Finding Yourself on a Dead-End Street

Hadrian's wall. That was certainly a dead-end street for many!

Scripture:

Phil. 3:4b If anyone else has reason to be confident in the flesh, I have more: ⁵ circumcised on the eighth day, a member of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; ⁶ as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.

Observation:

Paul has just warned the Philippians to beware of the Judaizers; those who wanted to make all Gentile Christian believers adopt the Jewish practices. This was pressure to live life “in the flesh.” Paul then began to list his own pedigree of all the actions that he had done “in the flesh” and assured them, this was a dead-end street.

He was not a proselyte into the Jewish faith, but was born a Jew. Let’s listen in on the great 4th century preacher Chrysostom as he describes Paul’s pedigree:

He was, he says, “circumcised on the eighth day.” So he makes it clear that he comes “of the stock of Israel.” By this language he shows that he is not a proselyte (hence the eighth day), nor was he born of a proselyte background (for he comes of the stock of Israel). And so that no one may suppose that “of the stock of Israel” means from one of the ten tribes, he further specifies that he is “of the tribe of Benjamin.” This is a highly respected Jewish identity, since the affairs of the priesthood fell to the lot of this tribe.

It was possible to be “of Israel” but not a “Hebrew of the Hebrews.” For there were many who had already misplaced their Hebrew heritage. Long residing among Gentiles, they had become ignorant of their Hebrew tongue. Not so with Paul. 

“If then it was because of my good breeding and my zeal and my way of life, and I had all the things that belong to life, why,” he says, “did I let go those lofty things, unless I found that those of Christ were greater, and greater by far?” (Chrysostom, Homily on Philippians 11.3) 

Paul could have been the template for how to live life “in the flesh” and yet, he found it all dissatisfying. He was uniquely qualified to challenge the life in the flesh of the Judaizers because he was an insider. Had he been a Gentile, his arguments could not have carried weight. Instead, he chose to renounce his old life and replace it “with new ambitions.” (Flemming, NBBC, 221) 

Application:

Whenever we depend upon our own power and ability to succeed in life, we will find ourselves on a “dead-end street.” My husband and I have been watching a documentary on the “Men who Built America.” It’s the story of men, most of them self-made, who were able to take advantage of the opportunities that were afforded them in their day and to make a fortune. Much of it had to do with timing, and sadly, often ruthlessness. The sad truth is that as life went on, they began to view themselves as invincible. They had put their faith in the flesh and the material world. The only problem with that was, the world was constantly changing, and they were not God. 

Last evening my husband and I were watching as John D. Rockefeller began to see his oil monopoly threatened. This was long before the automobile and he had a monopoly selling kerosene to the world to burn in lights. Little did he know that a man named Thomas Edison was inventing the electric light bulb which would change everything. Rockefeller’s confidence was in himself, in the flesh, and he wanted to retain his position as the most powerful man in America, but he saw it all threatened by a new invention. Life can change that quickly. 

So, why would we boast in the flesh? It’s here today and gone tomorrow: this includes jobs, finances, health, and even relationships. The constant in our lives is Jesus Christ. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. It’s not worth it spending all of our time and energy to pave a dead-end road. Paul encourages us to be filled with “new ambitions” as we follow Christ. 

Prayer:  Lord, the distractions of life are often many. Quiet my heart and mind so that I can remain focused on You. Amen.