, "Therefore, it is not one's own righteousness." I mean, let's just bring this to a close. The the things that he indicates here in verses five and six, other than persecuting the church, aren't bad. I mean, especially in his millu or his context. I said like Cam does millu. uh his context, his religious upbringing, right? Circumcised the eighth day, that's not bad. Stock of Israel, not bad. Benjamite, not bad. These aren't bad things. You know, we might bring up our children in a Christian home and we might catechize them. We might get them a Bible. We might shle them to church, you know, a couple times a week and all that sort of a thing. That's not bad. In fact, it's good. In in his pre-converted life, his parents are to be commended. They did what they should have done. So, it's not that the things in and of themselves, again, accepting the persecution of the church. Can't justify that. But it's not that the things in themselves are are bad. Listen to Zoni. Therefore, it is not one's own righteousness, but rather trust in one's own righteousness that causes us not to draw near to Christ and become partakers of salvation. It's not the things, but Paul's argument here hinges on the reality that he trusted in the things to gain acceptance with God. And he came to understand by the grace of God, by the power of the Holy Spirit of God, that that ain't the case. That it's Christ alone or nothing. It's Christ alone or damnation. It's Christ alone. Paul would have happily sung, probably not in public worship, nothing in my hand I bring, simply to thy cross I cling. Foul I to the fountain fly. wash me savior or I die. That's the point in the passage. As I think Gersner said somewhere, it's not your sin that necessarily always keeps you from Christ. It's your damnable good works. It's those things you're trusting in instead of the Lord Jesus Christ, his active, his passive obedience for our soul and only righteousness. That's Paul's point. We'll look at the following verses, God willing, next Lord's Day evening. Well, let us pray. Our father in heaven, we thank you for this section of holy scripture that shows us Paul's conversion and how his experience is so clearly set forth in terms of good theology. I pray that we would understand these things that we would understand that there is nothing that we add to. There is nothing that we can supplement with. It is Christ alone for the salvation of needy sinners. And we give all praise to you for including us in this. We give all praise to you that Jesus is the yay and amen of all the promises of God. And we thank you in Jesus' name. Amen. Well, let us stand and sing the doxology in praise to God. 568 [Music] are all blessings. Praise him all. Praise the mighty host. Praise the father, son. Holy Ghost. [Music] The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. Amen. Well, please be seated for a brief time of meditation.