Philippians #13 Pursuing Christlikeness

INTRODUCTION Philippians 3:8-14.

In chapter 3, the Apostle Paul resumed doctrinal instruction after that brief intermission at the end of chapter 2.

Chapter 3 begins almost like a conclusion, a recapping of things previously said.

But the deeper Paul goes, out comes more doctrine and a call to make Christlikenes our highest pursuit.

This is one of the clearest passages that helps to guide us into Christlikeness.

We are well aware, that becoming like Christ is also referred to as sanctification.

We also are very well aware that it is God who is at work in us conforming us to the image of Jesus Christ.

We also understand how YHWH has surrounded us with preachers, teachers, fellow believers, all who are meant to aid us in our becoming more like Christ.

But this section of scripture is different.

The focus is entirely on our part in sanctification.

Our part in sanctification requires the following elements…..

Must have the right attitude.

Must be authentic.

Must have the correct aim.

I reverted to the sermon format, each point comes from the letter A.

This is to help make it easier to remember.

Our part in sanctification begins with the right attitude.

As we examine this text we see Paul’s example with regard to his own sanctification.

Paul is one of the few humans who could say, imitate me.

1 Corinthians 11:1 LSB

Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.

These words are really the foundation of this study.

I remember one time I had a online conversation, or really more of a debate.

She was in her late teens and already a devout feminist.

She made the statement, she didn’t like the apostle Paul due to his chauvanism.

I responded very simply, you do realize, Paul wrote exactly what the Lord wanted him to write?

The scripture is not Paul’s, but God’s.

Crickets……..

The point is this, it might sound a bit arrogant for Paul to say imitate me.

But the truth is, if it is this book, then the Spirit of God inspired it, and if the Spirit inspired it, then it is inerrant, infallible and authoritative.

To say it another way, we can trust and obey it.

So, I have confidence to say, that this passage which describes Paul’s attitude, authenticity, and actions toward sanctification should be mimicked.

SANCTIFICATION DEMANDS THE RIGHT ATTITUDE

We touched on this last time just a bit, but I could not get into the rest of this passage without revisiting this principle.

Attitude matters with regard to our part in sanctification.

First Paul had a right attitude toward his own self confidence.

The problem with people who are works based is that they put confidence in their own flesh.

What does it mean to put confidence in the flesh?

That means that they put confidence in their abilities to achieve something spiritual on their own, or at least to some extent on their own.

David Rice believes that through his own efforts, salvation is maintained and kept.

Christ started the work, but David must complete it.

That is putting tremendous confidence in the flesh.

This is one of the more important reasons for us to know our Bibles from beginning to end.

For example, in the book of Genesis, the first 11 chapter reveal that man is wicked and really can’t help himself.

Then you get to chapters 12-14, Abram, that great pillar of a man in Judaism, was no better.

The reality is, man is sinful and incapable of changing his condition, Genesis proves that much.

That is information that can be used with the David’s of the world.

Paul had a right attitude toward himself, realizing there was nothing good in his flesh.

That was the purpose of laying out his pedigree.

Of all people, he was the one that appeared to be righteous.

But then we discover, he was a murderer.

When Paul was confronted by Jesus, and saw real and pure holiness, he realized how depraved he was and how useless his accomplishments in the flesh.

His attitude toward the things he once prized is seen in verse 8, next to last clause.

He counted it all as rubbish.

What once was so important to him, he now sees as rubbish.

Paul now has the right attitude toward human achievements, they are of no value toward spiritual matters.

Second, Paul had a right attitude toward Christ.

It is not enough to recognize your own lack of worth and ability.

You must fill the void with the right attitude, the surpassing value of knowing Christ.

Paul put no confidence in his flesh, and great confidence in knowing Jesus.

This is the foundation for all Bible study, for every sermon, for every discipleship endeavor.

Knowing Christ is the highest pursuit of all.

But that begins with a proper attitude.

A proper attitude values Jesus.

Jesus taught this same principle.

What was Jesus trying to teach us in Matt 13:44-46?

The proper interpretation is that Jesus is the pearl of great price and the treasure hidden in the field.

The wise man, we sell or give everything he has to obtain that treasure.

That is the only right attitude to have toward Christ.

Jesus repeatedly emphasized this reality.

For example, he said things like Matt 10:37-39

Matthew 10:37–39 LSB

“He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. “And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. “He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it.

What was Jesus trying to teach us in Matt 10:37-39?

Jesus should be more valuable to us than even parents.

Jesus should be more important to us than even our earthly life.

Paul can actually say, I value Christ more than anything.

He gave up his position as a Pharisee.

Thus he forfeited power, the opportunity for wealth and prestige.

He gave up his heritage.

Thus he was no longer a friend of the Jew, no longer a teacher of the Jews.

In fact, they viewed him as an enemy of Judaism.

Paul gave up all that he was in order to know love and follow Christ.

He suffered the loss of all he once held dear, for the sake of knowing Jesus.

This is the attitude we should all have, that nothing, absolutely nothing is more important to us than Jesus and His will for our lives.

That I may gain Christ, that is the attitude we are to have.

SANCTIFICATION DEMANDS AUTHENTICITY

True Christian doctrine is referred to in a variety of ways.

When someone mentions classic Christianity, they mean as it was originally practiced in the early days.

Others refer to it as true or genuine, meaning it conforms to the scripture.

I chose the word authentic for the same reason.

When it comes to sanctification, there is authentic sanctification, and then there is not.

Authentic sanctification stands on the foundation of some sound Biblical truths as laid out here.

First, in Him.

Those two little words pack a powerful punch, that really define the believer.

It begins at the moment of our salvation, at which time we are baptized into Jesus Christ.

If you are not “in Him” sanctification is impossible.

Romans 6:3 LSB

Or do you not know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?

Notice the certainty of the statement, were baptized.

The apostle is addressing believers and they were and we are as well baptized into Christ.

This is a supernatural reality and the best way to describe it in my opinion is to say Christ is now our life.

He indwells the believer.

I know, we normally talk about the Spirit of God indwelling the believer.

The Bible says….

Galatians 2:20 LSB

“I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. And the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.

Colossians 1:27 LSB

to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

Jesus Christ lives in us through the person and power of the Holy Spirit.

The Bible also says...

1 John 4:12–13 LSB

No one has beheld God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit.

Notice the change in pronouns.

The reality is this, God the Father and God the Son live in us in the person and power of the Holy Spirit.

This is what is means to be in Christ, to be baptized, immersed in the Spirit of God.

This is one reason why we insist on water baptism by immersion.

It is symbolic of the fullness of the Spirit.

If you are not in Christ, no sanctification can take place.

He is our hope of ultimate glory which is the completed work of sanctification,

Second, we have the righteousness of Christ.

This too is an essential truth.

This is what David and so many others struggle to understand.

If they truly understood the great exchange, my sin in exchange for His righteousness, then they would not deny eternal security.

You see we are secure, and are being sanctified because the truth is, you have been declared righteous.

The righteousness of Christ has been imputed to you, deposited in your account.

And His righteousness is enough to secure our place in heaven because it is perfect righteousness that cannot be improved upon.

But if there is no real righteousness, if there is only self righteousness, then there is no sanctification.

To be declared righteous defines our position in Christ.

Our sanctification is for the purpose of bringing our practice into conformity with our position.

YHWH has declared us righteous, now He is sanctifying us, teaching us to live righteously.

Notice also the nail YHWH drives into the coffin of human effort.

True and authentic righteousness come from God only through faith.

There is no other righteousness available to men.

The righteousness of Christ is authentic, all others are counterfeits, they are not the real deal.

Any righteousness based on law is a counterfeit.

Paul is very specific, not having a righteousness of my own which is from the law.

He means, my righteousness is really not my own.

It is outsourced from else where.

Paul did not produce his own righteousness.

His righteousness is not from the law.

Meaning it was not earned by his keeping of the law.

This is a huge statement, and really it is so clear.

This is such a vivid illustration of authentic classic Christian truth.

Righteousness is imputed, not earned.

The source of righteousness is Jesus, not us.

Righteousness only becomes our because by faith we can receive it from Him.

SANCTIFICATION PURSUES THE PROPER AIM

When a nice buck steps out of the woods into my line of sight, I take careful aim.

I am in the field hunting for a purpose, my goal or aim is to bag a deer for future meals.

So I don’t just point in his general direction, I very carefully place the crosshairs on a particular spot.

I do not pull the trigger until I am confident, my aim is right.

Sanctification is the same way, our aim has to be right, if we are to arrive at the intended outcome.

The Apostle Paul provides clarity to this issue, and our aim should be……..

First, our aim is to know Him.

I think we run amiss if we miss this point.

To know God, that should be our aim, our highest pursuit.

YHWH wrote the Bible primarily to reveal Himself to humanity.

Jesus said, John 17:3

John 17:3 LSB

“And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.

Jesus didn’t give us some lengthy discourse on the merits of eternal life, it comes down to this, knowing God.

To know God is to know life everlasting.

No God, equates to no life.

Ramesh asked me to teach Theology this next trip.

Which truly excites me, because as some of you have heard me say before, we should all be theologians.

Theology is a compound Greek word.\

Theos is translated God.

Logos is word.

Simply put, theology is to speak about God.

Or to say it another way, to teach theology, is to teach about God.

That is exactly what the apostle is saying here.

Our highest pursuit is to know God through His word, theology.

The word speaks of God, it is a theology.

So I am excited to teach Theology in India, and the first lesson is this, to know God, that is theology.

When the writers of the Westminster Confession penned the first article, what did they mean by glorify God?( Think in terms of this lesson, knowing God.)

There are many things that can be said of glorifying God.

But one of the highest praises we can pay anyone, is to want to really know them.

Think about it this way, first date, and your date could care less about you.

How does that make you feel?

Not so good.

But if your date wants to really know you, that makes us feel good.

We pay tributes to athletes and teams when we go to games.

But when we wear their number, or their colors, that honors them.

Likewise, the highest honor we can pay God is to desire to truly know Him in all His ways and glory.

The word “know” is a strong word.

The Greek word is ginosko, and the root means “to come together”

Doesn’t sound so strong there.

But one of the most common usages of this word pertains to the consummation of a marriage.

When the Bible says Mary had never known a man, it means she had never consummated, and was a virgin.

So the word is strong in that is speaks of an intimate knowledge, like a husband and wife of each other sexually.

What Paul desires is to know His Savior on the deepest and most intimate level.

And that really is what life is about.

But then Paul adds….

Second, That I may know the power of His resurrection.

In the past I really struggled to understand what Paul is saying here.

Much of what I read just didn’t seem to satisfy me.

But I think now I understand.

The power on display in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, was in fact the greatest display of power known to man.

It was one thing for the living Son of God to raise Lazarus, or the widows Son, or Jairus’ daughter.

But it is quite something else, for a dead man to raise Himself from the dead.

Jesus said John 10:17-18

John 10:17–18 LSB

“For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it again. “No one takes it away from Me, but from Myself, I lay it down. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father.”

Jesus, though the body was dead, had the authority, but not just authority but the power to raise Himself from the dead.

Now you may have heard me point this out before, but sometimes the Bible says the Father raised Him, sometimes it is the Spirit that raised Him, and other times it was Jesus who raised Himself.

This is not a contradiction, but rather a confirmation that God is one, a perfect unity that exists in 3 persons.

And in the resurrection, we see the fullness of the power of God in the raising of Jesus.

This is a power that can do the impossible.

When Paul speaks of knowing the power of the resurrection, I believe he is saying, I want to be intimately acquainted with the miracle power of God.

He wanted to see YHWH do the impossible, today, tomorrow and every day, in the ministry in which Paul was engaged.

I don’t believe Paul was saying I have never seen this power, I believe he wants to see it on display more and more, so much so that he is intimately familiar with it.

You see, Paul has already seen this power, and so have I.

And I would bet you have as well.

Every time someone is born again, we are witness to the resurrection power of God.

When a lost individual is born again, and you were there, you just witness the resurrection power of God, because a dead man now has new life.

What a privilege it is to see God breath new life in the lost who are dead.

Ezekiel 37 is a vivid picture of the salvation of Israel. What is the main point of that illustration?

It really is a great passage.

Remember, Ezekiel 36 is that great I Will passage that describe how God is going to save Israel.

But then in Ezekiel 37 YHWH gives us an illustration.

What we see is the resurrection power of God.

Jesus made that very claim for Himself.

John 11:25–26 LSB

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die—ever. Do you believe this?”

Here He is speaking about both the bodily resurrection that comes at the Rapture, and the spiritual resurrection that occurs at the moment faith is genuine.

So it is also possible that Paul is looking forward to the bodily resurrection of the Believers.

Third, the apostle wants to know the fellowship of His sufferings.

Fellowship comes from the Greek word, koinonia.

Literally it means an association involving close mutual relations and involvement.

So Paul is really saying, I want to suffer with Christ.

That sounds strange to us.

Why would a believer, even Paul want to suffer in such a way as to be associated with Christ?

Well, I believe Paul understands that we grow the most through our sufferings.

Easy times just don’t do it for us.

Even an Arab Sheik understands this truth.

He spoke of his grandfather riding a camel, but he drives a Mercedes, but his grandson may well ride a camel again.

You see, “Hard times create strong men, strong men create good times, good times create weak men, and weak men create hard times.

Paul has already written the Epistle to the Romans.

The Spirit of God moved Paul to write, Romans 5:3-5

Romans 5:3–5 LSB

And not only this, but we also boast in our afflictions, knowing that affliction brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not put to shame, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Afflictions build character, and when God is in the affliction it is Christ like character that is built.

So when Paul longs to know the fellowship of His suffering, it is with an eye on the prize of Christlikeness.

In all of these, the right attitude, with authentic truth, and with a proper aim, sanctification can really take off.

But Paul knows and understands, sanctification is not without trials and tribulations.

This next thought is really tough to grasp, but even Jesus grew through what He suffered.

Hebrews 5:8–9 LSB

Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered. And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation,

Jesus learned through suffering.

It is hard to explain that, and that isn’t the focus of our lesson.

So suffice to say, if Jesus learned through suffering, how much more so can we.

Ultimately what the apostle is talking about in this next clause is completion.

Conformed to His death is a powerful thought.

To be conformed means to share in the likeness of.

Paul is speaking of dying in the same manner Christ died.

Now I don’t believe it has anything to do with crucifixion.

I think Paul is saying, I want to die like Christ, fulfilling the will of the Father in my life.

Jesus died in obedience to the Father.

Jesus lived in obedience to the Father.

Paul has made it his life’s work to obey the Father’s will for His live.

But now he has only one thing left, to end his life in the same manner.

Paul is saying if I may translate, I want to finish strong, like Jesus finished strong.

Death is our greatest test, especially when it comes in the form of persecution.

Many Christians fold, they cave, just as Peter and the 11 did on the nigh Jesus was arrested.

The ran, he denied, all in an act of self preservation.

They were unable at that time to say and to be all in.

Christians all over the world face that same challenge.

We may face that challenge some day.

Paul will face that challenge, and I believe he knows it.

In Acts 9:15-16 Jesus tells Ananias …

Acts 9:15–16 LSB

But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; for I will show him how much he must suffer for My name.”

I have no doubt this included how Paul would die.

I base this on the fact that Peter and Paul are the two most influential men in the church for the next 30 years.

Jesus was very clear with Peter, you will be crucified.

John 21:18 LSB

“Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to gird yourself and walk wherever you wished; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will gird you, and bring you where you do not wish to go.”

That phrase stretch out your hands and someone else will gird you is a phrase that is found in literature from the times, and it always speaks of crucifixion.

Peter was going to die by crucifixion, and he did.

Now if Jesus told Peter this, I have no problem believing He told Paul of his death as well.

Paul would be conformed to his death, on a sunny afternoon, as the sun glistened off the axe, the Apostle Paul was executed by the Emperor Nero.

What Paul is saying, is I want my life to be so much like Jesus, even to the point of death in service to the Father.

SANCTIFICATION’S OUTCOME

In order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.

This statement troubles some people because of that word attain.

In English the definition is troubling.

Attain means to obtain something worked for.

To achieve something desired.

So you can see why some struggle with this word.

But in Greek, it means something very different.

The Greek word is katatao.

It means to arrive at a particular state or to come to be.

I don’t know why the translators chose that word.

What Paul is really saying is that I strive to be fully sanctified, even to the point of death, that I might arrive at the resurrection from the dead.

That my friends is a very honest statement.

Because let me be clear, only those who are fully sanctified are getting into the Kingdom of Heaven.

And all who are born again will be fully sanctified because our Heavenly Father has promised and guaranteed it.

Philippians 1:6 LSB

For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.

He will perfect it.

The word for perfect is telios, and it means to be perfected, to be complete, to be finished.

Jesus used a word closely related to this word on the cross, it is finished.

Paul is not saying I am working hard in hopes of being resurrected and entering into eternal life.

He is saying that sanctification will bring me to the resurrection unto eternal life.

CONCLUSION

If this text teaches us anything it is that we have a part to play in our sanctification.

Yes the Father is sanctifying us.

Yes the Father has surrounded us with others to help us to be sanctified.

But at the end of the day, the truth is, we have a big part to play in our sanctification.

There is no doubt, every true believer will be sanctified, totally and completely.

The work will be completed, but not until we stand in the presence of Christ.

Our position in Christ reminds us that we are declared righteous.

But the sin in our lives reminds us that our practice does not square with our position.

But the truth here is this, the more you want it, the faster you will grow in Christlikeness.

If you have the right attitudes.

If you have authentic truth.

And you strive with a proper aim, your sanctification will come in leaps and bounds.

We have all met that senior adult, who has been a Christian a very long time, but seems very worldly, or immature, and sinful.

I would wager they never embraced the ideals we see here in this passage of scripture.

You see this is God’s will for you, your sanctification.

Therefore, if you will delight yourself in the Lord, which means to want with all your heart to be what He wants you to be, then He will give you the desires of heart.

We cannot work for our justification, it is a gift.

But we must very definitely work out our sanctification, striving to become conformed to the image of Jesus Christ.

This is where the word comes in.

It is the word of God that shapes our attitudes.

It is the authentic truths of scripture that are necessary for us to be transformed by the renewing of our mind.

And it is the word of God that defines for us what the highest and loftiest aims of live should be.

And those that apply these principles grow in leaps and bounds.

These principles explain how a young boy named Charles Spurgeon could be mature enough to preach to thousands, well before he entered adulthood.

God can do amazing things, when we put ourselves in His hands as instruments of righteousness.