3. The Joy Of Knowing Jesus

4. JUDAIZERS, the threat of legalism If we are to rejoice in the Lord we must escape those who would lead us away from Jesus Christ. “Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the false circumcision; for we are the true circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh..”

5. PAUL—a case study in Jewish legalism No one was better qualified to expose the fallacies of the Judaizers than Paul. “If anyone else has a mind to put confidence in the flesh, I far more: circumcised the eighth day, of the nation 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 the righteousness which is in the Law, found blameless.”

6. CHRIST the source of true joy “But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 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 count them but rubbish in order that I may gain Christ.”

7. What Paul gained in Christ A true righteousness that God grants on the basis of faith in Christ A new power to put away sin A fellowship with Christ based on sharing his sufferings A real hope of immortality through Christ

8. What we can learn from Paul’s experience? Mere religion cannot bring joy. The Christian has joy not because of his ability to obey God perfectly, but Christ’s atonement that makes forgiveness possible. We must not allow anything earthly to allure us from believing in and following Jesus Christ.

9. Things, fame, wealth, and even religion, will not bring true joy to our lives. Only real faith in Jesus Christ can bring true and lasting joy to our lives. Do you have this joy?