Pathway to Victory

Speaker 1

Hey podcast listeners, thanks for streaming today's podcast from Pathway to Victory.

Pathway to Victory is a nonprofit ministry featuring the Bible teaching of Dr. Robert Jeffress. Our mission is to pierce the darkness with the light of God's word through the most effective media available, like this podcast.

To support Pathway to Victory, go to ptv.org/donate or follow the link in our show notes.

Now here's today's podcast from Pathway to Victory.

Speaker 2

Hi, this is Robert Jeffress and I'm glad to study God's Word with you every day. This Bible teaching program on today's edition of Pathway to Victory.

Speaker 3

The best you can do, your heritage, your good works, your baptism, your church membership, none of those things, all of those things are not enough to support you in the day of God's judgment.

The only rock, the only foundation on which you can stand is the foundation of Christ's death for you.

Speaker 1

Welcome to Pathway to Victory with author and pastor Dr. Robert Jeffress.

Have you ever heard the saying, one man's trash is another man's treasure? Well, sure, that may be true when it comes to yard sales, but it doesn't work in the spiritual sense.

Today on Pathway to Victory, Dr. Robert Jeffress explains why the ability to distinguish between treasure and trash is vital to both our physical and spiritual health.

Now here's our Bible teacher to introduce today's message. Dr. Jeffress.

Speaker 2

Thanks, David, and welcome to a brand new week of Bible teaching on Pathway to Victory. As our study in the Book of Philippians continues, I want to remind you that by design, we are created by God as visual creatures. When we see things with our own eyes and capture them into our memory, we're never quite the same.

For that reason, I've prepared a special resource for you. I'm calling it the Standing on the Promises of God Encouragement Card. This encouragement card is conveniently designed to be displayed on your refrigerator or on your desk so that you're reminded of key verses from the Book of Philippians. While supplies last, I'd like to send you a complimentary copy, and you can find all the details by going to ptv.org.

You know, every day there are forces working against us to steal our joy and to rob us of our contentment. Paul's letter to the Philippians gives us four secrets for maintaining joy no matter what comes our way. In addition to the encouragement card, I've written a bestselling book for you. It's called Outrageous Joy: Living Above Your Circumstances. I'm prepared to send a hardbound copy to your home with my thanks when you give a generous gift to support the growing ministry of Pathway to Victory.

I'll share some more details at the close of today's message, so please be prepared to write down our contact information. But for now, let's dig into our study of Philippians together. Turn to Philippians chapter three for a study I've titled Treasure or Trash.

Speaker 3

William Rathjee is a man who loves garbage. This Harvard-educated researcher is what is known as a garbageologist. Have you ever heard of that before? A garbageologist is somebody who studies garbage, and that's what he does for a living. He's discovered some interesting things about the trash we generate. For example, did you know that the average American generates a half a pound of trash every day? Not only that, we tend to leave behind about 10 to 15% of the food that's set before us every day. Some of you it's less than that—looking at you. But for most, it's 10 to 15% we leave behind. Did you know that the largest landfill in America is outside New York City? And it's large enough to fill the Panama Canal?

What I thought was really interesting about William Rathje's research is that he discovered that trash actually decomposes a lot less quickly than we once thought. In his research, he came across a 50-year-old newspaper from the Truman presidency that was still readable. He also discovered a steak from 1973 fully intact. He has a motto in his office that says, "There is gold in garbage." Now, with all due respect to Mr. Rathje, I'm afraid he is mistaking what is valuable with what is interesting. I mean, let's face it, a 35-year-old steak may be interesting, but you probably wouldn't want a steady diet of that kind of steak. In fact, knowing the difference between what is treasure and what is trash can be crucial to your physical health. You better know how to distinguish between the two.

But that's also true about our spiritual life. Being able to tell the difference between what is treasure and trash is important to our spiritual well-being. Today we're going to look at the words of another garbageologist who lived in the first century. His name is the Apostle Paul. In today's passage, he's going to tell us how to distinguish between treasure and trash. Unlike William Rathje, who called trash treasure, Paul says what most people consider treasure is really trash in the eyes of God. If you have your Bibles, turn to Philippians 3:2.

"Beware of the dogs. Beware of the evil workers. Beware of the false circumcision." Now, a little background will be helpful here to understand Paul's warning. There was a group of people called the Judaizers who would go from church to church that Paul had already founded. These Judaizers would say, "You know, that Paul, he's a great guy and he preached to you the Gospel, but he only preached to you part of the Gospel. Yes, faith in Christ is important. It's essential to salvation. It's important, but it's not quite enough. You need something else besides faith in Christ. It's faith in Christ and good works. That's what it takes to be saved."

When Paul, in prison now, heard that these Judaizers had invaded his church, what was his attitude toward this new message that the Judaizers were proclaiming? He says "beware" three times in this passage in verse two. First of all, he said, "Beware of the dogs." He calls them dogs for teaching this doctrine. By the way, the word here for dogs does not refer to those little cute pets that Ellen DeGeneres has a breakdown over, you know, those kind of pet dogs and getting all excited about the dogs and so forth. That's not the word he's using here. The word here, dogs, means scoundrel, disease-ridden dogs that roamed in packs through the city. One commentator said these Judaizers were always snapping at the feet of the Apostle Paul, barking out their false doctrine. He said, "Beware of the dogs."

Then he says, "Beware of the evil workers." He calls them evil workers. Now think just a moment. Were they promoting evil works? Is there something evil about keeping God's law? Of course not. Those are good works. Everything the Judaizers were promoting were good works: circumcision, keeping the law, doing good. But listen to me, ladies and gentlemen, God says good works are evil works if you are trusting in them for salvation. That's when good becomes evil.

I want you to hold your place here and turn back to Matthew chapter 7 for a moment. Matthew chapter 7, beginning with verse 21. To me, this is the single most terrifying passage in all of the Bible. Because in these words, Jesus says, not everyone who thinks they are saved is actually saved. Jesus says, one day on Judgment Day, there are going to be people who die thinking they're Christians. But when they wake up before the judgment of God, they are in for the shock of a lifetime. Notice what Jesus said in verse 21 of Matthew 7. He says, "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. For many will say to me on that day, that is the judgment day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name cast out demons, and in your name perform many miracles?' And then I will declare to them, 'Depart from me, you who practice lawlessness.'" One translation says, "Depart from me, you workers of iniquity."

Well, they weren't workers of iniquity. They were doing good things. They were witnessing. They were casting out demons. They were performing miracles. Good works become evil works when you depend upon them for your salvation. That's what Paul is saying here. "Beware of the evil workers."

Then notice the third term he uses to describe these false teachers. He says, "Beware of the false circumcision." He says, "For somebody to get circumcised without having an inward change of the heart, that's not true circumcision. That's just physically mutilating yourself." If Paul were writing today, this is what he would say for our audience. He would say, "Beware of those who tell you that getting up there in that baptistry and getting dumped is going to get you into heaven." People who depend upon that for their salvation. That's not baptism; that's just getting wet. He wouldn't even use the term baptism. He would say, "Beware of the false dunking, if you will." No, baptism is only an outward rite symbolizing an inward truth of our new life in Christ. He said, "Beware of the false circumcision."

Ladies and gentlemen, there is only one work that can save you. It's not the works you do for God. It is the work God has done for you in Christ Jesus. "Beware of the false circumcision."

Then he says, number two, "Be aware of the true gospel." Beware of the true gospel. Look in verse three, Paul says, "For we are of the true circumcision." Paul is very bold. He says, "We are part of the true faith." Paul was very intolerant, ladies and gentlemen, when it came to the gospel. Paul said, "We are a part of the only group that is going to heaven one day. We are part of the true circumcision."

By the way, notice the two characteristics of the true gospel. First of all, the true gospel emphasizes the spiritual, not the physical. Its emphasis is on what is spiritual, not on outward rites of physical work. He says, "Look at verse 3. Who worship the Spirit of God." One way you can know if you're a part of a false religion is do they put a lot of emphasis on ritualism and physical acts in order to earn God's approval? Listen, God's not interested in the physical. He doesn't care whether you worship in a cathedral or a hut. I know this will come as a shock to some of you. He doesn't care if you worship with traditional music or contemporary music. That is not what he cares about. What he cares about is the attitude of your heart. Jesus said those who worship must worship in spirit and in truth.

Not only is it spiritual rather than physical, but true faith is Christ-centered, not man-centered. It is not about what we do for God. It always emphasizes what God has done for us. Look at this in verse three: "and put no confidence in the flesh" and "glories in Christ Jesus." That is the mark of a true faith.

There are many of you right now who are in the sanctuary. There are some of you watching on television right now, listening on the radio. You have been deluded by false religion. The false religion you have been deluded by may not be a cult that tells its members to shave their heads, wear tunics, and jump up and down at the airport soliciting money. No, you don't have to be a part of those groups to be a part of false religion. The false religion you may be part of right now may have a very respectable name attached to it—the name of a well-known church, the name of a well-known denomination that has been in existence for hundreds if not thousands of years. But it is a false religion because it emphasizes works instead of faith in God's grace.

You know how you can know if you're a member of a false religion or not? It's very simple. Go to your pastor, whatever the church is. Go to your priest, go to your rabbi, go to your spiritual teacher and ask this one simple question: "What do I have to do to go to heaven when I die?" Tell me, Pastor. Tell me, Father. Tell me, Rabbi. What do I need to do to go to heaven when I die? If that spiritual teacher starts to stutter and stammer or gives you a laundry list of things you need to do, you need to run as far and fast from that church as you possibly can. Because you're in a false religion. There is only one good work that can save us. It's the good work God performed for us through Jesus Christ, his son. They put no confidence in the flesh.

Now, after this exhortation to beware of false teachers who are permeating the church, be aware of the true gospel. Then Paul gives his own example of his own attitude about good works and how it changed after his conversion. First of all, look at Paul's attitude about his good works before he was saved. Verse four, he said, "Although I myself might have confidence in the flesh, if anyone has a mind to put more confidence in the flesh, I far more." Paul was saying, "If anybody could be saved by good works, surely it was I." I mean, think about all of my good works. Look at what he said in verse five, his good works that he had performed. He said, "First of all, I was circumcised on the eighth day." See, every good Jew, every good Jewish male was circumcised eight days after his birth, just like Jewish law prescribed. Now, if you became a Jew when you were an adult, you would be circumcised as an adult. But what Paul is saying is, "Hey, I'm not one of these Johnny-come-lately Jews. I'm an eighth-dayer. I was circumcised on the eighth day."

Not only that, he says, "I am of the nation of Israel." That is, both of my parents were descendants—not just of Abraham. So were the Ishmaelites, the Arabs. They weren't descendants just of Abraham and Isaac. So were the Edomites. No, we were descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. We are true blue Jews. Great rhyme there. That's what he's saying here. "I'm of the nation of Israel," he said. "I'm of the tribe of Benjamin." That was the kingly tribe. The first king of Israel, Saul, for whom Paul was named, came from Benjamin. He said, "I am a Hebrew of the Hebrews, a Jew of the Jews." Not only that, but I didn't have a lot to do with that. That's my pedigree, my birthright.

But look at this. In verse 5 he says, "As to the law, I chose to be a Pharisee." Now today, when we hear the word Pharisee, we all want to go, you know, hiss, "Pharisee." We think of it in a pejorative way. We think of them as the villains in the story. But that's not the way the first century thought of Pharisees. The Pharisees were the sect of the Jews that adhered to the word of God. In a culture that was being destroyed by the hedonism of the Romans and the Greeks, it was refreshing for a group of people, the Pharisees, to stand up and proclaim the standards of God's word. They would be what today would be called the far right. They are people who proclaim traditional family values. That's what they stood up for. He said, "As far as religion, I was a Pharisee."

"As to zeal," verse 6, "a persecutor of the church." You say, "Well, why would anybody brag about that?" Well, he thought he was doing God's work by stamping out Christianity. And not only that, "As to righteousness, which is in the law, I was found blameless." Paul wasn't saying he was perfect, but he was saying Judaism emphasized external obedience to the law. And he said, "As far as that went, I was blameless."

But his attitude toward his good works changed dramatically when he came face to face with Jesus Christ. Notice how his attitudes toward good works changed after his conversion. Verse 7: "But whatever things were gained to me, those things I counted as loss for the sake of Christ." He said, "Those good things that I was counting on to get me to my destination, suddenly I realized I had to jettison them. I had to dump them overboard if I were going to survive the storm of God's judgment. I count all things as loss for the sake of Christ."

Verse 8: "More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things. And I count them as rubbish in order that I might gain Christ." What things did he have to count as rubbish? His good works, his Judaism, his faithfulness to the law. He said, "All of those things are rubbish." Now, that is a polite translation for a church crowd, but that's not what it says here. Most lexicographers agree that what Paul is talking about is human excrement. He said, "The best I can do for God, my good works, are like human excrement in the sight of God."

See, it's all a matter of perspective when you compare the best you can do and the best I can do to the perfection that God requires to enter into heaven. Well, Isaiah said it: "The best we can do is like a filthy rag in the sight of God." He says, "Therefore my prayer is that I might gain Christ." Look at verse 9: "And that I might be found in him not having a righteousness of my own derived from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith."

Ladies and gentlemen, when we come before God in faith, what we're saying is, "God, I can't cover my own sin. I need a covering that you offer." That's what God did for us when he sent his own Son, the true Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross for our sins. You see, when Jesus died on that cross, two things happened. First of all, he took our guilt and placed it on Christ. Christ took our guilt, our sin, for us. But it doesn't stop there. He took the righteousness of Christ and wrapped us in it. So that when we trust in Christ as our Savior, God wraps us in the perfection of his own Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

That's why the hymn writer wrote, "When he shall come with trumpet sound, oh, may I then in him be found, dressed in his righteousness alone, faultless to stand before the throne." "On Christ the solid rock I stand; all other ground is sinking sand." All other ground is sinking sand. The best you can do—your heritage, your good works, your baptism, your church membership—none of those things. All of those things are not enough to support you in the day of God's judgment. The only rock, the only foundation on which you can stand, is the foundation of Christ's death for you. That was Paul's prayer: "That I might be found in him not having my own righteousness, but the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith."

But Paul's prayer didn't stop there. It didn't stop with his salvation. Will you notice his expectation? Beginning in verse 10, he said, "That I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, being conformed to his death in order that I might attain to the resurrection of the dead." Why is it that God went to such lengths to save you? Why did he send his own Son to suffer the humiliation and pain of the cross?

There used to be a saying around churches. You probably have heard it before: "Saved to serve." Have you heard that before? "I'm saved to serve." As if the reason Christ died for you is so you can go teach a Sunday school class or go sing in the choir. That's not why Christ died for you. Now, all of those things are important. We ought to all serve Christ in some way. But listen to me this morning. The reason God saved you is so that you can know Him. That's what he says in verse 10. The reason God dressed me in his righteousness is that I might know Him. Isn't that an incomparable thought? That the God of the universe loves you so much he wants a relationship with you.

So he went to whatever lengths necessary by sending his own Son to die for you—not so you could have your ticket to heaven and then go live however you want. No, he saved you so that you might know him—not just intellectually but experientially—and might know the power of his resurrection. The same power that lifted Jesus out of the grave is now in your life, if you're a Christian, to give you victory over sin, and might know the fellowship of his sufferings, being conformed to his death in order that I might attain to the resurrection from the dead.

What are you depending on to save you from your sins? What are you depending on to get you to heaven when you die? God's grace or your works? It's one or the other. It can't be both.

Speaker 2

I'm so glad that you joined us for today's edition of Pathway to Victory, and I'm eager to remind you that the learning doesn't stop here. We've prepared a collection of resources for you, and each one is designed to help you understand and embrace the grace of God.

The first item is the book I've written for you called *Outrageous Joy*. In my book, I go into much greater detail on how to shed the weight of worry and how to refocus your life and priorities on kingdom living. When you give a generous gift to support the ministry of Pathway to Victory, you're invited to request the hardbound copy of *Outrageous Joy*.

Now here's the best part. When you give a generous gift, you're not only supporting our daily studies on your station, but you're also making it possible for Pathway to Victory to reach into other cities all across America and around the world.

For example, I recently heard from Beth, who hears our program in South Carolina. Beth wrote, "Pastor Jeffress, I grew up with an abusive mother, and many other negative things happened to me in my early life that wore me down and caused me to question my self-worth. But my life began to turn around when I chose to follow Jesus. Pathway to Victory is doing a great job nurturing and helping people like me all over the world. Keep up the good work."

Beth's comments should encourage anyone who's invested in Pathway to Victory, and today I'm inviting you to join our team. When you give, be sure to request a copy of my book called *Outrageous Joy*. It comes with my thanks.

David

Thanks, Dr. Jeffress.

Speaker 1

When you give a generous gift to support the ministry of Pathway to Victory, we'll send you a copy of Dr. Jeffress's book, *Outrageous Joy*. It's designed to help you live out the principles that we're learning in our current study. Give a gift and request the book by calling 866-999-2965 or visiting us online at ptv.org now.

When you give $75 or more, you'll receive the book as well as our current teaching series called *Living Above Your Circumstances*. You'll get that on both audio and video discs. Again, call 866-999-2965 or visit us online at ptv.org. You could also write to us if you'd like.

Speaker 3

P.O.

Speaker 1

Box 223609, Dallas, Texas 75222. That's P.O. box 223609, Dallas, TX 75222. I'm David J. Mullins.

Bookstores offer countless resources on how to be more successful in your finances, your career, your family, and every other area of life. But what about being more successful in the Christian life? Hear a message called Holy Sweat when you listen Tuesday to Pathway to Victory. Pathway to Victory with Dr. Robert Jeffress comes from the pulpit of the First Baptist Church of Dallas, Texas.

Picture yourself relaxing aboard a luxury cruise ship as you sail the Mediterranean Sea on the Pathway to Victory Journeys of Paul Mediterranean cruise May 5 through 16, 2025. This 11-day journey will take you to unforgettable destinations in Italy, Turkey, and Greece. Plus, you'll have the option to extend your trip with additional adventures in Rome. To book your spot on the 2025 Journeys of Paul Mediterranean cruise, go to ptv.org.

You made it to the end of today's podcast from Pathway to Victory, and we're so glad you're here. Pathway to Victory relies on the generosity of loyal listeners like you to make this podcast possible. One of the most impactful ways you can give is by becoming a Pathway Partner. Your monthly gift will empower Pathway to Victory to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ and help others become rooted more firmly in His Word. To become a Pathway Partner, go to ptv.org/donate or follow the link in our show notes.

We hope you've been blessed by today's podcast from Pathway to Victory.