Philippians 3

In chapter 1, we saw the single mind. In chapter 2, we saw the submitted mind. Here in chapter 3, we’ll see the selfless mind.

Whatever happens, my dear brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord. I never get tired of telling you these things, and I do it to safeguard your faith. Philipians 3:1

We are not commanded to rejoice in our circumstances, good or bad. No, we’re to rejoice in the Lord. My circumstances may be bad. But the Lord stands with me in those circumstances, and He will cause something good to come from them ultimately.

New Living Translation (Chapter 3)

2 Watch out for those dogs, those people who do evil, those mutilators who say you must be circumcised to be saved Philippians 3:2

Jon Courson’s Application Commentary Chapter 3

The Jews referred to Gentiles as dogs. Yet here Paul is telling the Philippians to beware not of Gentiles, but of those who are of the concision, or, literally, “mutilators”—Jews who would follow behind Paul and say to the Gentiles, “If you’re really serious about knowing God, what Paul said is okay as a beginning point, but you need to be circumcised if you want to be truly spiritual.”

There are still those today who imply that to be spiritual, one must be miserable; those who say, “If you’re truly spiritual, you’ll do this and not do that; you’ll go here, but not there…”

Of them, Paul says, “Beware.”

3 For we who worship by the Spirit of God are the ones who are truly circumcised. We rely on what Christ Jesus has done for us. We put no confidence in human effort, Php 3:3

The truly spiritual man is one who worships God in the spirit, rejoices in Christ Jesus, and has no confidence in the flesh. True circumcision is not a mark on the flesh; it’s a mark in the heart.

4 though I could have confidence in my own effort if anyone could. Indeed, if others have reason for confidence in their own efforts, I have even more! Php 3:4

“Regarding these dogs who undermine grace and boast of their external spirituality, I’ll put my record against theirs any day,” declares Paul

Testamonies are powerful! At our men’s group on tuesday night, men can give their testamony. we get to hear their stories. why are these stories important? Bible tells us to give them

1 Peter 3:15–16 NLT

15 Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it. 16 But do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ.

Paul gives his testamony in verses 5-9

Here is the thing about testamonies. Make sure that your testimony is more than just a story about a changed life. Yeah, your life did change , but a person can get a changed life from a personal trainer and and a weight loss program! Even an unbeliever can have a story about a time when they overcame obstacles.

A Christian testimony is focused on a Savior that interrupted our selfish rebellion. A Light that helped us to see the error of our ways. A testimony is not a Christian testimony unless it includes repentance and a desire to work for God and see things His way for the rest of your life. This is what glorifies God and makes Him smile.

Some of the best testimonies involve singing and trusting God even when you’re in the midst of trials and troubling circumstances or as Charles Spurgeon puts it, singing in the night.

Try and sing in the night, Christian, for that is one of the best arguments in the entire world in favor of your religion…I tell you, we may preach fifty thousand sermons to prove the gospel, but we will not prove it half as well as you will by singing in the night. ~ Charles Spurgeon

5 I was circumcised when I was eight days old. I am a pure-blooded citizen of Israel and a member of the tribe of Benjamin—a real Hebrew if there ever was one! I was a member of the Pharisees, who demand the strictest obedience to the Jewish law php :5

6 I was so zealous that I harshly persecuted the church. And as for righteousness, I obeyed the law without fault. Php 3:6

7 I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. 8 Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing php 3:7

Paul is not put out to tell his testamony, He is rejoicing in what God is doing through him and around him. He see that doing things God’s way is a thing to rejoice about!

If you are trusting in the things you have done , you are missing out on the fundimental thing about the Christian faith. It all about what He has done in each one of our lives.

8 Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ Php 3:8

Jesus told an interesting story in Luke 13…

He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground? And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down. Luke 13:6–9

If you are one who appears outwardly spiritual, yet you lack the fruit of love and joy, peace and longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, meekness for your Master’s pleasure—what are you to do? Let the Vinedresser come to you; let the Holy Spirit dig around your roots and expose sin. Then let Him expel it through the “dunging” process, whereby we realize that glorying in anything we’ve done, any position we hold, or any credentials we’ve earned will keep fruit from being produced in our lives.

John the Baptist was right when he said a man cannot receive anything except it be given him from heaven (John 3:27). Whenever we think we’ve attained anything in our lives because of our dedication, our brilliance, or our good looks, there will be a dearth of fruitfulness in our lives.

Expose our sin, Lord. Expel our self. That way anything You want to do through us will be to Your glory.

Paul says in verse 9 that he let his credentials go

and they are like garbage to me or dung, (pasture patties)

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10 I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, 11 so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead! Php 3:10-11

Jesus is not merely One who lived two thousand years ago, died, and that’s the end of the story. He’s a power; He’s a Person; He’s risen. And I will know Him intimately only through the power of His Resurrection.

What does it say about suffering in verse 10?

When do you really know the Lord? When you realize He’s alive. When do you really understand He’s alive? When you go through tough times—the fellowship of suffering. When I’m cruising along on Easy Street, I don’t know Jesus the way I often discover Him when I’m going through difficulty and problems, heartache or setbacks, tragedy or pain.

Here, in this book of rejoicing, Paul says, “Don’t despise the difficulty, the tragedy, the tough time, the setback, the heartache—for those are the times you will understand that Jesus is truly risen. When the day is dark, the waters deep, the outlook grim—you’ll see Jesus.”

“Sure, I want to know the Lord,” people say. “I just don’t want to go through tough times. Of course I want to know His power, but I don’t want to deal with the fellowship that comes through suffering.”

The only way you can know the Lord intimately is through the power of His Resurrection. And the best way to experience the power of His Resurrection is through hard times