The paschal mystery describes the truth not yet understood, that is still unfolding about Christ, the Lamb of God, who came down from heaven, and became fully incarnate and fully manifested in Jesus Christ. It describes the truth not understood, that is still unfolding about the presence and regenerative work of Christ, the Lamb of God, in every human life. It is the mystery and truth about mankind passing from slavery to sin, in the mind of the flesh, into the glorious freedom of God's love, through faith in Christ, the image and likeness of God, in the spiritual body of Jesus Christ, and the spiritual body of every person (Genesis 1:26-27, Colossians 1:26-27).
In today's Epistle Philippians 3:4-6, the apostle Paul chooses to abandon his contemplation and trust in the false goals of mind of the flesh. He chose to centers his faith and religious practice in encountering and developing a personal relationship with the invisible, universal, indwelling Christ of Faith as his true goal. In the mind of the spirit, he followed Jesus Christ in living the Paschal Mystery. To Paul, the false goals of the mind of the flesh include the tradition of circumcision, in his religion his status as a Pharisee, his ethnic and cultural heritage an Israelite of the tribe of Benjamin. Concerning his falsely directed zeal, in the mind of the flesh, he persecuted the initial followers of Jesus Christ. Paul abandoned the false righteousness of keeping the letter and rejecting the spirit of God's universal law.
Paul chose to encounter and develop a personal relationship with Christ, by self-denial, taking up his cross daily, and following Jesus Christ in living the paschal mystery (Philippians 3:7). He recognized the universal excellency of the of Jesus Christ, as Messiah, Way-shower and Lord (Philippians 3:8). Paul welcomed and experienced the fear, suffering and loss of the mind of flesh for the sake of following Jesus Christ. He based his faith, true goal and righteousness in seeking and serving the universal indwelling Christ of Faith, the image and likeness of God, in the spiritual body of the historical Jesus, himself and all persons. Paul's righteousness is based on following Jesus Christ in living the Paschal mystery (Philippians 3:9).
Paul's true goal was to know Jesus Christ, as the way, the truth and the life in spiritual resurrection from the spiritual death of the mind of the flesh. He desired to share fellowship in the historical Jesus', suffering and allowing death of the mind of the flesh (Philippians 3:10-12). He sought to experience and manifest Christ likeness by following Jesus Christ in living the Paschal Mystery, in the mind of the spirit. Paul pressed toward the mark of the high calling of being born from above by casting down and casting out the mind of the flesh. In the mind of the spirit, he sought spiritual formation, spiritual growth and spiritual maturity in Christ (Philippians 3:13-14).
Do you like the apostle Paul, desire to be delivered from slavery to sin, in the mind of the flesh? Are you willing with God's help to suffer and allow the casting down and casting out of the mind of the flesh in your soul, heart, mind, relationships and life? Do you desire to practice kingdom living here on earth as it is in heaven, in the mind of the spirit (Matthew 6:9-10). Will you seek spiritual resurrection, spiritual formation, spiritual growth and spiritual maturity by following Jesus Christ in living the Paschal Mystery, within a witnessing paschal faith community?
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