I'm a seminarian!

I recently started going full time at Talbot seminary. I finally feel like i'm a seminarian. I absolutely love it. Love it. Love it. Love it. However, for the one who loves seminary, I am in the midsts of what some may call a great temptation. One can easily be tempted to find one's identity in the things they are discovering. I am a seminarian. Therefore, as a seminarian that loves what he is doing, I strive for nothing less then excellence. I strive to be an excellent NT scholar. I will accept nothing less than being a capable preacher. For these things I strive for are not bad things. But the temptation is to find one's identity or center in them. My unconscious prayer is that "God I don't want to be a nobody. I want to be a Luther, or a Calvin.

We recently discussed Philippians 3 in class, and I felt thoroughly rebuked as I meditated upon it. In Philippians 3, the Apostle Paul reflects upon his pre-conversion days where he had in the Jewish eyes the perfect resume.

Phil 3:5-6 says
...circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless

Paul goes on to describe how he now views his past sense of self-concept and his accomplishments.

Phil 3:7-9 says...

7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith

Paul here informs us that he considers all things from his former manner of life to be rubbish, not necessarily in themselves, but in comparison with finding his true identity "in Christ." Consequently, whatever field I find myself excelling in, whether for me it is biblical studies, preaching, or for you it is art, mathematics, biology, these things are not bad in themselves. But our accomplishments and competency in such things is rubbish compared with having Christ as the core object of our self identity. For I am a seminarian, but that truly is rubbish compared to the surpassing worth of knowing Christ.

It is my desire, that as I strive for excellence as a seminary student, that I will continually remind myself of this truth. May I always refocus upon ultimate ends, not satisfying myself with mere earthly pursuits.