April 29 Daily Devotional

Counting All Things Loss for Christ

the Rev. David Freeman

"But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ."
"Philippians 3:7.

Devotional

Paul, before his conversion, had a righteousness which would satisfy men. But in the sight of God he was everything but right.

A righteousness which satisfies men and not God is a dead loss. Any vain confidence in the flesh is no gain, for such a confidence excludes a knowledge of Christ.

Wherever we see a false estimate of one's own excellence, let us be assured that there Christ is not known. What is the mark of one upon whom has come the light of Christ? Such a one no longer has anything in himself to commend. What delighted and directed him before is now of no account.

The attainments of the carnal mind are only hindrances in the way of coming to Christ. Thus nothing is more injurious than self or human righteousness. By means of these we are shut out from Christ. Christ receives none except as naked and emptied of their own righteousness.

How intense was Paul's feeling of love for Christ, his Lord. The knowledge of Him surpassed everything in sublimity and worth. For Him he was prepared to lose everything. Who can measure up to this stature? Who knows such love to Christ? Can it be called love to the Savior if it comes short of giving up all for Him?

However, in the mere giving up of riches and honors and other things held dear, there is no indication that we have gained Christ. We may even give up the body to be burned, but that in itself will profit us nothing. For we may give these things up and still love them more than Christ. The false estimate we have had of these things must go with them.

This is a time when the Lord requires much of us. This is a testing time for God's own people. The true gospel of salvation has been silenced in the land. Many are the souls who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death. The opposition of men is great. If the light of the knowledge of Christ is to be seen in this our day we must be ready to give up goods and kindred. It is now the only way.

When the choice is presented between His truth and our case, the Lord calls us to give up our case. Is it hard to do? Then look to your faith and see if it be resting in Christ alone. It is not becoming to a Christian to have anything in this world apart from Christ.

And it is not with a sigh that the true Christian parts with his human gains. He throws them away as things that have become offensive. Many Israelites looked back to Egypt. While they were glad to be free from the yoke of bondage they regretted mat of their losses. The true children of God, rejoicing in the hope of the glory of God, look upon the things which formerly they reckoned precious as nothing but straws.

(to be continued)

"Lift Up Your Heart" is a series of devotionals by the late Rev. David Freeman, an ordained minister in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church for most of his life. These devotionals, in fact, are part of the early history of our denomination. The first of them was published in The Presbyterian Guardian in 1935; the denomination now known as the Orthodox Presbyterian Church was officially formed in 1936. We believe that "the Word of our God stands forever" (Isaiah 40:8; see 1 Peter 1:25). Thus it is no surprise that meditations based on that Word have continued relevance today. Dr. Freeman's devotionals are proof of that fact.

David Freeman was a graduate of Princeton Theological Seminary (Th.B., 1928; Th.M. , 1930) and of Dropsie Univiersity (Ph.D., 1951). He served as pastor at Grace (later New Covenant) Presbyterian Church (OPC), Philadelphia, PA (1936-1946), Knox Presbyterian Church (OPC), Philadelphia, PA (1949-1962), and Grace Presbyterian Church (OPC), Fall River, MA (1962-1967). He authored many articles and (along with his son, David H. Freeman) is the author of the book A Philosophical Study of Religion, which appeared in 1964. He went to be with the Lord in 1984.

There is one change from the way the daily devotional was handled in the past with John Skilton's Think On These Things: New devotionals for the new series appear on weekdays only (Monday through Saturday. It is suggested that you use your pastor's sermon text(s) as the basis for your mediations on the Lord's Day.

We trust that you will find these devotionals, once again made available seventy years after they first appeared, to be a personal help in your own Christian walk today!