So, instead of being intimidated by this vision of Christ in total obedience to God such that every knee will bow, imitate a man who is a sinner, but is striving to keep his focus on the “finish line”. Imitate a man who is not “perfect” but is seeking to be a “mature” Christian. Continue reading
Consider how an athlete runs his race. He watches his opponents and does his best to avoid letting them trip him. For, if he sees you passing him, your opponent may try to trip you. Sin is like that. It sees you ‘running past’ and does its best to trip you. That’s part of the race. Not every one is honorable. You must be on the lookout. Nor should you ‘look back’. Paul tells us that he is “stretching forward”. Continue reading
In this passage St. Paul opens up to us with his Jewish claim. No one, he says, can claim a greater heritage, a greater right to boast of his Jewishness, than he. Notice vs. 5. “Hebrew of Hebrews” according to one commentator, means that he has no Gentile ancestors. Not even Jesus can claim that! Rahab, Ruth and Bathsheba were not Israelite women. If that is what Paul is actually claiming, then he has more claim than David. Continue reading
When I first looked at vs. 1-3 my thinking was about legalism. I’ve pondered this and I still think that’s the issue. In Paul’s day it centered on the Circumcision Party…God was setting His People, the Hebrews, the Israelites, apart from the rest of the world. He wanted them to understand that they were different. They belonged to Him. Circumcision marked them as His. Continue reading