February 27, 2019
The TV commercial says, “Send in $49, and we will send you an Ancestry DNA test. Wouldn’t you like to discover your ancestry family tree, and tell your family story?
Christians need not to search for a family ancestry site. We are once removed from Jesus, the Father of all believers. Knowing Christ is at the top of our spiritual tree sums up all we need to know about our DNA.
In the book of Acts, Paul warns about those who brag about their pedigree. 2 “Watch out for dogs, watch out for evil workers, watch out for those who mutilate the flesh. 3 For we are the circumcision, the ones who serve by the Spirit of God, boast in Christ Jesus, and do not put confidence in the flesh.”
Paul continues and says, his pedigree is equal to the troublemakers, PLUS!
If anyone else thinks he has grounds for confidence in the flesh, I have more:” 4 although I once also had confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he has grounds for confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised the eighth day; of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; regarding the law, a Pharisee; 6 regarding zeal, persecuting the church; regarding the righteousness that is in the law, blameless.
Paul says his pedigree is summed in Jesus Christ. 7 But everything that was a gain to me, I have considered to be a loss because of Christ. 8 More than that, I also consider everything to be a loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. Because of Him I have suffered the loss of all things and consider them filth, so that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own from the law, but one that is through faith in Christ—the righteousness from God based on faith. 10 My goal is to know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, 11 assuming that I will somehow reach the resurrection from among the dead.