But we glory in Christ Jesus, Philippians 3:3

You want a simple definition of a Christian, a true Christian?  He is one who glories, who boasts, who rejoices in Christ Jesus. His glory is not ambition, work, women, hobby, house, nor hunting trips.  One dear old lady, whenever convenient, would bring the conversation around to her grandchildren. That was her glory.  I’ve known folks that had collections of cars, tools, arrowheads, or even buttons.  That is what made them stand out.  For some, it is a weird hairstyle, a piece of clothing, or even their poverty.  For some it is their church or their ministry.  Folks must have something in which to glory, even if it is their sin, their shame, Philippians 3.19.

But the Christians glory in Christ Jesus – His person and His work.  We boast of His eternal existence, His humble incarnation, His perfect life, His miraculous deeds, His substitutionary death, His powerful resurrection, His supreme exaltation, His effectual intercession, His sovereign reign, His second coming and righteous judgment.  We boast of His incomparable love, His incomprehensible peace, His tender mercy, His incredible forgiveness, His great salvation, His majestic saints, His surpassing wisdom, and His blessed hope.  It is the nature of a Christian to shun boasting in anything but the cross of Christ where his sin-guilt was put away, Galatians 6.14.

The Christian has seen that there is nothing else worthy in which to boast.  All else is passing, is frail, is weak, is dust.  All else is relative and next year someone else will do it better and then die.  Kings die.  Empires crumble, forgotten.  But Christ Jesus lives and reigns.  In the end, all will appear before Him and He will get the glory.  We shout it from the housetops.  Are you proud of Christ Jesus?

 

(1949 - 2012)
Bob Jennings began a pastoral ministry in Kirksville, Missouri in 1978 in the church that now meets at Lake Road Chapel. In 1983 he moved to Sedalia, Missouri to pastor a small flock which God had raised up in that city (now meeting at Highway M Chapel). Bob spoke at many conferences both in the United States and Eastern Europe. He also did evangelism outreach on various university campuses over the years. The Lord blessed Bob and his wife Terri with five children. Bob is respected as a godly man by all who knew him, perhaps most by his family. You can find encouragement from his many messages online, and also from his online journal which he kept during his days with cancer. Bob fell asleep in the Lord November of 2012.