Counting and Discounting

Counting and Discounting

But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ.

Philippians 3:7

The Apostle Paul clearly understood the Gospel.  He understood what is important in order to enter into a right relationship with God.  To use a common analogy, in order to erect a building, there must be a clear area in which to lay down a solid foundation.  In our text for today, Paul is declaring that he had, indeed, cleared the area.  We want to take a serious look at what he counted and what he discounted.  Earlier in the passage, he speaks of having, ‘no confidence in the flesh.’  He then lists the things which he discounted.  He speaks of the fact that he was, ‘circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.’  How may we categorize these things which Paul discounted?  He discounted his earthly pedigree.  This included all his standing as a member of God’s ‘chosen’ people.  Beyond those things, he discounted his very zealous religiosity, and his scrupulous adherence to the law.  If we are to embrace Christ, and enter into a relationship with Him, we must discount our status, intellect, and morality as things which would commend us to God.  We have no merit of our own.  We have no ‘selling points’ which we can set forth as reasons for God to accept us.  If we are to come to God in a right way, we must come having discounted all our merit.  Then we are approaching Him as we are, helpless sinners, in need of His Free and Sovereign Grace.

Our most Holy and Righteous God,
we come to You today, standing upon the merits of Christ alone.
We confess unto You, that we have no merit of our own,
but wholly rest upon His Righteousness.

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning