Connections That Make Us Righteous

Philippians 3:1–11 KJV 1900

Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe. Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision. For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.

The Trading Game

Gather

• Six one-dollar bills. e Four small boxes,

• One piece of crumpled scrap paper.

• One paper clip.

e One small bag of candy.

Steps

1 . Before class, place the crumpled newspaper, the paper clip, the

small bag of candy, and two one-dollar bills in small boxes, one item per box. Secure the tops of the boxes so that the contents can't be seen. Number the boxes 1 through 4 and display them on a table at the front of the room. Next to the table, set up four chairs for the " contestants. "

2. Call for four contestants to play The Trading Game and direct them to take their seats. Give each contestant a dollar bill then draw attention to the prepared boxes. Explain that each contestant will have an opportunity to trade the dollar for one of the boxes. Warn them that the boxes have contents of various values.

3. As you give each contestant a turn, play up your role as the game show host. Encourage the rest of the class to participate as the audience, giving advice to the contestants to trade for a box or not to trade.

4. Once all contestants have made a choice, allow those who traded to open their boxes and determine if their trades were worth it. If any contestants did not trade, open the remaining boxes and ask students if they made the right decision.

ASK: What makes a trade good? We consider a trade good when we give up something of lesser value for something of greater value. ASK: When have you made a good trade? When did you know it was good?

5. Transition to Bible lesson.

Our pretend game show demonstrated that when we make a trade, we don't always know if it will turn out to be a good trade or a bad trade. We may not always know exactly what we're getting. It isn't that way with God. He tells us exactly what we are getting when we choose to trade our own efforts at righteousness for the righteousness of Christ. And it's a good trade! In today's lesson, we'll see how Paul made that trade in his life.

Reject False Teaching

True teaching is Christ-centered

When Paul commanded the Philippians to rejoice, he called them to outward, verbal praise to the Lord, Who was both the object and the source of their praise. Paul's command wasn't just a flippant comment but an intentional introduction to the next segment of his letter.

ASK: How can repetition of instruction contribute to the safety of the hearers? Repetition helps to emphasize the importance of the instruction.

Paul said he was offering a warning he had given the Philippians before, but it was necessary to repeat it as a safeguard for the Philippians' spiritual development. The purity of the gospel message was at stake. Some of the Jews in Philippi insisted that Gentiles had to adopt Jewish customs to be saved. But Paul refused to soft-pedal the gospel message or to add the traditions of men to it. As the Philippians focused on the Lord, they would see clearly to reject false teachings.

False teaching is man-centered

Philippians 3:2–3 KJV 1900

Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision. For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.

ASK: How do you respond to "beware of dog" signs?

Paul warned the Philippians to beware of certain Jews, referring to them as dogs. Ravenous, wild dogs prowled through city and countryside in Paul's day, scavenging, fighting among themselves, preying on the helpless. They carried filth and disease. In the same way, the religious "dogs" advanced their own personal causes to the harm of others. Their influence caused disagreements and fierce conflicts among Christians who had once enjoyed loving fellowship.

Not mincing words, Paul called out these religious men for their evil work. As they sought to proselytize and snare people away from the message of the simple gospel, they were doing Satan's work.

The false teachers promoted physical circumcision as essential to knowing Christ. By so doing, they were mutilating the message of the gospel. God gave the rite of circumcision to Abraham and his descendants as a physical mark to identify them as chosen of God. More importantly, it spiritually symbolized their covenant relationship with God. The false teachers ignored the spiritual meaning. They emphasized human effort—the physical rite.

The problem was clear. In Paul's day, certain religious teachers mixed Old Testament law with grace and taught that circumcision, a statute in the law, was necessary for salvation. They preached that all must go through the Jewish rites and abide by the Old Testament system to be a follower of Christ. But what truly mattered was a spiritual relationship with God through Jesus Christ. This relationship allows believers to worship God in spirit and to rejoice in Jesus Christ. It places no confidence in good works or religious standing.

ASK: What are some modern false teachings we must reject? New age ideas, teachings of humanism, universalism (everyone will be saved), works-based salvation.

Perhaps most dangerous are the false teachings which present baptism, membership, ceremonial prayers, or other actions within the church as ways to salvation. Others preach a false gospel of self-sufficiency and self-empowerment. The messages of today's false teachers may sound different from those of Paul's day, but the danger is the same. Satan wants to distract people from the true gospel, leading them to believe that righteousness can result from their own goodness or from their works.

Relinquish False Confidence

Confidence in heritage is futile

Philippians 3:4–5 KJV 1900

Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;

Paul began to argue that if anyone could stand on personal merit, he would be able to. Unlike those who were born Gentiles and became Jews by adopting Jewish beliefs and submitting to Jewish rites and rituals later in life, Paul was born and brought up a Jew (3:5). His family tree went back to Benjamin, one of Jacob's two favorite sons. The tribe of Benjamin produced Saul, Israel's first king. The land deeded to that tribe included the city of Jerusalem, the very center of Judaism. Paul was a Hebrew of the Hebrews. He spoke Hebrew and had studied the Old Testament Scriptures in the Hebrew language. Yet Paul considered any merit he gained from his heritage to be worthless in his quest for righteousness.

ASK: How might people today count on their heritage for a right standing before God? They might assume that if their parents are religious, then they are automatically okay too.

Confidence in devotion is futile

In the last phrase of verse 5, Paul states he had been a Pharisee. People looked on the Pharisees as the separatists, as the religious leaders who were most careful in keeping every tiny bit of the law.

Philippians 3:6 KJV 1900

Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.

ASK: What element did Paul add to his argument? His religious credentials.

Paul had taken his religion very seriously, always doing his best to measure up to the highest standards. He had sincerely, ambitiously given his all for what he believed in. He was convinced that he was doing God a great favor by persecuting those who believed the "heresy" that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the Savior of sinners. Paul was not a religious spectator; he was heavily involved in promoting Pharisaical beliefs.

As far as personal moral conduct was concerned, Paul had nothing to be ashamed of. He could testify that he was blameless according to the standard of the Jewish law. He followed it meticulously. Paul's devotion

to the Jewish law was beyond criticism. He had led an exemplary life that conformed to the Pharisees' perspective on Old Testament law. If someone wanted to boast, he could boast more.

ASK: Who is the central character in verses 5 and 6? Paul.

Before salvation, Paul was all about Paul. Paul understood self-promotion and disciplined devotion doesn't make a person righteous.

Receive True Righteousness

Give up self-righteousness

Philippians 3:7–8 KJV 1900

But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,

ASK: What did Paul conclude? Everything he could brag about he counted as worthless so he might gain Christ.

If anyone had reason to brag or to put confidence in his fleshly achievements, Paul did. But when he encountered Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus, his whole value system changed (Acts 9: 1—22). Paul realized that his foundation for being right with God was completely wrong. Only faith in Christ's payment on the cross for his sins could bring him into a right relationship with God. So Paul discounted all other things he had previously relied on for righteousness. He gave up on his pursuit of self-righteousness, realizing any goodness he seemed to gain was worthless before God.

Paul had a settled conviction to disregard anything that would come between him and Christ, whether for salvation or for a developing daily relationship. He wanted to know Christ through the experience of intimate companionship and communion with Him. He wanted nothing to get in his way of becoming more like Christ.

ASK: What tends to get in the way of today's teens becoming more like Christ?

Paul was originally from Tarsus, where only wealthy, reputable families were allowed to retain citizenship. He had belonged to a family of wealthy Jews living in one of the most progressive cities of the day. All this Paul forfeited to become a poor, itinerant missionary so that others could know Christ. Paul "suffered the toss of all things" (3:8), counting his earthly heritage as rubbish when compared to his Savior.

Gain Christ's righteousness

Philippians 3:9 KJV 1900

And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

Paul wanted to be found in Christ, knowing that in Him he would not be found guilty before God. Paul rested in Christ's righteousness, not in a righteousness of his own works through keeping the law. When Paul put his faith in Christ for salvation, God declared Paul righteous based on Christ's work.

ASK: Why was Paul's exchange of his own righteousness for Christ's the best possible trade? His own righteousness was no righteousness at all and, therefore, would not save him. Christ's righteousness made Paul acceptable to God.

Self-righteousness is a smoke screen Satan uses to deceive us. We have no righteousness in ourselves, because all our seemingly righteous acts are tainted by sin (Isa. 64:6). When Paul traded his self-righteousness for that of Christ's, he gave up bragging rights, but he gained eternal salvation.

Philippians 3:10–11 KJV 1900

That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.

ASK: What sort of future did Paul want for himself? He wanted to know Christ as well as possible and to be as much like Him as possible. He looked forward to the final resurrection.

Paul's burning desire was not to preach to huge crowds or to build a large organization or to have a weekly TV program. His first and greatest desire was to know Christ experientially. Knowing about Jesus Christ and knowing Him personally are two different matters. We can get the facts about Christ from many sources and still not know Him. The knowledge Paul desired was not book knowledge but knowledge based on constant personal contact with the Lord.

Second, Paul wanted to know the "power of his resurrection" (3:10). He wanted to experience the same power that raised Christ from the dead. The same divine power displayed at the resurrection would enable Paul to leave behind his old life—the old deeds, desires, and attitudes of the flesh—and to walk in newness of life (Rom. 6).

ASK: How can you tap into the resurrection power in your daily life? Maintain daily habits of prayer and Bible study; connect regularly with other Christians; try to emulate Jesus; ask for the Holy Spirit's power.

Third, Paul wanted to participate in Christ's sufferings for righteousness' sake. Paul did not mean Christ's physical suffering on the cross. We cannot add to the atoning work of Christ. But consider what Christ endured in obedience to God's plan. He was misunderstood, ridiculed, and falsely accused; those who follow Him can expect similar treatment. In fact, Christ pinpointed persecution and suffering as a validation of His followers (John 1 5: 1 8—25). Paul wanted to be earmarked as a dedicated follower, one who willingly suffered for the name of Christ.

Paul wished to be like Christ even in death. The apostle knew that to live for the Lord, he had to die to selfish interests. He desired the same yielded spirit that Jesus demonstrated as He faced death on the cross (Luke 22:42). Even if Paul had to face physical death, he was able to look past this life to the resurrection in the next. His present experience of resurrection power was no substitute for the future resurrection of his body. Whether through death or through the return of Christ at the Rapture, the final resurrection was his goal.

ASK: How do Paul's desires for his life compare to the goals of most Christians today?

Paul was suffering for the sake of the gospel and intended to keep doing so until he saw Christ and stood in complete righteousness before God. Many of us may not face death because of our relationship with Christ, but we can still strive to have the same mindset as Paul. All believers should refuse bragging rights for their heritage or accomplishments, trusting only in the righteousness of Christ for salvation. As we understand the great value of living in Christ, we can aim to live righteously through His power while waiting for our final resurrection.

ASK: What two types of righteousness did Paul choose between? His own and Christ's.

ASK: Why is human righteousness not true righteousness? Because we are all sinners, we cannot obtain true righteousness There is nothing we can do on our own to h ave a right standing before God.

The believers in Philippi were plagued by evil teachers who tried to distract them from the purity of the gospel by demanding the observance of old Jewish rituals. Paul strongly warned the Philippians to beware of these teachers. Then he gave his readers a look into his own religious background and accomplishments. He had lots to brag about, from his heritage to his personal training in the law, but he refused to cling to those outward standards for obtaining righteousness before God. When he met Christ as his Savior, he no longer trusted in those seemingly important things. Paul dedicated his life to knowing and living for Christ, looking forward to when he would be with Christ in the resurrection.