The Fifth Sunday in Lent
Philippians 3:4b–14
I love the way that Paul starts out in the passage today from Philippians. He’s in the middle of an argument with some Judean missionaries. They are trying to convince the Christian community in Philippi that they need to be circumcised in order to be truly right with God, in order to be truly accepted as members of God’s family. They seem to be bolstering their argument by showing off their own holiness, by showing what a great relationship they have established with God through their position as circumcised members of the Jewish community, by appealing to the authority they have as longstanding members of God’s family, with good genealogies to back them up.
So Paul accepts their challenge. If they are going to argue that they are closer to God because of their circumcision and their righteousness under the law, then Paul is going to start by accepting that argument. He’s going to engage in a bit of one-ups-man-ship. He’s going to step up to the challenge with some braggadocio of his own. If they want to flex, Paul is going to stunt on them.
If those missionaries think they are righteous under the law, Paul says, let me tell you, I am more righteous under the law than they could ever hope to be. I was circumcised when I was eight days old, in exact accordance with the law. I come from a good Jewish family with deep roots, and we’ve been observant and faithful to the law for generations. I’m a model of righteousness to all other Jews. In fact, I’m so observant of every detail of the law that I’m a Pharisee, the most observant of all of the Jewish factions. And I was so devoted to God’s cause that I didn’t just sit around being holy: I persecuted the church. My faith is so strong that I was God’s chief inquisitor. Check my record, I’ve never broken a single commandment. So take that! If you think your observance of the law gets you any clout, just try to beat my observance of the law. You’ll never be able to stack up to my righteousness.
It’s rather remarkable. Paul is never one to take a challenge lying down, never one to ever let anyone say something bad about him. And he won’t stand for it here either. If these missionaries want to start a righteousness competition, that’s fine, because Paul is going to end it. He’s going to show everyone that he’s the best, that he’s a winner, that everyone who stands against him is a loser. I like them fine, I get along with them fine, but let’s face it: they’re losers. They’ll never hope to be as huge as me. Like a first-century Marty McFly, Paul just cannot stand to let someone get away with calling him chicken, with calling him anything less than righteous.
But almost as soon as he has started, Paul abruptly changes direction. Once he is satisfied that everyone knows he is more righteous under the law than anyone else could ever hope to be, he turns the argument around. These missionaries, he says, take a lot of pride in their pedigrees and their works of righteousness. But look at me. I have a much better record than they do, but I don’t go around bragging about it. I don’t. I’m not a boastful person. That’s why people like me, because of my humility. They, I guess, feel like they need to brag. I don’t need to brag. If I did, of course, I would win, but I don’t need to brag.
Besides, what are they even bragging about? Genealogies, circumcision, works of righteousness. It doesn’t mean anything. It’s pointless. It’s worthless. It’s garbage, sewage, in comparison to what’s really important. It’s trash in comparison to the grace that comes through Christ Jesus. I’d much rather have the power that comes from Christ’s death and resurrection than be the most blameless observer of the law ever to walk the earth. It’s Christ’s grace that is important.
And remember, Philippians, you have Christ’s grace. You have the Spirit of God already working in your midst. You have God’s love working on your hearts. So don’t give all that up in exchange for a bunch of rules and regulations. And certainly don’t give it up for a surgical procedure that proves nothing so long as your hearts remain unchanged. Don’t put your trust in a scalpel. Put your trust in Christ Jesus and his grace.
Paul continues, So let’s you and I do what Christ did. Remember, he had all kinds of honor given to him as a birthright, but he gave it up in order to be obedient to God and receive an even greater glory. So let’s do the same thing, give up any honor we might have from our birthright or from our flesh or from our effort, and let’s be obedient to God, so that we can receive an even greater righteousness through Christ.
Now that sounds like the Paul we know. And it sounds like good Protestant theology. Salvation by faith through grace, apart from the works of the law. It’s not about what we do. It’s about what Jesus does for us. It’s about being justified through the saving action of Jesus. That’s a familiar message. It’s the core of the theology of grace. That is good Protestant theology.
But of course, Paul doesn’t end there. He’s about to make another turn.
Paul says, “Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal.” Whoa, now. That’s trouble. If Paul has already accepted Jesus, then isn’t the story of his salvation finished? It’s about faith and belief in Jesus, right? So why is he saying now that he hasn’t reached the goal of obtaining resurrection in Christ? Why is he starting to turn back to works?
It’s because despite what many have made out of Paul’s words in the ensuing 2000 years, the truth is that the Christian life, the Christian journey does not end at conversion. It does not end the moment you accept Jesus as your personal savior. The Christian journey continues.
We have a special word for it. That initial conversion that people are often so excited about is called Justification. We are made right with God through Jesus. But there is something else that comes next, and we call it Sanctification. Sanctification is the process by which the Holy Spirit continues to work on Christians to make us more holy, to bring the fruits of our lives into conformity with the words of our lips. It moves beyond the Doctrine of Justification by Faith Alone to the Doctrine of Sanctification, by which our works are brought in line with our faith. It’s not that we are justified by works: we most certainly are not. But if we are indeed justified by faith, then works will follow. Works will follow in response to our experience of God’s overwhelming grace and the continuing work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
Paul says, “Press on. The journey isn’t over yet.” Too often our modern Christian churches have gotten so caught up in the singular goal of conversion that we have neglected everything else. Just get people to say yes to Jesus, just accept him in your heart, and the story is over. Now you’ve punched your ticket for heaven, and no one can take it away from you.
But Paul says, “Press on.” Press on to make resurrection your own because Christ has made you his own. It may not be a question of salvation, but it is most certainly a question of faith. Are we done once we have punched our ticket? Or are we called to something more? When we say yes to Christ, shouldn’t we also say yes to Christ’s message? If Jesus came to proclaim good news to the poor, release to the captives, liberty to the oppressed, shouldn’t we as his followers work toward those same goals. If Christ came to usher in the Kingdom of God, shouldn’t we live as citizens of God’s kingdom who are migrants and aliens here in the world?
Paul says, “Press on.” Now that you’ve accepted Christ, it’s time to do the work of the Kingdom. It’s time to show the world a good example of what it means to be a Christian, and prove to the world outside that we aren’t just a bunch of hypocrites. It’s time to move our concern beyond the four walls of the church and put our faith to work in the world. It’s time to address the problems of hunger, poverty, and violence that dwell all around us. It’s time to love our neighbors as ourselves. It’s time to love our enemies, even, and pray for those who persecute us. It’s time to refrain from judging others, lest we ourselves be judged. It is time for us to die to sin and live for Christ.
“Press on,” says Paul. Don’t wait for your life to end before you are transformed by the grace of God. Let your life be transformed now. Let the Spirit work on you now. Be made like Christ now. And enjoy the fruits of faith now.
“Press on.” Take a risk for your faith. Step out boldly. Don’t worry about looking silly or losing face. Give up your ego and let Christ live in you. Live your whole life, every part, every moment, for the glory of God. Press on, as Paul said, “forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, press on toward the goal for the prize of the elevated calling of God in Christ Jesus.” Press on in faith. Press on in love. Press on in grace. Press on.