We live in a society where we sometimes measure the goodness or worth
of a person by their pedigrees or achievements. Some even think that
their allegiances or birthplaces give them an edge on others. I saw a
bumper sticker with this phrase: "If God is not a Tar-Heel, then
why is the sky Carolina Blue?"
Even my native Georgia faces the same indictment with this chorus
which we sang in the Baptist Student Union, "Oh you can’t get to
heaven, in a little green sled, Oh you can’t get to heaven, in a
little green sled, Oh you can’t get to heaven, in a little green sled,
cause God’s favorite color is Georgia red, all my sins are
washed away and I’ve been redeemed."
But do pedigrees and achievements matter? Certainly in dog shows,
horse racing, and even hunting, pedigrees are considered. Achievements
are considered when being interviewed for a job, seeking promotions,
or winning an award. Pedigrees and achievements matter in some cases,
but not with God.
Some of us have done quite well for ourselves. We have attained a
level of notoriety in the community. Our good name has opened doors that
perhaps have been closed to others. Paul, the author of our epistle
text, also was a somebody: well-respected, from a good family, and
well-educated; he certainly had a stellar resume. His pedigree
was noteworthy in some circles; his achievements were equally notable
to some. He had reason to be proud of himself. But he set his
pedigree and achievements in proper perspective.
Beginning with verse five, he presents his pedigree to the
Philippians. He mentions that he was circumcised on the eighth day; this
was more than a historical, medical fact. It was an orthodox Jewish
ritual. Paul wanted them to know that he was brought up right. He
was a Jew by birth; he was not a convert to Judaism, which
many of them had been.
He was of the people of Israel. While today we hear the word
"Israel" in the news, it represents a country. Paul was not
referring to the geographic nation of Israel which was created in 1948.
Jews of Paul’s era would use the term "Israel" to stress
their particular understanding of preference related to the patriarch
Jacob, whose name was later changed to Israel.
Paul was of the tribe of Benjamin, which was the most aristocratic of
all the tribes of Israel. He was a blue-blood, from a
"first-family." It would be the equivalent of saying
that we, today, could trace our ancestors to the founding of Jamestown.
Paul called himself a Hebrew of the Hebrews. Because of exile and
enslavement, the Jews had been scattered across the known world, and as
they dispersed, they sometimes lost their language. Living in a
Greek-speaking area, Jews began to speak Greek instead of Hebrew out of
necessity. Paul was not only a Jew by birth, but one who even retained
the native language. His pedigree was indisputable. That his family
chose to cling to their native tongue further illustrated his Jewish
allegiance and roots.
The above four belonged to Paul’s heritage, not his choice;
these facts constituted his pedigree. The next three were of his choosing,
his achievements in the Jewish faith.
Paul had been a Pharisee; in keeping the Law, doing what was
right, none excelled more than him. Pharisees weren’t necessarily bad
people; they were the church leaders. They were the ones who were at
church every time the door was open. They were the ones who were the
elite. Their very name, "Pharisee," means "the separated
ones." Their sole objective was to keep every jot and tittle of the
Law.
This quest was an attempt to preserve their understanding of their
heritage. That kind of zeal sought to squelch any opposition, for fear
of their own extinction. That is why before his conversion, when his
name was Saul, Paul helped hunt Christians and had them stoned.
In regard to legalistic righteousness, he was faultless. His actions
were bound by a behavioral code which was unbending. He was governed
by a code of conduct rather than being led by God’s love. His
motivation wasn’t love, mercy, or grace; the rules had become
his god. There was no demand for the Law which he could not fulfill.
Sincere people can be so fooled by their own examinations that they
can even kill other people and think they are doing God a service. Saul
the Pharisee, zealous for the Law, meeting so fully the religious
standards of his group that he was considered blameless, could at the
same time persecute people of a different religious stance.
But whatever advances Paul had made, whatever accomplishments he had
achieved, whatever privileges he had enjoyed, he considered all these
insignificant as compared to what Christ had already done.
Paul’s earlier understanding of what was important became quite
useless after his conversion experience. Accepting the free gift of God’s
grace, he had to come as the old commitment hymn states, "Just As I
Am." In the long run, he could neither do anything nor
amount to anything on his own.
Although his pedigree was impeccable, his status enviable, and his
name honorable, all these were not nearly as important as his
relationship with Christ. As a matter of fact, Paul says that he has
left those behind him. He was not an opponent of education; he was not
anti-family; he was not against doing the right thing or going to church
regularly. What he was against was anything that came
before a personal relationship with Christ.
All his Jewish privileges and attainments, his pedigree and
achievements were nothing but a total loss. What we do is nothing
compared to what God has already done through Christ. Working
our way into the kingdom is not an option. Getting brownie points from
God for doing good deeds is a myth. Feeling that you are going to get
somewhere with God because you serve on a committee, teach Sunday
School, sing in a choir, volunteer in any other area, or faithfully
contribute to the church is not the way it works. We should be
doing those things, but we should be doing those things because
of a love relationship. We don’t do for God so that God will give
to us.
God is not interested in "Let’s make a deal." Remember
the old game show with Monty Hall where the game-show host would bargain
with the contestant, "If you get the question correctly you could
win this _________ or you could trade it for what’s behind door number
3?" Why would God be interested in that kind of arrangement, since
God is the One who has given us life, has provided for us bountifully,
and has already given us Jesus? "God, if you’ll only get me out
of this mess, I promise that I’ll go to Sunday School more
regularly." "God if you’ll help me, I promise that I will be
more willing to give." "God, if you will just keep my children
safe, I promise I’ll follow you until the end." What does God get
out of that kind of bargaining? God already wants to have a
relationship with you and me. God has already made a greater sacrifice
by giving God’s only Son Jesus to us. Why should we ask for more?
That kind of thinking is skewed. Instead of asking God for more,
we should be realizing what God has already given us. All of our
degrees, honors, and positions of status are in vain. Do pedigrees and
achievements matter? Not to God. Only our relationship with Jesus is
what matters.
So what about you? Do you lean on what you’ve done to get
points with God? Do you think that money, status, power, or prestige
will buy you God’s favor? Do you expect to get more from God
because of what you do or because of your lineage? If we
are seriously taking inventory of our lives during this season of Lent,
these are questions which merit some reflection.
We cannot do enough to merit God’s favor. All God cares about . . .
is you. Jesus died for you and me, not because of pedigrees or
achievements, but because he loved us. We are asked simply to
receive this grace not because of our name or what we’ve accomplished,
but because as God’s Son, Jesus loved you and me enough to give his
life for us. Do pedigrees and achievements matter to God? No, all that
matters is our relationship with God.