Forward Thinking in a Backward World
or The Power of Perceiving the Goal Philippians 3:12-16 Before we begin looking at this short text, I want to set the scene. In verses 1-8, Paul lays out everything about his earthly life in which he could "boast in the flesh". After his list is expressed, he immediately dismisses all of his bragging rights: "But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ." Paul's earthly accomplishments are the same kinds of things in which we would be tempted to boast. A religious family A family with deep ties to the community From the right family Upstanding and esteemed by others A regular Golden Child who has done everything right Sounds pretty good, rig ht? Well, it wasn't that great to Paul because he chucked it all to the wind for the sake of Jesus Christ. In fact, more than just disregarding his accomplishments, he lowers them to such a low regard that he equates them with manure. Yes...MANURE! The word "rubbish" that Paul uses in verse...