Thursday 04 November 2010

Background

The church at Philippi was one of the earliest ones to have apredominantly Gentile (non-Jewish) membership.

The Judaizers (a party of Jewish Christians in the early Church),believed that circumcision and observance of the Mosaic Law werenecessary for salvation. They tried to impose these on the Gentileconverts, and also implied that Jewish practices were stillcompulsory for Jewish Christians. 

In today's passage, Paul vehemently urges the Philippians to steerclear of the Judaizers. In fact, in the verse immediately precedingtoday's passage, he actually refers to them as dogs!

Again, Paul leads by example. As far as Jewish credentials go, hehas the full package and could easily fulfil all the criteria theJudaizers were trying to impose on the Philippians. He makes thispoint by giving us the full list: details of his circumcision, hisancestry, his qualifications as a teacher of the law ... even histrack record of persecuting Christians before he became onehimself.

However, Paul realises that salvation in Christ is not dependent onour pedigree or our achievements or traditions, but on faith inChrist alone. And so he is prepared to give up every one of thoseachievements and traditions - even going so far as to regard themall as loss (some translations say "as dung"!)

To Ponder

Which of your life's achievements are you mostproud of? How much of a challenge would it be to "regard [them] asloss" for the sake of Christ?

Why is faith more important than things such ascircumcision or Baptism that mark our identity with religions suchas Judaism or Christianity?