June 16 2026

Tuesday June 16

“Moral, Sincere, Respected, Religious - But Still Lost”

Philippians 3:5-6

Welcome to Pastor's Chat. Today we continue our study of Philippians 3:5-6 as the Apostle Paul continues listing the religious credentials that once gave him confidence before God. Yesterday, we looked at the first four items on Paul's spiritual résumé. He was circumcised on the eighth day. He was of the stock of Israel. He was of the tribe of Benjamin. He was a Hebrew of the Hebrews. These were privileges that Paul inherited by birth. Now, in verse 5b and verse 6, Paul moves from what he inherited to what he personally achieved.

Listen to what he says: "As to the law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless." These were not things that were given to Paul. These were things he worked hard to attain. If anyone could have earned a right standing before God through religion, dedication, and moral effort, it was Saul of Tarsus.

First, notice that Paul said, "As to the law, a Pharisee." The Pharisees were the strictest religious group in Judaism. There were not many of them compared to the population of Israel, but they were highly respected for their devotion to the Law. The word Pharisee actually means "separated one." They separated themselves from anything they believed would make them spiritually unclean. They carefully studied the Scriptures, observed religious traditions, and sought to obey every detail of the Law.

So Paul was not merely a religious man. He was a religious leader. In Acts 23:6, he boldly declared, "I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee." He had studied under the famous Rabbi Gamaliel according to Acts 22:3. He possessed the finest religious education available in his day. Yet with all that learning and all that religious devotion, it could not save him. It is possible to know the Bible intellectually and still not know Jesus Christ personally. Many people today know Bible stories, memorize verses, and attend church regularly, yet they have never experienced the transforming grace of God. Knowledge alone cannot save.

Secondly, Paul said, "Concerning zeal, persecuting the church." This might seem shocking to us. How could persecuting Christians be considered a credential? But before his conversion, Paul believed Christians were the enemies of God. He thought he was serving God by trying to destroy the church. Acts 8:3 tells us that Saul made havoc of the church, entering houses and dragging men and women off to prison. In Acts 9, he was on his way to Damascus with authority to arrest believers when he met the risen Christ. In Acts 26:9-11, when he gave his testimony before Agrippa, he said: “I punished them often in every synagogue and compelled them to blaspheme. Being exceedingly enraged against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities."

Paul was sincere. He was passionate. He was committed. But he was sincerely wrong. This reminds us that sincerity alone is not enough because a person can be sincere and still be lost. A person can be passionate and still be mistaken. The most important question is not how sincere we are. The important question is whether our faith is based on the truth of Jesus Christ. Today, many people are zealous about religion, politics, causes, traditions, or philosophies. But zeal without truth can lead us far from God. Paul had zeal, but he still needed a Savior.

Third, Paul said, "Concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless." Notice he did not say sinless. He said blameless. In the eyes of the people around him, Paul lived an exemplary life. No one could point to some scandalous sin and accuse him of hypocrisy. Outwardly, he appeared to be everything a religious person should be. If Saul of Tarsus had lived in our community today, many churches would probably have wanted him to be a deacon, a Sunday school teacher, an elder, or a ministry leader. Yet despite all his morality and religious discipline, he was still lost.

This is one of the most sobering truths in Scripture. A person can be moral and still need salvation. A person can be respected and still need salvation. A person can be religious and still need salvation. Remember, Jesus said in Matthew 7 that many will come to Him in that day and say, "Lord, Lord, have we not done many wonderful works in Your name?" And Jesus will say to them, "Depart from Me, you workers of iniquity. I never knew you." That is sobering. Are you sure—really sure—that you have been born again? We need the grace of God and salvation through Christ alone.

In the next verses, Paul is going to tell us that he counted all these things as loss for Christ. What a transformation! Let me ask you a personal question: What are you trusting in today for your salvation? Are you trusting in your church attendance, your morality, your Bible knowledge, your service, or your religious background? Or are you trusting personally in Jesus Christ alone? Remember, the true believer worships God in the Spirit, rejoices in Christ Jesus, and has no confidence in the flesh.

Let’s pray. Father, thank You for reminding us that salvation is not found in religious achievements, personal morality, or human effort. Help us never to trust in our own righteousness, but in the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ. Thank You that through faith in Him, we can be forgiven, justified, and accepted in Your sight. May our confidence be in Christ alone and nothing else. We pray this in Jesus' precious name. Amen.

God bless and may you have a wonderful, wonderful day!