The Apostle Paul once started bragging about himself. Listen to what he says in Philippians 3,
If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 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; 6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.
Now that I’m retiring, maybe I could do some bragging, as well:
I was hired to work for the Seventh-day Adventist Church on July 15, 1977. I have been paid continuously since that time for a total of 49 years less 6 weeks. However, if you add the 7 summers I worked for the church during High School and College, for 8 weeks at a time, that gives me a total of 50+ years.
I’m a third generation Adventist. Baptized. Educated. Ordained. And lately pastor of 2 very good churches.
But, so what? Is that going to make me more acceptable to be saved? Is that going to make me more honorable? I think I should follow the lead of Paul who said,
7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 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, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—
The bottom line for all of us is not our accomplishments. It is actually about knowing Jesus, whom to know is eternal life. One more time, I invite you to join with me in this quest, this journey, this pursuit of Jesus Christ. To know Jesus. To be changed by His Spirit. To be saved for eternity.
As Jesus said in John 3:16,
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.“