Monday, July 13, 2009

Don’t Be “Performance Conscious” – Be Righteousness

For we are the circumcision which worship God in the Spirit and rejoice
in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh… (Philippians 3:3).
The Apostle Paul used the scripture above to chide religious Jews who
criticized the Gentiles and considered them unserious Christians because
they weren’t obeying the law. As far as those religious Jews were concerned
, if you weren’t circumcised, or turn towards Jerusalem when you prayed,
and perform all the ceremonial washings as stipulated in the Law, then you
were not a Christian. They believed in the gospel of performance – trying to
impress God with their good works.But that doesn’t work. Paul said there no
use having confidence in your so-called good works, for that’s not Christianity.
As Christians, we don’t rely on our good works of righteousness to answer for
us before God. In other words, we’re not “performance conscious”; we’re
conscious and confident in the righteousness that is of faith.The apostle Paul
revealed how worthless it is for anyone to boast in such pharisaic conducts as
observing the rudiments of the law: “…If any other man thinketh that he hath
whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: Circumcised the eighth day, of the
stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching
the law, a Pharisee; Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the
righteousness which is in the law, blameless (Philippians 3:4-6).Paul displayed
his credentials as far as obeying the Law was concerned. There was no jot of the
law he didn’t fulfill as a Jew, yet he said: “I count all things but loss for the
excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered
the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be
found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of he law, but that
which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith.
This is the summary of the gospel: to be found in Christ, not having your own
righteousness, but embracing God’s righteousness which is through the faith of
Christ. Don’t try to impress God with your religious performances – don’t try to
please Him by obeying the Law. The Law and its ordinances were abolished through
the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:15). Therefore put
away religion, and be a Christian! Don’t be performance conscious, be righteousness conscious.ConfessionI am of the true circumcision which worship God in Spirit and
rejoice in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh. I embrace the righteousness
of God which I through the faith of Christ, that I may be found in Him, deeply rooted
and established in Christ, as I increase in the fruits of righteousness.

Further Study
John 4:23-24

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