This prairie dog hasn’t yet learned what we are trying to teach our daughter: Don’t Bite Your Nails!
I Can Do All Things Through Christ . . .
April 30, 2009 by Leave a Comment
Philippians 4:11-13 NIV
I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.
Philippians 4:13 is the favorite verse of many athletes, and usually it’s used incorrectly. In other words, it is used as a mantra to push the athlete to endure hard training so that he or she can win.
However, the meaning of “I can do everything through him who gives me strength” is not “with God’s help, I can win any contest or pass any exam.” It’s meaning, in context, is very simple: in whatever circumstance I may find myself (i.e., win or lose), by God’s grace I can be content. Why? Because Christ is the source of my strength. Anything I succeed at is because He strengthened me. Any hardship I may endure is the result of the strength He has provided. Notice who gets the credit (again!) for winning the big event or enduring incredible hardship: Jesus not Paul!
This understanding seems obvious by Paul’s use of contrasts to lead up to the “I can do all things . . .” statement: need and plenty, well fed and hungry, in plenty and in want. He doesn’t present one condition as better than it’s opposite because either circumstance requires strength, which is provided by Jesus.
The assistant general manager of a particular MLB team told me this story: He was scouting a pitcher that his team was interested in acquiring, but had great reservations about the pitcher’s commitment to winning because of his well publicized faith in Jesus. When I asked for clarification, the scout told me that it appears that this pitcher is so dedicated to his faith that when he loses it doesn’t bother him.
In fact, the scout told me that he made a formal complaint to the head of “Baseball Chapel” (most MLB teams have a Christian chaplain that, to some degree, serves as a pastor to the Christian players on the team) about this particular pitcher’s “misunderstanding of the Christian faith.” “Being a Christian doesn’t have to mean that you don’t care if you win or lose,” he added with emphasis. The irony of this statement is that this scout wasn’t a Christian, but he had great conviction about what the Christian life should or shouldn’t be.
A couple of years later, I had the opportunity to revisit this story with the pitcher in question. His response was interesting: “I don’t know who that guy is, but my record should speak for itself in terms of whether I have a drive to win. That should be more important than whether I kick over trash cans, break water coolers or am a mess in the locker room after a loss or bad outing.”
The pitcher was right: His record does speak for itself. He admits that he isn’t a theologian, but he was biblically accurate when he added, “I don’t enjoy losing because I play to win, but life is bigger than the loss of a baseball game.” And in this respect, he had learned to “do everything through Him who gives [him] strength.”
There, but for the grace of God . . ."
April 28, 2009 by Leave a Comment
Philippians 3:4b-6 NIV
If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless.
Here’s that list enumerated.
1. Circumcised on the eight day (as required by the law)
2. Of the people of Israel (God’s chosen people);
3. Of the tribe of Benjamin (the tribe of Saul, Israel’s first king);
4. A pharisee (very strict and accurate in religious observance);
5. Persecuted the church with great zeal (no distance was too far to travel to harm Christians);
6. Blameless regarding observance of the law.
Some might call that Paul’s pre-conversion resume – the list of accomplishments upon which he intended to receive God’s approval. And from Paul’s pre-conversion perspective, it was a very impressive list. But that was pre-conversion.
Would you look at Paul’s “resume” and immediately think, “there, but for the grace of God, go I”? Probably not. But that was exactly Paul’s post-conversion appraisal! Here’s how Paul said it (3:7-9):
But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.
If Paul was coming to speak at your church next month, what would the marketing campaign look like? Would there be a heavier emphasis on Paul’s pre-conversion resume, or his post-conversion assessment of the futility of putting confidence in the flesh.
Or how about this: A famous professional athlete who is a Christian is coming to speak to the men’s group at your church next month. What would the marketing campaign look like? From that material (flyers- posters- banners- advertisements) would you get the impression that Christianity is the right choice because a) Christ is glorious above all others, or b) because a certain high-profile athlete believes in Jesus?
If the answer is b, isn’t that another form of putting confidence in the flesh? In the end, is Christ more glorious because a man that can catch, kick, or hit a ball better than most other men, believes in him? If not, then we should be careful to not appear to market Jesus that way.
Jesus is glorious because he is willing and able to save any who come to him in faith, whether they be high-profile or no profile. All must come humbly, depending only in the mercy of Christ for salvation.
