The Words Of Paul

I've been thinking a lot lately about the words and life of Paul. 

I'd love to say that I lived in such a way that I showcased the value of Christ, and HIS salvation, that I truly loved others but that I loved GOD most, that I put HIM above and before everything. 

But I can't. 

I am so thankful that *I* have no power to save myself--that Christ has already done the work and that with His help I can become the kind of person who Loves Him more than anything or anyone and loves myself least of all.

 

Philippians Chapter 3:3-14

 3For we who worship by the Spirit of God^b are the ones who are truly circumcised. We rely on what Christ Jesus has done for us. We put no confidence in human effort,  

4though I could have confidence in my own effort if anyone could. Indeed, if others have reason for confidence in their own efforts, I have even more!

5I was circumcised when I was eight days old. I am a pure-blooded citizen of Israel and a member of the tribe of Benjamin—a real Hebrew if there ever was one! I was a member of the Pharisees, who demand the strictest obedience to the Jewish law. 

6I was so zealous that I harshly persecuted the church. And as for righteousness, I obeyed the law without fault.

7I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. 

8Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ 

9and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ.^c For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith.  

10I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, 

11so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!

Pressing toward the Goal

12I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. 

13No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it,^d but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, 

14I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.