Losses And Gains

Losses and Gains

I was circumcised when I was eight days old. I am a pure-blooded citizen of Israel and a member of the tribe of Benjamin—a real Hebrew if there ever was one! I was a member of the Pharisees, who demand the strictest obedience to the Jewish law. I was so zealous that I harshly persecuted the church. And as for righteousness, I obeyed the law without fault.

I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ.

Philippians 3:5-8

An accounting ledger has two columns—one for income or assets, and another one for payments or losses. In a way, our relationship with Jesus is like that. Part of growing in our relationship with him is understanding the things in our lives that are true assets—the things that add to our relationship with him—and the things that take away from it.

Paul had this sense of an accounting ledger in his life. In his column of gains or assets, he listed all the advantages of his insider religious status. At one time he saw his religious connections as something valuable. But then he had a life-transforming experience with Jesus, and what went in each ledger column was completely reversed.

Paul saw that his religious experience was not an asset at all but a liability or a loss. Instead of moving him closer to knowing God in an intimate and authentic way, it gave him a false sense of rightness. In the spiritual accounting of his life, he realized that if anything was feeding his self-righteousness and keeping him from an awareness of his deep need for real relationship with God, it was hurting him more than helping him.

Have you grown up in church? Are you blessed with a family that has a long tradition and legacy of faith? It can create a strong foundation of faith for you—an asset. Or it can be a liability. Which is it for you?

DISCUSSION STARTERS

How have your church and your family helped you know Jesus better?

How can someone’s religious history or background work against him or her?

What is the difference between religion and a relationship with Jesus?