GOD SPEAKS

Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. ¹³ Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, ¹⁴ I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:12-14 [NASB].

Do you have a habit of measuring your devotion? What are the criteria by which you measure your devotion? With what you measure your devotion? Some people are proud to think that they are obeying all of God’s commands. Some people think that we have great devotion because we have a great relationship with God. Some think that they have attained perfection in devotion because they have been able to show people the power of God. Some people think that they are pious by comparing their devotion with the faith and deeds of others. Are they all perfected in devotion?

Let us look at some examples from the Bible. A ruler questioned Him, saying, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” ¹⁹ And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone. ²⁰ You know the commandments, ‘Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.’” ²¹ And he said, “All these things I have kept from my youth.” ²² When Jesus heard this, He said to him, “One thing you still lack; sell all that you possess and distribute it to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me”. But when he had heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich. Luke 18-23 [NASB]. That ruler felt that he was obeying all the commands from his youth. He who loves money does not love God so he is violating God’s Command. For it is written:  No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth. Matthew6:24 [NASB]. For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all. James 2:10 [NASB] Based on this, is his opinion that he obeys all the commands is correct? Whether the measure he measured himself as pious is correct?

Let’s look at the second example. Read this passage: Then Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married (for he had married a Cushite woman); ² and they said, “Has the Lord indeed spoken only through Moses? Has He not spoken through us as well?” And the Lord heard it. Numbers 12:1-2 [NASB]. Both, Miriam and Aaron feel that they have a great relationship with God. Their view is that since God is speaking to us, we too should be godly. If the standard of their devotion is that God speaks to them, why should God be angry with them? Does the fact that God is speaking to you mean that we have attained perfection in devotion? Is this the standard by which devotion is measured?

Let’s see another example. Read this verse: So Moses took the rod from before the Lord, just as He had commanded him; ¹⁰ and Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly before the rock. And he said to them, “Listen now, you rebels; shall we bring forth water for you out of this rock?” Numbers 20:9-10[NASB].

Because they were rebellious against His Spirit, He spoke rashly with his lips. Psalms 106:33 [NASB]. The man Moses was very humble, more than any man who was on the face of the earth.. He was able to show the people the wonderful works of God. But he spoke against his people. Such a person would incur the wrath of God by saying so: “Listen now, you rebels; shall we bring forth water for you out of this rock?” In this connection read this verse: For we all stumble in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body as well. James 3:2 [NASB] if any does not stumble in what he says; we can say such people as perfect. Because they were rebellious against His Spirit, He spoke rashly with his lips. So Moses may not have considered himself perfect in godly devotion. Therefore, does the fact that you are able to show the people the wonderful works of God mean that we/you have attained perfection in devotion?

Finally, let’s look at another example. “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. ¹¹ The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. ¹² I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.’ Luke 18:10-12 [NASB]. This Pharisee compares his devotion to the people of the world (swindlers, unjust, adulterers) and to other believers (tax collector). He admires himself and thinks that he is a devotee. He also thinks that fasting and paying tithes are the standard of devotion. Is he finally accepted by God as devotee? It is written: I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other; Luke 18:14 [NASB]. Who is justified more? This Pharisee or that tax collector? Is the standard of devotion compared to others is correct?

In this context, let us see what St. Paul says – “Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect….”  He looked directly the manifestations of God. God has revealed His Word to us through Him. Yet he says that he is not yet perfect. What about us? The basis of our devotion is faith. Only by His grace are we saved. We have no reason to be proud of your devotion. It is God who praises our devotion at the end.