+ Can Paul get any more honest? Can he admit his sin in any way that would or could be more clear or more direct?
Paul claims his circumcision “on the eighth day,” and also owns his persecutions of the Christians; not like a badge of honor, but as the simple truth of who he had been and what he had done.
But he also admits to having come to know Christ the Lord with total clarity and with total purpose.
But I would propose to you that Paul surely was saying to the Philippians — though perhaps not with these exact words, but certainly with these exact sentiments —
“Let all rejoice who find the Lord.”
And so Jesus pleadingly — almost begs — the Pharisees and scribes to understand something that they categorically could not. They thought and said that to eat with sinners made one dirty and unclean, and that was all they could see.
But Jesus poured out not one but two parables to teach about redemption from sin and turning to God with all one’s heart.
And for both the parable of the “lost sheep” and the “lost coin,” Jesus teaches that one can be saved. Is that not that what all true religion should be teaching?
“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest, says the Lord.”
Note: Not that I will reject you and for fear of becoming unclean refuse to touch or be touched by you. No! But rather, I will receive you, accept you, love you, hug you, and I will give you rest!
And so I would put one more twist on the words of the psalmist today to say —
