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Sketched V Day 2 Saul, The Pharisee: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Saul, The Pharisee!

The Questions

1) What is the context of this passage?

2) Why is Paul explaining his heritage? What does it have to do with his point?

3) What contrast is Paul trying to explain in this passage?

Philippians 3:4-6

“Though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.”

Original Intent

1) What is the context of this passage?
In this passage, Paul writes a letter to the Philippian church to encouraging them to live in the truth of the gospel and let nothing stand in the way of a life fully devoted to the Lord. As Paul brings his letter to a close, he gives a personal story of his own walk with the Lord in his conversion from Saul to Paul explaining where he has come from and what he now knows to be true. He gives warnings about lies to watch for and encouragement to stand firm in truth.

2) Why is Paul explaining his heritage? What does it have to do with his point?
Paul gives an account of his pedigree because he was among the elite within the Jewish religious leaders. He was considered by the average person someone who was closer to God because of his status and his outward appearance of merit. But in this passage, Paul details his lengthy list of qualifications that humans would point to and elevate him for the purpose of discounting all of it because he knew that when it comes to the gospel, pedigree and accomplishments mean nothing.

3) What contrast is Paul trying to explain in this passage?
These verses are one snippet of Paul’s argument in this letter. The point he makes is, despite all of his education and religious fortitude, in light of the gospel, true salvation is the most important thing. True salvation recognizes that no “thing” or personal “goodness” is fit to award us merit for salvation. We can only be saved through Jesus’ work on our behalf. Nothing we do matters to gain salvation. Saul was the “perfect” Pharisee, but was spiritually lost and separated from the one true God. He is warning the Philippians to not put trust in the things of the flesh and the world, because those things are irrelevant in the Kingdom of God. The contrast comes in understanding the things of God and pursing His ways versus pursuing the things of this world and relying on ourselves. Don’t be confused by religious labels but seek true salvation!

Everyday Application

1) What is the context of this passage?
As any good pastoral leader would, Paul is warning this congregation against trappings of this world and recounting where he put his trust before he encountered Christ. He was worldly, a murder of Christians, and outspoken zealot against Christianity, but he came to truth and realized there is no eternal value in status or degree. He understood those things would fade away and earned no favor in the sight of God. Paul is the perfect example of a religious leader whose was fearful of the truth of Christianity until he encountered it. God changed his life and his perspective on worldly pursuits and ambitions. Paul’s filter for his entire life changed. As he says later in the passage, “But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.” (Philippians 3:7)

2) Why is Paul explaining his heritage? What does it have to do with his point?
There were times in my life where relying on the fact that my parents were Christians seemed okay. I have a heritage of Christianity in my family, which somehow made me feel okay before God. Paul, in this passage, is clearly saying your pedigree, your degrees, your status, even your family history does not matter in the light of the gospel’s truth. The world then and now gives the message that obtaining things and status are the most important goals to pursue and Paul is reminding us those things mean nothing to God. Being labeled religious means nothing if there is no heart change to back that up.  Knowing Christ and having a relationship with Him is the foundation from which everything should flow. Faith in Him should matter most in our life.

3) What contrast is Paul trying to explain in this passage?
The battle for our eyes and heart to stay true to God and not be distracted by worldly pursuits is not new to the 21st century, rather as we see here, this deception has been going on for 2000 years. Be encouraged! Paul, the “perfect” religious Pharisee, encountered the one true God and became one of the most prolific missionaries in starting the New Testament church as we know it. Things of this world offer no hope, no real truth, and no consistency or foundation, but as Paul encourages us with his words, “ Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ.” (Philippians 3:8-9a)

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with Saul, The Pharisee!

Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!

Digging Deeper Community

Share What You’ve Learned!
Pray Together!
Join us in the GT Facebook Community!

Our Current Study Theme!

This is Sketched V Week One!
Don’t miss out on the discussion!
Sign up to receive every GT Journey Study!

Why Dig Deeper?

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Study Tools

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

Memorize It!

Download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!
Tap and hold on your mobile device to save.

Sketched V Day 1 Saul, The Pharisee

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Philippians 3:4-6
Acts 8:1-2
Acts 9:1-2
Ezekiel 36:22-29

Sketched V, Day 1

Any man would be a fool not to envy me.

I am a Hebrew, through and through. Born in Tarsus, I was raised in Jerusalem.
I cut my teeth on the Law, and was educated in the way of our fathers at the hand of the famous Rabbi Gamaliel.
I am of the tribe of Benjamin, and my lineage is untainted by Gentile blood.
I hold the Roman citizenship so many covet by birthright.
I am truly blessed by God.

My righteousness is perfect.

I am also a Pharisee, set apart, tasked and privileged to discern and uphold the Law as it applies to our people. My zeal and passion for the Way are unmatched.

Scores of so-called “Christians” will rot in prison by my hand, men and women alike.
As well they should!
Anyone who would dare challenge our holy tradition, or our God, deserves to die.
Who do they think they are?
They think that a man has come to fulfill the Law? They are out of their minds!
Clearly, God does not stand for such outrage.
Why else would he deliver so many of them into my hands?

I uphold the inspired word of God, the Torah, in addition to the rich, important traditions our people have developed over generations. I adhere to and help enforce all 600 of our laws strictly, just as I adhere to and enforce our important traditions. Our traditions and our laws work together to pave the way to righteousness.

I lead by example, and I expect nothing less than what I myself give: perfection.
All one must do is follow the rules, like I do. It isn’t impossible. I do it every single day!
And I can thank myself for my own holiness. And God, of course…but mostly, me.
I mean, sure, He laid out the Law for us, so there’s that, but all the work I’ve put in, the way I restrain myself from all evil, that is my work alone. I have made myself a good person.

I am the one who toes the line and makes sure to keep in step with the holy traditions we have implemented.
I am the one who upholds God’s laws.
It is I who pursue and punish these Christians who fail to value our Way.

Just today, a man, a Christian named Stephen was stoned by my counterparts.
I wholeheartedly approved when they laid their garments at my feet.
I wouldn’t want any blasphemer’s blood staining my robe, either!

Although, I can’t seem to shake the look in his eyes during those final moments…
So clear. So focused. So…forgiving.
It was enough to give me pause.
For a moment, I felt like what they were doing, what we are doing, might be wrong, somehow.

But it couldn’t be.
I’m, we’re, merely upholding our Way, exactly as I, we’ve, been taught. This is the Way.
Everything I’ve ever known has been preparing me for this time, this moment.
My mission is to scrub the earth of these infidels who would challenge our, God’s, Way.
And I will succeed!

But… If I am being honest.. I know the truth.
Truth I’ll never admit to a soul, barely even myself.
Truth that haunts me.

This weight of perfection, it looms heavy in my chest these days.
Day in and day out, I wonder if this will be the day when I will fail and my humanity will rear its ugly head and I will slip up. There are so many rules, so many laws. Sometimes fear grips me because if ever my heart were known by anyone, they would see that though outwardly I am flawless, my heart is empty and cold.
And truthfully, even the outer deeds …

Make me weary.

And as much as I try to forget, my mind keeps returning to that stoning I witnessed.
That man… Stephen. I’ll never forget that moment. That man. Those eyes.
That feeling of blood on my hands….
What if God saw him as innocent?

The thought makes my insides shudder and I shut it out.
As that first stone was hurled toward him, Stephen’s eyes caught mine, and in that instant time stood still.

I still can’t shake the sense that he saw right through me. Through my titles and education. Through my citizenship, and bloodline, and associations. Through the facade I have almost managed to convince myself is real.

The others, they were so angry. They picked up their stones with religious fervor and righteous anger, I know, but in that moment it felt… Wrong.

He saw through everything. And he…forgave?

Yes, he forgave.
What if there’s something I am missing for all the things I do right?

Share your thoughts from today’s Journey Study!
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A Note About Sketched
In this series, we are stepping into the shoes of various characters throughout history. Some are biblical, some are well-known in modern day times, and some are people our writers know personally. We do our best to research the culture and times surrounding these individuals to give an accurate representation of their first-person perspectives on life and the world, but we can’t be 100% accurate. “Sketched” is our best interpretation of how these characters view(ed) God, themselves, and the world around them. Our hope is that by stepping into their everyday, we will see our own lives a little differently!
Enjoy!
And keep watching for Sketched Themes to pop up throughout the year!

Join the GT Community and share your thoughts!

Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Sketched V Week One! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!

Looking for other journeys from this theme?
Here’s a link to all past studies in Sketched V!

Roads Day 2 Tell Me About Your God: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Tell Me About Your God!

The Questions

1) What does it look like to be one who presents ourselves to God as “one approved”

2) Do our words really matter?

3) What is considered “youthful passions” that we are told to flee from?

2 Timothy 2:14-26

14 Remind them of these things, charging them before God not to fight about words; this is in no way profitable and leads to the ruin of the hearers.
15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who doesn’t need to be ashamed, correctly teaching the word of truth.
16 But avoid irreverent, empty speech, for this will produce an even greater measure of godlessness.
17 And their word will spread like gangrene; Hymenaeus and Philetus are among them.
18 They have deviated from the truth, saying that the resurrection has already taken place, and are overturning the faith of some.
19 Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm, having this inscription: The Lord knows those who are His, and Everyone who names the name of the Lord must turn away from unrighteousness. 20 Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver bowls, but also those of wood and clay, some for honorable use, some for dishonorable. 21 So if anyone purifies himself from anything dishonorable, he will be a special instrument, set apart, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work. 22 Flee from youthful passions, and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. 23 But reject foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they breed quarrels. 24 The Lord’s slave must not quarrel, but must be gentle to everyone, able to teach, and patient,25 instructing his opponents with gentleness. Perhaps God will grant them repentance leading them to the knowledge of the truth. 26 Then they may come to their senses and escape the Devil’s trap, having been captured by him to do his will.

Original Intent

1) What does it look like to be one who presents ourselves to God as “one approved”?
2 Timothy is one of Paul’s last letters as he sat in prison, awaiting execution. This is Paul’s final opportunity to encourage and charge his young pastor mentee as he, in a sense, passes the torch to the next generation of church planters and leaders. These last words are used to repeat the core, fundamental truths of the Gospel to Timothy. Before approaching 2:14 and the charge to “present yourself approved,” Paul states, “remind them [the church; believers; ministry leaders] of these things”… What things? The promises of enduring hardship for the sake of spreading the Gospel that others may, “obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus.” (2 Timothy 2:10-13) The gospel is worth it, not just part of the gospel, but the full of its weight: Jesus the Christ, the Redeemer, fully God, fully man, who suffered and died and rose again to conquer our death. This gospel is worth every suffering!
Sandwiched between the “Remind them” and leading into the charge of “working diligent to present yourself approved by to God”, Paul points out to “not wrangle about words”. He wraps up with “accurately handling the work of truth.” To please God is not to perform some good deeds that we might lie to ourselves, thinking we have attained some “righteousness” of our own, rather, to be approved by God, we are to wholly cling to the gospel of Jesus Christ as presented in Scripture, and to reject all others. Scripture alone holds the whole truth of salvation.

2) Do our words really matter?
Paul knew Old Testament Scripture thoroughly and was well-versed in Scripture before becoming a Christ-follower. Many years of his life had been spent memorizing Scripture without understanding the gravity of the words. This also had him following false ideas of who God is, false ideas of what it means to be saved, and therefore, an entirely false religion. It sounds strange that Paul could have a false religion when he was a scholar in the Old Testament. But after his conversion, Paul, for the first time, truly understood the heartbeat of what Old Testament Scripture was saying; everything pointed to the coming Messiah, the Lord God in the flesh, Jesus Christ. Paul had much he wanted to proclaim, but, here in 2 Timothy and throughout all his writings, he focuses on salvation in Christ, the only one who can bring salvation, and imploring Christians to persevere in this truth. When bringing up “ignorant controversies,” the immediate examples, by name, are Hymenaeus and Philetus who proclaimed the resurrection of God’s church had already occurred. Later, in verse 23, Timothy is also warned to “refuse foolish and ignorant speculations” to protect from quarrels.

3) What is considered “youthful passions” that we are told to flee from?
In 2 Timothy 2, Paul is honing-in on Timothy’s call to sacrificing the comforts of this world for the sake of spreading the Gospel and shoring up believers in solid truth found only in Scripture. Paul repeatedly emphasizes on sticking to foundational truths and not getting distracted in divisive arguments. He encourages believers to lean on the Lord, “for the Lord knows those who are his”.  A converted heart desires to be used for honorable use and to be right before God. A cleansing, to some extent, will be taking place out of these new desires. In his podcast, Bible teacher Stephen Armstrong, explains that the “great house” of verse 19 is the Lord’s house (ie: committed followers of Christ).  The honorable vessels, being Christians cleansing themselves of impurities by studying Scripture to renew their minds/alter their thought patterns and act in ways honoring to the Lord. This is important as, “opportunities for honorable works are for those that are prepared… those ready to serve are rewarded by opportunities to serve.” (2 Timothy 2:21) Paul summarizes this inner cleansing that comes by the power of the Holy Spirit, with instruction to “flee youthful passions” in contrast to “pursuing righteousness, faith, love, and peace.”

Everyday Application

1) What does it look like to be one who presents ourselves to God as “one approved”?
Do you ever find energy to clean house, go to work, exercise, chase children… but exhausted to STUDY a book that feels overwhelming to pick up?

When Paul tells Timothy to “present himself approved,” is he saying Timothy ought to have a certain level of perfection or outward law abidance?

This statement is found between other instructions regarding words.
1) Not to “wrangle about them”
2) To accurately handle the word of God, which is wholly true.
God’s approval does not come from our efforts. However, those who do not waver in what the Bible teaches, learn through diligent study. Though Paul is speaking to Timothy regarding his fellow ministers in the Gospel, correctly handling the complete truth of God’s Word is the responsibility of all Christians. It’s easy to get side tracked with questions that do not alter the Gospel, before holding firmly to foundational truths on which the Gospel stands. The starting point is to look solely to Christ as your covering before the Holy God and to continuously learn the character of God that we may accurately explain and live out the true Gospel to our children, spouse, roommates, co-workers, etc. Going beyond Scripture to find that gospel, or focusing on petty opinions “leads people into more and more ungodliness.”

2) Do our words really matter?
Scripture warns the tongue is double-edged, useful for edifying and tearing down. It further points out our human inability to have self-control to “tame” such weaponry on our own (James 3:8-10).
Much of this is due to the tongue, or mouth, springing up from the well of our hearts (Proverbs 4:23). Our hearts are drawn to self. Notice how good we are at talking about ourselves and how much work it takes to ask someone about themselves? And a great tempter to self is knowledge. Even pursuing greater knowledge of “spiritual matters” can be wickedness when we lose the lens of the Lord Jesus Christ. Many false religions spring out of desiring further knowledge, but at the expense of rejecting the complete knowledge already provided the Bible.  This is why it is important to take every thought captive by filtering them through the truth of Scripture alone, before allowing them space on our tongue. Any thoughtless chatter that is not filtered through Scripture is fuel for “leading to further ungodliness” (verse 16), “upsetting the faith of some” (verse 18), and “producing quarrels” (verse 23). When it comes to our speech, allow the filter of God-breathed Scripture to teach us humility!

3) What is considered “youthful passions” that we are told to flee from?
Salvation is not through self-cleansing, but only in the cleansing blood covering of Christ. God gives the converted Christian a new “nature”; it takes work and discipline to learn to operate in a way that aligns with God’s teaching. We are accustomed to what we have been exposed to in the world. When we start to follow Jesus, learning to sacrifice “what could be”, in order to choose to act in a righteous manner and have our priorities align with God’s can feel overwhelming, but we must remember that this good change happens through the power of the Holy Spirit within us, not by a work of ourselves. In Paul’s charge for Timothy to be ready Scripturally to take on the task of being a leader in the physical church, he sums it up with, “flee youthful passions.” I have yet to find a commentary that gives many specific examples, but it is often thought of youthful passions being closely related to fleshly, worldly desires. Are desires for things of this temporal life the driving force behind your day to day decisions? Or, is learning Scripture, holding unswervingly to truth, passing its teachings on to those around us, and building up God’s church what drives your even seemingly small or common decisions?

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with Tell Me About Your God!

Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!

Digging Deeper Community

Share What You’ve Learned!
Pray Together!
Join us in the GT Facebook Community!

Our Current Study Theme!

This is Roads Week One!
Don’t miss out on the discussion!
Sign up to receive every GT Journey Study!

Why Dig Deeper?

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Study Tools

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

Memorize It!

Download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!
Tap and hold on your mobile device to save.