We believe Session 10 Plumb Line -Paul
righteousness is the very character and nature of God
Philippians 3:7-14 I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. 8 Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ 9 and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith. 10 I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, 11 so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!
We’ve been looking at the term “plumb line,” which is a standard God uses to measure the accuracy of our actions. This concept is first seen in Amos chapter 7.
The Bible further illustrates this in Isaiah 28:17, which states, “I will set justice as the true measurement and integrity as its plumb line.” Another version of this verse uses the terms “justice” as the measuring line and “righteousness” as the plumb line.
This scripture introduces us to the foundations of God’s throne: justice and righteousness. We’ve learned that righteousness is the very character and nature of God. In Philippians 3, Paul explores this idea further, revealing the distinction between “Christ’s righteousness” and “our own righteousness.”
In this passage, we see a striking contrast between Paul’s life before Christ and the new life he embraced after his encounter with the Lord Jesus. Paul begins by detailing the things he once considered valuable: physical circumcision and a zealous commitment to religious laws. He now understands that these were empty boasts, as he could never achieve the righteousness that only comes through Christ’s work.
The Greek word hēgeomai means to think carefully, to weigh the facts, and make a clear judgment.
In verse 4 of Philippians 3, we see a Paul who once had every reason to boast in his flawless credentials and accomplishments, believing they were his source of worth. He had a more impressive record than anyone else. Let’s take a moment to reflect: Who am I? What defines my identity and gives me worth? What standard am I using to measure myself? Is it Christ and the Living Word, or is it what society tells me?
When Paul says “now I consider,” he’s essentially comparing everything he once valued to the reality of God. The Greek word hēgeomai means to think carefully, to weigh the facts, and make a clear judgment. Have you ever done this kind of personal accounting? Did you come to the same conclusion Paul did, and has it changed how you live? Given that hegemony means dominance, what has the ultimate dominance in your life—your own achievements or the Word of God?
In the early part of this series, we examined Ephesians 2 and discovered that before coming to Christ, we lived in sin, deviating from God’s standard, just like everyone else in the world. We were following the devil, the ruler of the unseen powers. The values of the world—such as the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—were once our own values. However, in Christ, those things no longer hold the same significance.
In 2 Corinthians 10:3-6, we are introduced to another thinking system that we need to shut down if we are to live victoriously in Christ.
3 We are human, but we don’t wage war as humans do. 4 We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. 5 We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ. 6 And after you have become fully obedient, we will punish everyone who remains disobedient.
As we consciously and thoughtfully engage with Scripture, we can identify our shortcomings and align ourselves with the divine direction it reveals.
The plumb line concept teaches us that the Word of God provides the standard for our lives. As we consciously and thoughtfully engage with Scripture, we can identify our shortcomings and align ourselves with the divine direction it reveals.
There is a beautiful song called “A Beautiful Exchange.” We see this exchange in
Galatians 2:20 My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Our movement is towards original Divine settings. God breathed into man, and man became a living being. What did He breathe into man? It is the Word of God, it is the Spirit of God.
2 Timothy 3:14 But you must remain faithful to the things you have been taught. You know they are true, for you know you can trust those who taught you. 15 You have been taught the holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. 17 God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.
