Forfeiture: Meaning

This is the 3rd of 4 Forfeiture posts.  
Part 1 is HERE
 Part 2 is HERE

In thinking about the meaning of this and other passages, we probably need to spend more time in the Biblical text.  This digital age has provided us with great resources at our fingertips.  The problem with this is we run to other resources too early in the process. 

"If you use commentaries too early, they will take over and suppress your thought."  This quote is from an article "How to Use Bible Commentaries" by David Murray.

There are a couple of very important, interpretation, meaning things to note in verse 8.

The phrase “Yet indeed” in the ESV and “More than that” in the NKJV establishes a very strong contrast between works of Paul in the flesh and the works of Christ.

Verse 7 states that what Paul used to think was gain is loss for Christ.

Verse 8 builds on this truth with this “Yet indeed” statement.

Even more than counting these works of the flesh a loss, Paul also understands the “surpassing worth,” the “excellence” of knowing Christ.

There is worth and then there is hyper-worth.There is an active child and then there is the hyperactive child.There are sensitive people and then there are hyper-sensitive people.There is tension and then there is hypertension.

This knowing Christ is a great treasure.

To help you think about what this great, ultimate treasure is NOT, here is a quote from the book Holiness by J.C. Ryle

Are you resting on religious privileges?  Alas, many do!  They enjoy the opportunity of hearing the Gospel regularly preached, and of attending many ordinances and means of grace.  They seem to be “rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing while they have neither faith nor grace nor spiritual mindedness.

Do you belong to an Evangelical congregation?  Many do, and, alas go no further!  They hear the truth Sunday after Sunday and remain as hard as the millstone.  Sermon after sermon sounds in their ears.  Month after month they are invited to repent, to believe, to come to Christ, and to be saved.  Year after year passes away, and they are not changed.  They keep their seat under the teaching of a favorite minister and they also keep their favorite sins. 

Jesus is the great treasure and these are an extra blessing to help us treasure Him more.

The other great interpretative point in verse 8 is the verb form of “counted” contrasted to the verb form “count” in verse 7.

The language here in verse 8 is not merely looking back at my past.
It is looking at his present and his future.

There is nothing I did, am doing, or are going to do that will earn me God’s favor.

One other interpretative point in this verse is the use of the word “rubbish.”
This “rubbish” that Paul’s say our works is like is not just garbage, some paper, used Kleenex, paper cups.  This word “rubbish” is the word for “waste”, “dung”, “manure” “excrement.”

It is not just a loss
It is a loss and an immeasurable gain.
It is a loss of something really, really bad and an immeasurable gain.

Another Paul, Paul Tripp, uses the following quote in many of his books and videos, that gives another visual of what these verses are saying.   

Don't look horizontally for what can only be found vertically.

In his explanation of this quote, Tripp writes, "Don't allow yourself to be seduced into believing that life can be found in the people, possessions, situations, locations and experiences of everyday life.  Remember, the role of created things is not to give you life, but to point you to the One who is the Way, the Truth, and Life. Refuse to try to satisfy your heart with things that will never offer you the satisfaction that you seek." (1)

Focus on the RIGHT thing.

For more about the Fighter Verses go to www.drodgersjr.com/p/fighter-verses.html

Forfeiture: Observations from Philippians 3:7-9

This is the 2nd of 4 Forfeiture posts.  

Part 1 is HERE

Part 3 is HERE

In One to One Bible Reading, David Helm provides some basic questions to ask when reading the Bible.

There are four sets of questions:  Context, Observation, Meaning and Application.

There are a couple of questions in each set.

Here are the Observation questions.

• Are there any major sub-sections or breaks in the text? 
• Are there key connecting words (for, therefore, but, because) that indicate the logical flow of the passage? 
• What is the main point or points? What supporting points does the author make?
• What surprises are there in the flow of the argument

These questions are helpful when studying the Epistles.  If you want to see the rest of the questions, click HERE

Philippians 3:7-9 is filled with some really important, really big questions.

whatever gain I had, 

I counted as loss for the sake of Christ"

I count everything as loss 

because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord

suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, 

in order that I may gain Christ"

Then verse 9 contrast the difference between 

my own righteousness and God's righteousness

"A righteousness of my own" comes from the Law.

It is based on my effort, my works of the flesh.
It is not true righteousness.

The righteousness from God is faith in the work of another.

Jesus Christ.

In our digital age, it is very easy to run to commentaries and other resources before you take adequate time in the text making observance.

For more about the Fighter Verses go to www.drodgersjr.com/p/fighter-verses.html

Motives: Why Do I Do the Things I Do?

I do what I do because I want what I want.

At West Cannon Baptist Church, our fiscal year begins in February.  Dates like this are appropriate times to think about motives.  
Why are we, as a church, going to do what we do this year?

To help us focus on Biblical motives, resources will be posted on the church Facebook page and this blog.  These resources will be articles, videos, pdfs, sermons and books.  It is my prayer that these each of them will help the WCBC church family and others think Biblically about what they do.

Here are two resources for today.

Resources from Sunday night's sermon at West Cannon Baptist Church - Forfeiture - What Have You Lost?

The Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation (CCEF) has a series of minibooks on a variety of topics.  Ed Welch has written one entitled "Motive: Why Do I Do The Things I Do?"  The booklet is available as a free PDF at https://www.ccef.org/wp-content/uploads/archive/sites/default/files/2201048_0.pdf

Welch asks the "Why do I do the things I do?" question another way:  
"Whom will you worship?  The choice is either the true God or idols. The entire history of Israel was the conflict between the two (Ex. 20:2-6; 1 Kings 11:9-11; 19:10). All sin was summarized as idolatry (Deut. 4:23). Although this language sounds old-fashioned to us, what motivates our hearts today is no different. A quick survey of our hearts will most likely reveal age-old idols."

Here are a couple of action steps you can take throughout this month

1. Pray.  Pray that God would show you areas where your motives are sinful.
2. Read.  Even more than reading the articles posted this month, take time to read the Bible.
3. Encourage others.  Encourage someone to live his/her life for God's glory.  This could be sharing the Gospel with someone who isn't saved or doing a short Bible study with someone from the church with the purpose with helping one another grow into the image of Christ.  If you don't know where to start with these ideas a couple of ideas will be posted next week.  

Forfeiture – What Have You Lost?

This is the 1st of 4 Forfeiture posts.  
Part 2 is HERE
Part 3 is HERE

Sunday night (01.28.18), I had the privilege to preach - www.westcannon.org/live-stream
The text was Philippians 3:7-9 which are last week and this week's Fighter Verses.

In preaching a one time message Fighter Verses, I need to take some time in this message to develop some context.  I also wanted to help people better understand how to use and study the Fighter Verses.

Over the next four days, I am going to be posting notes about the passage from my sermon notes.  It is my prayer that these posts will encourage you to treasure Christ and fight sin.

The four days of posts are 
Today - Context
Thursday - Observation and 
Friday - Meaning
Saturday - Application.  
While the other days will have some application points,  Friday will have a summary of applications, some new applications and some great resources to help you treasure Jesus.

CONTEXT:

There are a couple of important things to know as we prepare to look at these verses.  An important principle in Bible study is Context, Context and Context.Context - an overview of the book.Context - the two chapters before Philippians 3.Context - the six verses before Philippians 3:7-9.  

Context:  An overview of Philippians:

Paul is not writing this letter to correct a church problem.  As a matter of fact, the only correction is directed towards two specific individuals in chapter 4.  This lack of church-wide correction makes this book different than most of Paul’s other epistles.  He is pushing the church towards Christ and Christian maturity.

In chapter four verse one, he writes the following about the church, "My brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown,"At the time of the writing of this book, this is a great church.

Another great context study is reading and thinking through the different people who were saved in Philippi.  Read about the three different people in Acts 16. 

Context:  The two chapters before Philippians 3:

There is a theme throughout these two chapters.

Life is not about my name but Christ’s.  1:15-18

¹⁵ Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. ¹⁶ The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. ¹⁷ The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment.  ¹⁸ What then?  Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice.

Life is not about my will but Christ’s.  1:21-26

²¹ For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.  ²² If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell.  ²³ I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better.  ²⁴ But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account.  ²⁵ Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, ²⁶ so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again.

Life is not about my comfort but the cause of Christ.  1:29-30

²⁹ For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake, ³⁰ engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.

Life is not about my interest but the interest of others because of Christ.  2:3-11

³ Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.  ⁴ Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. ⁵ Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus

Life is not about my work but God’s work in his children through Christ.  2:13

¹³ for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. 

In these two chapters, there are AT LEAST FIVE REMINDERS that Life is about Jesus Christ.  

Context:  Six verses before Philippians 3:7-9:

In chapters 1 and 2, Paul takes time to remind the church of the treasure we have in Jesus Christ.  "Finally," he reminds the church to "rejoice in the Lord" - treasure Jesus Christ.

Then in 3:2, Paul warns them that the  circumcision of the Judaizers, those trusting in their own works and not God’s, was just like ritual mutilations in pagan religions, like the prophets of Baal in 1st Kings 18:27, 28.  Like these prophets of Baal, we are arrogant enough to believe that we can manipulate the God, whether by self-mutilation or some other means, so he will serve us.

After all of this talk of treasuring Christ and not relying on the flesh, Paul lists out all of his "works of the flesh."  
WARNING, look out for those who trust in the flesh.

All of this should serve as a reminder that the Prosperity Gospel is a trap, a lie.

And I am not just talking about the “name it and claim it” “blab it and grab it” Prosperity Gospel.  The “I want a gold jet and Rolls-Royce” or “I demand a physical healing from God” Prosperity Gospel.

I am talking about the “If I do the right things, God has to bless me” type of Prosperity Gospel. 

Why does Paul make it a point to remind a church of these things?  Not just a church but a great church?

Because we need Gospel reminders that the Christian life needs to lived out God’s way, IN CHRIST JESUS THROUGH THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT AS REVEALED IN GOD’S WORD.

Motives

I do what I do because I want what I want.

At West Cannon Baptist Church, our fiscal year begins in February.  Dates like this are appropriate times to think about motives.  
Why are we, as a church, going to do what we do this year?

To help us focus on Biblical motives, resources will be posted on the church Facebook page and this blog.  These resources will be articles, videos, pdfs, sermons and books.  It is my prayer that these each of them will help the WCBC church family and others think Biblically about what they do.

Here are two resources for today.

Resources from Sunday night's sermon at West Cannon Baptist Church - Forfeiture - What Have You Lost?

The Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation (CCEF) has a series of minibooks on a variety of topics.  Ed Welch has written one entitled "Motive: Why Do I Do The Things I Do?"  The booklet is available as a free PDF at https://www.ccef.org/wp-content/uploads/archive/sites/default/files/2201048_0.pdf

Welch asks the "Why do I do the things I do?" question another way:  
"Whom will you worship?  The choice is either the true God or idols. The entire history of Israel was the conflict between the two (Ex. 20:2-6; 1 Kings 11:9-11; 19:10). All sin was summarized as idolatry (Deut. 4:23). Although this language sounds old-fashioned to us, what motivates our hearts today is no different. A quick survey of our hearts will most likely reveal age-old idols."

Here are a couple of action steps you can take throughout this month

1. Pray.  Pray that God would show you areas where your motives are sinful.
2. Read.  Even more than reading the articles posted this month, take time to read the Bible.
3. Encourage others.  Encourage someone to live his/her life for God's glory.  This could be sharing the Gospel with someone who isn't saved or doing a short Bible study with someone from the church with the purpose with helping one another grow into the image of Christ.  If you don't know where to start with these ideas a couple of ideas will be posted next week.