Verse by Verse Devotional on Philippians by Pastor Jack #151

Pulling Down God’s Standard

3:6b as to the righteousness which is in the Law, found blameless.

Let’s investigate further this human tendency to reconstruct God’s word in order to receive a positive evaluation from it. It is something all of us do.

It was the trademark of the Pharisees. First, they neglected the weightier matters of the law like justice and mercy and faithfulness (Matt.23:23), which were more general and less objective. Then they avoided many of the objective commands by justifying their disobedience on the basis of "higher" concerns (e.g. Matt.15:3-6). Third, they gradually embellished the ceremonial commands of God over the years with manifold details not given in the law of God originally. These traditions began to be given weight on a par with Scripture (e.g. Matt.15:1-2, 7-9). Thus they reduced God’s law down to ceremonial particulars which were achievable, making it possible for them (and virtually only them) to fulfill it by their ceremonial expertise and their meticulous attention to forms. And by inflating their estimate of their own performance, they were able to think of themselves as righteous and blameless before the Law of God.

Reducing the law of God to make it achievable is one of the most pernicious ways we can rebel against God. We turn God’s tool to make us humble into our tool of pride. We turn God’s prod to drive us to Himself into a justification for self-satisfaction. We transform God’s reminder of our need for forgiveness and divine help into a celebration of human effort and self-reliance. The word of God is alive and active and sharper than a two-edged sword, piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart (Heb.4:12). But we turn His word into a means of self-affirmation and self-stroking when we make it humanly achievable. By this means, it is possible to think you’re doing very well in light of God’s word when you are actually doing miserably. That’s what the Pharisees did. That’s what many groups have done. That’s what you and I do too.

Jesus said to the Pharisees, "You are those who justify yourselves in the sight of men, but God knows your hearts; for that which is highly esteemed among men is detestable in the sight of God." (Luke 16:15)

It is a painful process (painful on the pride, that is, which is as painful as it gets) for a sinner to stand before the light of God’s word and have his sin exposed. But it is an activity that breathes health into the soul. When accompanied by an open heart toward the gospel of God’s grace, it is the water of life.

But reducing God’s law to the level of human achievability ruins this source of refreshment and new life. It turns the word of God into a platform for human boasting.

Father in heaven, my flesh longs to climb up the ladder of human achievement. Forgive me for my unquenchable thirst for pride fuel. Forgive me for all my self-justification. Forgive me for all the times I have misread Your word in order to affirm my own performance. Forgive me for the times I have pointed out Scripture passages to others in hopes that it would make me look good in their eyes. Please, Lord, help me to maintain the practice every day of letting Your word pierce my heart by Your law and then heal my wounds by the gospel of Christ.