Raising Our Level of Commitment

Introduction

Good morning. If you’ve ever contemplated the idea of living in a glass house, usually it has to do with one of a couple different concepts. One of them, the one that seems more peculiar to our everyday life, would be that if a rock is thrown at it, it will break. But the aspect that we generally think of, if we were to say, I live in a glass house or you live in one, would be that everyone can see your every move, right? They can see what you’re doing, they know what you’re about. It doesn’t matter what you say, it matters what they see, because as is often said, actions speak louder than words. When you consider a Christian’s life, a Christian truly is someone that not only lives in a glass house, but one that should.

If we are to be liked into the world, we can’t shine if we have hampered our light. Our light certainly won’t shine if we don’t turn it on, but even a light that is on but is smothered by darkness does no good. When you consider the idea of living as a Christian, it is one that should be life altering. And so it’s a bit perplexing and sad when you hear people say, I won’t go to church because there’s a bunch of hypocrites there. Have you ever heard that? Nod your head, yes, you probably have.

Well, first of all, I I’m I’m not ignorant. I understand that that is both an excuse and a poorly crafted one for not serving the Almighty God, because regardless of how the person sitting next to me, or in this case, sitting in front of me in this church building behaves, does not change the existence of an Almighty God, and if that God exists, I should obey him. However, where does that viewpoint come from? It comes from Christians who don’t have a whole lot of Christ in them. If we’re going to be Christians, we need to be fully committed to serving Christ. And that is life-altering. That is subjecting ourselves to a glass home. And it is a life that is very different than how everyone else lives.

And so this morning I want to talk a little bit about raising our level of commitment. How can I grow in my Christian faith? How can I be the type of Christian that Christ would have me be? Well, the obvious answer to that is to live as Christ did, but I want to look at another example of someone you may know very well. This was a person who was very committed to his idea of obeying God. And we know him as Saul. But what we know about Saul is that we also know him as Paul. And that Paul, once he came into contact with Jesus on the way to Damascus in Acts chapter 9, he committed everything to following Jesus. Open your Bibles with me to Philippians chapter 3.

In Philippians chapter 3, beginning in verse 17, you know this section of text well. Brothers, join in imitating me and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. For many of whom I have often told you and now tell you, even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their God is their belly, and they glory in their shame with their minds set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself. And you have Paul in verse 17 say, brothers, join in imitating me.

Why? What imitation? Paul in verse 20. Our citizenship is in heaven. Not like the people who glory in their shame, not like those people who are carnal in nature and live for physical things. Our citizenship is in heaven. But what is the context of that well-known passage? Look back, beginning in verse two of Philippians chapter 3. Our text for this morning will be in Philippians chapter 2 down through about verse 14. So we’ll go ahead and go through some of the reading now. Verse 2 look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh. For we are the circumcision who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus, and put no confidence in the flesh.

Keep that in your mind. We’re going to come back to that. Though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for 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, as to the law, a Pharisee, as to zeal, a persecutor of the church. As the righteousness under the law, blameless. But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as lost because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake, I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order 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 comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith, that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

Look at verse 11. You want a Christian motto to live by? You want to know what you should wake up to thinking? That by any means possible, I may attain the resurrection from the dead. That is the goal of Christians. That is why our citizenship is in heaven. Heaven is a place, if we have reached it, it’s because we have survived, we have lived and not died a second time. If that is our goal, if that is our motto, then what’s left for Paul to say is, I have to give everything away in the name of Christ. I have to be his servant. If I have things, I am a simple steward. If I can do things, I better go. If I can teach, I must.

1. We Are the Circumcision, No Confidence in the Flesh

If I can pray, I shall. We need to do all things. But what’s interesting about Paul here is he’s facing and kind of getting his own words in on a trouble that the Philippians, excuse me, were facing. Look back at verse 2. Look out for the dogs, otherwise called evildoers, and those who mutilate the flesh. Dogs may have been a bad term that the Jews would cast toward Gentiles. But consider the concept of those who mutilate the flesh, and then verse 3, for we are the circumcision who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus, and put no confidence in the flesh. What was the problem? People trying to bind circumcision. Now, if you’ve read your New Testament, you have to scratch your head.

Why is this such a problem with them? Why can they not just accept that it is no longer about being physically circumcised to obediently submit to God? But nonetheless, that was a problem that they had. And so you consider what Paul says. We are the circumcision. Boy, would that be a shock to people who were trying to teach that you must be circumcised. But who was it? Those who worship in spirit. Those who glory in Christ. We need to be those people who serve God. We aren’t physically going to accomplish anything unless our hearts have been fully devoted to him. Otherwise, it is just simple form and not pleasing to him. When we talk about our level of commitment, we have to understand what Paul did, which is in verse 4 Though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also.

If anyone thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more. Paul’s saying, You want to glory in your flesh? You want to glory in your background? You want to talk about how great you are, all the things you have, all the things you’ve done? I’ve done it. I’ve done it better than you have. He lists his attributes here, circumcised the eighth day. He kept the Jewish law. He was of Israel. He was God’s part of God’s physical nation in the Old Testament. He’s from the tribe of Benjamin. That was one of the loyal tribes. Do you see? Paul was the man. He was the guy. If someone could glory in the flesh and look at his accolades and have a paper resume that would just craft him into heaven, that would be Paul.

He keeps going. He’s a Hebrew of Hebrews. He was trained by Gameliel, Pharisee of Pharisees. He was part of the conservative sect. Lawkeepers, in fact, to their detriment, lawmakers in some cases. And as to the zeal of persecutor of the church, as to Arzdeal, I wonder, do we even have enough zeal to come to church? You look around. There’s going to be more people here in about half an hour. And even more after that in about another hour. Paul was so zealous for the Lord that he was wrong, it doesn’t make it right. But he was so zealous, he would go out and persecute those who were not doing what he thought they should be, worshiping the way he thought that God should be worshipped. Do we have anything close to that type of zeal?

We’re going to talk about that as we move forward. But consider his last note. As to righteousness under the law, blameless. As far as men would say, as far as life would have it, Paul was a pretty good guy. He was an upstanding citizen. He was well trained. He had one of the best backgrounds a Jew could have. And yet, as we know from his conversion story, he was not only wrong, but he shifted over to Christ. And in verse 7, we see that. But whatever gain I had. Do you see that? Look in your Bibles at that. When you’re looking at me, you’re not looking at your Bibles. I can see that. But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.

2. Count All Things as Loss

So how are we going to raise our commitment? Well, first of all, we need to understand that we need to count all things as loss that are not Christ, that are not in his service, that are not for him. And that’s really hard because a lot of things we have masquerade as things that can serve Christ. We love to think about our talents and the money in our account because we want to be safe, we want to be secure, and after all, I can use those in the Lord’s service. Here’s my question Do you? Paul was willing to give up all of his background. Now let’s make an important note for verses seven and eight. What were these things that he was willing to give up contextually?

Those physical attributes. It didn’t matter what was on his list. This applies to things as well. But understand, Paul contextually is speaking of his impeccable resume, his background, his life. And so we say, well, I can teach, but do you? I have some money that I can help people, but do you use it that way? Am I committed to the cause of Christ? No holding back. And if not, why not? Well, look at verse 8. Why did Paul do that? Indeed, I count everything as lost because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake, I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish in order that I may gain Christ. You know what happens if you don’t do this?

If you aren’t on fire for the Lord, if you aren’t zealous the way you have, you don’t have Christ. And that should be a terrifying concept. Christianity is not a game. It’s not a mantra. It’s not even a title to be worn for good public standing. It is a life that completely voids self and enters Christ. Paul understood that. In fact, Paul lived that. How do you know? Remember in Acts chapter 9? At the beginning of Acts chapter 9, when he’s on his way to Damascus, and the Lord says, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? And Paul eventually turns his life around. I might interchange Saul and Paul, just get used to that this morning. And then what happens in the very same chapter? He’s beginning to be persecuted.

Paul was put in prison, threatened to be killed. People followed him, trying to get him in trouble. He was involved in riots. And this was a man who had everything. He left everything to gain everything. You see, the key is Paul had everything for his temporary life. For this little vapor that we call life, Paul was well situated. But for the eternity that we call being with God forever in his midst, he didn’t have any of that until he submitted to Christ. We need to make sure that we have that same commitment. You wonder why Paul would be willing to throw out all of his life, though. In fact, maybe he could use his background, and it’s not that he didn’t. But you know what his point going back to verse 4 is.

If anyone could say this, if any of you are out there thinking the flesh is something, that you can be somebody, that you have something to gain or to not give away, that’s hard. I had that. I had it the best. I had it the most. And he’s saying, you know all that I had in verse 8? That’s rubbish. That’s garbage. It’s worth nothing because of knowing Christ. That’s what it’s about. It’s going to sound like a broken record, but that’s what Christians live for. It’s not about coming and warming a pew. It’s not about saying a prayer. It’s about talking to the Almighty God, praising him the way he intends to be praised. Because if we are servants, we’ll get rid of our mindset and our ideas on what God wants and simply take what he commands.

3. The Reproach of Christ Greater Wealth

Consider in verse 10, that I may know him and the power of his resurrection and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. This attitude is familiar to one of a figure we find in Hebrews chapter 11. Turn over there with me. In Hebrews chapter 11, beginning in verse 23.

Hebrews chapter 11 and verse 23. By faith, Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents because they saw that the child was beautiful. And they were not afraid of the king’s edict. By faith, Moses, when he was growing up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God that enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. We kind of get that, but why would he choose to be mistreated? Why would that be? Look at verse 26. He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt. For he was looking to the reward. By faith, he left Egypt not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible.

By faith he kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood so that the destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them. You think that you’re offered a lot? You think that Paul had a good life? Moses denied what in verse 26? The treasures of Egypt. Why? He wanted the reproach of Christ. Can you imagine anyone today saying, you know what, I really don’t want all those millions of dollars you’re offering me, but I’ll tell you what I do want. I want to be mistreated. I want to suffer. I want to feel awkward in front of my friends and co-workers. I want to not be liked. I want to be that weird person who always talks about something that’s not even here now. But wouldn’t that real thing that we talk about, that thing that makes us feel weird, the things that make others look at us funny, that’s suffering for Christ.

That’s trying to get people to see that we are dead in our sins, and Jesus is the only one with the answer. But we’re never going to do that if we aren’t fully committed to Him. We’re never going to do that unless we can grasp the words of this hymn by Stuart Hamblin. Until then. My heart can sing when I pause to remember. A heartache here is but a stepping stone. Along a trail that’s winding always upward, this troubled world is not my final home. But until then, my heart will go on singing. Until then, with joy, I’ll carry on. Until the days my eyes behold the city, until the day God calls me home. The things of earth will dim and lose their value. If we recall they’re borrowed for a while.

And things of earth that cause the heart to tremble, remembered there will only bring a smile. But until then, my heart will go on singing. Until then with joy I’ll carry on. Until the day my eyes behold the city, until the day God calls me home. This weary world with all its toil and struggle may take its toll of misery and strife. The soul of man is waiting like a falcon. When it’s released, it’s destined for the skies. But until then, my heart will go on singing. Until then, with joy I’ll carry on. Until the days my eyes behold the city, until the day God calls me home. I want to draw your attention to two of the verses. In the third verse, I read, The soul of man is like a waiting falcon.

When it’s released, it’s destined for the sky. And that’s what the soul of a Christian is destined for, to be with God. But you know what this body is destined to do? To return to dust. What’s more trivial and worthless than dust? Most of us hate dust. Makes us sneeze. That’s where our bodies go. But our souls will live forever. Consider the second verse, though. The things of earth will dim and lose their value if we recall they’re borrowed for a while. Isn’t that the real rub? To realize that all that we see, all that is our life, all that envelops us is temporary and fleeting. If you don’t think it is, consider whatever amount of time you’ve lived, how fast it went. Consider how long ago you were just playing in the sandbox.

4. By Any Means Possible: Sacrifice Is Necessary

Or just sitting in the arms of a parent. Oh, how fast life goes. And oh how true the scripture reigns. Life is but a vapor. We need to consider if we are going to be committed, that we need to count all things as lost because we know they are worth nothing. And Christ is worth everything. We have to have that drilled in our mind and instilled in our hearts, or we’ll never make it. We’ll never be committed, we’ll never change. And the thing that keeps us from doing so is if we don’t have that mindset, we won’t sacrifice anything. Go back to Philippians 3. Consider in verse 9. Paul said, and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ.

The righteousness from God that depends on faith. He’s saying, this righteousness that we need to attain, this isn’t from the old law. It’s from Christ. It’s from grace. It’s from this new, better covenant. Then it comes down to verse 11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection of the dead. That by any means possible. And if that answer in our hearts is not truly by any means possible, we’re not there. We are not where Christ needs us to be. Look in Luke chapter 9. Looking at the words of Jesus in Luke chapter 9, a strong warning. Luke chapter 9, beginning in verse 23, and he said to all, if anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.

For whoever would save his life will lose it. But whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself? For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words of him, will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. Do you value your life? That’s not necessarily the problem. But do you value your life more than Christ? Do you recognize that your life is to be lived in Christ? And to die is gained. As Paul wrote also in the book of Philippians. For me to live is Christ and to die is gained. Have you sacrificed?

If not, can I ask you how we think as Christians that we can be saved, that we can be the type of totally committed individual that Christ always beseeches us to be if we’ve given up nothing? It’s not a reward, it’s not a challenge to come to church when there’s no religious persecution. But you know what is a challenge is to have zeal in a country full of apathy. A man named Pavel Polos was exiled from Russia and had this to say in Moody Monthly of April 1989. I don’t know what that is, but I liked what I saw. In Russia, Christians are tested by hardship. But in America, you are tested by freedom. And testing by freedom is much harder. Nobody presses you about your religion, so you relax and are not so concentrated on Christ, on his teaching, and how he wants you to live.

It’s easy to come to church. It’s hard to be a Christian. It’s easy to say the word. It’s hard to live the life. We need to learn that sacrifice is necessary. Sacrifice is not only necessary, it’s a good thing. Paul was willing to undergo a complete lifestyle change, to give up all that he had. He counted it as rubbish. He was willing by any means possible to attain that resurrection from the dead, and he did it because it was worth it. He did it because he knew what Jesus offered, and it was eternal life, and that drove him. Any type of holdup, whether it’s about money or a job or a life, anything that pulls us away from being the type of husbands and wife we ought to be, the parents we should be, the children we should be, the members of the local body that we should be must be eliminated.

5. I Press On: Reaching Out or Reclining?

Because life is not worth it. Eternal life in heaven is worth it all. We need to be willing to sacrifice anything necessary. But if you look at Paul moving forward from that bold declaration in verse 11, come to verse 12 with me. Not that I’ve already obtained this or I’m already, or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that if I have made it my own, but one thing I do, forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead. I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. But those of us who are mature think this way.

If in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. You come to verse 12, and you think about all that Paul had accomplished. We talked about his resume, but what about his resume in serving God and serving Christ? This is a man who had been jailed, a man who had been teaching, a man who had a direct conversation with the Lord. This was a man even of Christian repute, of Christian strong resume. And yet he says in verse 12, not that I’ve already obtained this or I’m already perfect, but I press on. Are we reaching out or reclining? On the heels of that comment about freedom, consider what is Christianity about? Is it about racing to the waters, finding a good church with good elders, good Bible teaching, and saying, glad I’m not like those other people.

And there’s people who never know the gospel. Then there’s those people who don’t know the right gospel. Then there’s those people who know it, but they don’t go to the right place. I’m sure glad I’m nice and comfy here in this nice auditorium with nice Bible teaching. Boy, am I blessed. Is that what Christianity is about? It’s not about your teachers. It’s not about the church building. It’s about knowing the teaching of Christ and living full throttle in the pursuit of heaven. We need to understand that we not only have to count all things as lost, but we have to make sacrifices. We need to be reaching out. If Paul had to strain forward, boy, what does that mean for me? I don’t consider myself to be of any type of standing in comparison to Paul, and he was straining forward.

He didn’t say he had an attain. This concept of just leaning back and saying, We got it, I’m part of the right team, would be very foreign to him. Because Paul realized living for Christ was meaning having an individual relationship with him, having service to him as ourselves. But the other concept of that is to realize that even though Paul was still reaching forward, that just because you aren’t where you ought to be, or where you think you should be, doesn’t mean that you’re wrong. Paul Bilheimer wrote, An unripe apple is not fit to eat, but we should not therefore condemn it. It is not yet ready for eating because God is not done making it. It is a phase of its career and good in its place.

Conclusion

There’s a time for elementary teaching. There’s a time for the milk, but there’s also a time for the meat. We don’t need to look down on ourselves and be sad. We need to look forward to Christ and press on, no matter the cost. Let’s go to God in prayer. Our dear God, our most powerful, mighty Heavenly Father. We know that you are gracious and merciful, loving. And you gave your only begotten Son to die on the cross for our sins. We thank you so much for that sacrifice. We recognize that the blood of Christ frees us from our sins, the debt, wages of sin that we have earned, which otherwise would leave us condemned to death. We thank you for that forgiveness, that ability to find you, to seek you.

We’re very thankful for this even avenue of prayer with which we can open our hearts to you. We pray, O God, that we will always live committed to you. That we recognize that if heaven’s worth everything, that the things of this life are just stuff. They’re just passing away. They really aren’t worth anything, let alone our souls. Lord, help us to be willing to sacrifice anything from our stuff to our reputations to our very time in order to serve you in a pleasing way. Lord, forgive us of when we do wrong. Help us to be good, committed soldiers in the fight. In your Son’s name we pray. Amen. We are now dismissed to our Bible class, period.