Philippians 3:1-21
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Debt Free Living
Debt Free Living
1 Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. For me to write the same things to you is not tedious, but for you it is safe. 2 Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the mutilation! 3 For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh, 4 though I also might have confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so: 5 circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; 6 concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. 7 But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. 8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; 10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, 11 if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.
A Spiritual Mind - Theme of Chapter 3 - looking at things from God’s point of view
(3:1-3) Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. For me to write the same things to you is not tedious, but for you it is safe. 2 Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the mutilation! 3 For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh,
The good news
The good news of forgiveness and eternal life is the message of the NT.
— Christ came “to seek and save the lost”
Harsher punishment
— Those who know and yet still reject, there is harsher punishment (cf Luke 12:47-48)
47 And that servant who knew his master’s will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. 48 But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.
Exercise Discernment
— Believers should be discerning
Q: How do you get discernment?
Discernment
— Like faith, it needs to grow.Pastors, elders must warn the church about false teachers
— Pastors help the church discern the truth (cf Eph 4:11-14)
— verse 14 is about discernment
— “ that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting,” (Eph 4:14)
(3:2) beware of the mutilation
False Circumcision
The Judaizers, Jewish legalists who denied the gospel of grace
— Circumcision was necessary
— Keeping the mosaic law was necessary for salvation
— “ And certain men came down from Judea and taught the brethren, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” (cf Acts 15:1)
— Constant pain for Paul
(3:3) For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh
True Worship: Worship in the Spirit
Generated by the Spirit
— Supernatural origin
— Holy Spirit generates it.
In Believers
— Holy Spirit only dwells in believers
— “But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.” (cf Rom 8:9)
True Worship: Based on Scripture
Jesus and the Samaritan
Jesus spoke to the Samaritan women at the well (cf John 4:1-26)
— True worship takes place in the heart, not a location
(v22) based on scripture
“You worship what you do not know, we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews” (John 4:22)
— Worship is based on scripture
(v23) saved to worship
— “But the hour is coming, and now is, when true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.” (John 4:23)
— God saved us to worship him
True Worshipers: Love God
In Contrast
— Unbelievers hate God
— They are haters of God (cf Rom 1:30)
True Worshippers have Peace
Peace
— Confidence and trust in God produces peace - not based on circumstances
— Peace which surpasses all understanding (4:7)
Worship
— True Christians worship God
— It is more than church attendance
Q: What does it mean, put no confidence in the flesh?
(3:3c) and have no confidence in the flesh
Flesh
— Our fallen nature
— Unredeemed humanness, human effort apart from God
— But the Spirit gives life, the flesh profits nothing (cf John 6:63)
Total Depravity
Sinful, pervasive influence of the sinful flesh
— No one can ever merit salvation
True repentance
— Sorrow over evil of sinful deeds
— True repentance concerns itself with inner conduct
— Haven’t we all seen fake repentance?
— People are sorrowful that they got caught
— Only true repentance that puts no confidence in the flesh leads to salvation
Q: What qualities could Paul boast about? (3:4-6)
(3:4-6)For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh, 4 though I also might have confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so: 5 circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; 6 concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.
Judaizers rebuked
— If anyone could boast about his salvation, it was Paul
His religious credits ( 3:4-6)
Salvation not by
— 1. Salvation not by ritual
— 2. Not by race
— 3. Not by rank
— 4. Not by tradition
— 5. Not by religion
— 6. Not by sincerity
— 7. Not by legalism
Salvation is not by ritual (3:5)
(3:5a) circumcised the eighth day,
Big deal
Circumcision was a big deal for Judaizers
— Connected to the OT promise to Abraham to bless him with an innumerable offspring (Gen 12:1-3)
— Abraham was too old (cf Gen 18:11), so it could only be realized by miraculous intervention
— Isaac’s birth is the key to understanding circumcision as the sign of the covenant
— After God made His promise to Abraham to have a son, every male required to be circumcised (Gen 17:15-27)
— Every male and women knew circumcision was connected to the promise
— Every women reminded when she had sexual relations with her husband that this was connected to the covenant
— NT now neutral on circumcision (Gal 5:6)
Other rituals Catholic baptism
— observance of the Lord’s supper
— Lent
Q: Can being part of a country or organized religion save you?
Salvation is not by Race
(3:5b) of the nation Isreal
Paul was an Israelite
— Not converted to Judaism
— Isreal was God’s chosen people
— “You only have I known of all the families of the earth; Therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.” (cf Amos 3:2)
Salvation is not by Rank
(3:5c) of the tribe of Benjamin
Benjamin
— The smallest tribe
— Benjamin was the youngest son of Rachel, last son to be born, only son to be born in the promised land
Saul
Saul, Paul was named Saul, was the first king of Isreal
— also from the tribe of Benjamin
— Mordecai, Esther who saved the Jews from genocide, also from the tribe of Benjamin
After split
— After the 12 Tribes split, only Judah and Benjamin were loyal
— These were Southern tribes after the civil war
True Benjaminites
— Paul knew what tribe he was from
— Many could not trace their lineage
Q: Did Paul contribute anything to the first 3 credits ? Circumcision, Israelite, Benjamite?
Salvation is not by tradition
(3:5d) Hebrew of Hebrews
Inherited credits
— First three credits he inherited
— He could not personally take credit for them
— Nothing he did
— He was born a Jew, from a certain tribe and circumcised
Next 4 he did
— He could boast of these accomplishments
Hebrew of Hebrew
— He strictly obeyed the Jewish traditions
— Zealous devotion
Salvation is not by Religion
(3:5e) as to the law, a Pharisee
Pharisees
— Six-thousand in Israel
— Lived to the highest devotion
— Elite, influential, highly respected group of men
— Interpret, guard and obey the Law
Salvation is not by Sincerity
(3:6a) As to zeal, a persecutor of the church
Paul persecuted the church
— Paul persecuted the church
— “As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison.” (cf Acts 8:3)
— It had devastating results
— “Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word.” (Acts 8:4)
— Paul was still breathing threats (Acts 9:1-2) but Jesus was the WAY (cf John 14:6) and He found Paul
Q: Doesn’t following the Law lead to salvation ?
Salvation is not by legalistic righteousness
(3:6b) as to the righteousness which is in the law found blameless
Obey the Law
— OT law and in a broader sense all the traditions that had been added to it
He was a sinner
— Jewish tradition and OT said he was a sinner. Paul is not saying he was sinless
Useless
— Paul saw all of these qualifications as useless
— The Judaizers saw these as credits
— 1. Circumcised on the 8th day
— 2. Of the Nation of Isreal
— 3. Born into the most noble tribe in Isreal (Benjamin)
— 4. Adhering to all of the traditions
— 5. Devoted to protecting the law
— 6. Zealous to squash out false teachers
— 7. Regarded as blameless by his peers
All loss
— What others saw as gain (in his profit column) he saw as loss
Salvation /Transaction
— Jesus described salvation as a transaction
— You give everything that you are as a sinner, for all that Christ is
— We exchange all we are for all of Christ (cf Matt 16:25-26)
25 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. 26 For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?
— Jesus gave two parables - exchange everything (cf Matt 13:44, Matt 13:45-46)
44 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, 46 who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.
Q: What things does Paul count as Rubbish ?
(3:8) Rubbish
Rubbish σκύβαλον (skybalon) Waste, dung, manure, excrement, rubbish
— Things that are religious credits, try to impress man and God
— Paul had utter disdain for these things (cf Isa 64:6)
6 But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, Have taken us away.
(3:8) Knowledge of Christ
— Not only head knowledge but personal
— experiential knowledge
Knowledge γνῶσις (ginosko) Knowledge from experience (cf John 10:27, 17:3, 2 Cor 4:6)
— Corresponds to the Hebrew word, God’s knowledge of his people (cd Amos 3:2)
(3:9) In Him
— In Him found more than 75x in the NT in Paul’s epistles
— This is inextricably linked to Him in an intimate life
— Paul said it this way, he was crucified with Christ (cf Gal 2:20)
— He doesn’t know where his life ends and Christ’s life begins
Alien Righteousness
(3:9b) not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;
Q: What is the purpose of the Law?
Aware of sin
— The Law made us aware of our sin (cf Rom 3:19-20)
19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. 20 Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
Q: What did Paul exchange ?
Exchanged
— Paul exchanged the burden of legalistic, self-righteousness for righteousness which comes from God on the basis of Faith
— We repent, our sin is imputed to Christ (Heart of the Gospel)
— Position is rejected by RCC
— His righteousness is imputed to us
— “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (cf 2 Cor 5:21)
Catholic view
— Catholics reject this… call it ‘legal fiction’ Declared anathema at the council of Trent
— Canon 11:
“If anyone says that people are justified wither solely by the attribution of Christ’s justice, or by the forgiveness of sins alone, to the exclusion of the grace and charity which is poured forth in their hearts by the Holy Spirit and abides in them; or even that the grace by which we are justified is only the good-will of God: let him be anathema (Tanner, Decrees of the Ecumenical Councils, 679)”
— Catholics said that Protestants were guild of reducing justification to a legal category that merely called one righteous without producing any change (hence the term “legal fiction”)
(3:9) not having my own righteousness
— God judged Jesus as if he had personally committed every sin by every person in the world who would believe in Him
— God treats us as if we had lived his perfect life (cf Isa 53:4-5,7,8,11)
— God mad Him sin for us (cf 2 Cor 5:21; 1 Peter 2:24)
21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
24 who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.
God who Justifies
RC Sproul Justified by Faith Alone
— It is God alone who can declare that I am Just or not Justified
— The reformers of the 16th century were teaching that justification was forensic
Q: What does forensic mean?
Court
— Legal term used in court, criminal trials
— Has to do with finding evidence to solve a crime
— God’s declaration of finding us “Just” in His sight
— A legal declaration
— Catholics say we are righteous when there is forensic evidence
Simul Justus et Pecator
— Luther used this term to describe us.
— “Simul” simultaneous
— “Justus” Justified
— “et” an
— “Pecator” sinner
Saying
— In the doctrine of justification by faith alone, those who are justified are at the same time just and sinner
Not a contradiction
— Not engaging in contradiction
— Not just and sinner in the same relationship and at the same time
— In other words, it is in a different sense that we are just from the sense that we are a sinner
Good News
— God declares / pronounces us just while we are still sinners
— He declares a person to be righteous in his sight when under analysis they are still sinners
Controversy
— This created a lot of controversy in the 16th century
— Some have called it legal fiction
— God guilty of lying in fact we are not righteous
Biblical Support
— God declares us righteous when we are not
— Gen 15 God made promises to Abraham
— “And he believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.” (Gen 15:6)
NT
— Same concept in the NT.
— Paul says that we are credited with righteousness because of the work of Christ on our behalf - not because of our faith atones for our sins
— The reason He counts us righteous is because of the work of Christ on our behalf
— On the basis of whose righteousness does God declare anyone just - the only grounds is someone else’s righteousness
The Reformation
The Root Problem
— Part of the problem is that the word “justification” comes from the Latin “justificare”.
— The controversy of the 16th century rested on this word
— The medieval church expounded explained justification based on the Latin Vulgate
— Latin is the official language of the Catholic Church
— The Medieval church expounded on what the Latin word meant not the original Greek
— This is why it is so important to read and understand the bible in the original languages
Problem
— Problem emerged as early as Saint Augustine (b 345, d 430 ad) - 3rd century
— The Latin Vulgate, late 4th century translation
— Jerome (382) translated the Greek bible into Latin (official at council of Trent, 1545-63)
Justification Justificare (Lat)
— The problem is the meaning of the word in the Roman Judicial system
— Latin was the official language in Rome
— The Roman judicial system uses this word to make to make righteous.
— The idea developed that God would never declare someone righteous until they were actually righteous
— Because the RCC church uses the Latin understanding of the word, they built their entire theology around it
Justification δικαιοσύνη (dikaiosyne)
— The reformers said, No!
— This is not the way that Paul intended to use the word
— In Greek is an “Accounting term”
— deeming people to be righteous before they are actually righteous
How
— How we become righteous was part of the debate in the reformation
— The instrumental cause was Faith
— The instrument was Faith
Catholic Church
— Requires Faith (1.2B Catholics as of 2019)
— Rome says justification initially accomplished by the instrumental cause of Baptism through the sacrament of baptism
— Grace is infused into the soul
— Saving Grace
— Infant is placed in a state of grace until that person commits a grievous sin called a moral sin
Mortal
— Mortal sin because it kills the grace that is in the soul
— And adult can still have true faith but lose the grace of justification
— Needs to be restored to a state of grace which Trent called the “second plank of justification for those who have made shipwreck of their souls”
Penance
— Defined by the church as the sacrament of penance
— Johann Tetzel’s (1465 - 1519) selling of indulgences was linked to the sacrament of penance
— The controversy of the 16th century was around this sacrament
— Several elements:
— (a) sacramental confession - go to the priest and confess your sins
— (b) priestly absolution
— (c) perform works of satisfaction
Works
— The church was careful to not define these works as so meritorious that it would oblige God to reward the person
Congruous
— A lesser kind of merit, rests on the prior reception of grace
— This was called Congruous Merit
— The only reason God restores a person to a state of justification is because of previous sacrament of baptism
Reformers said
— No, the instrumental cause is Faith
— Faith is the means by which righteousness is given to us
Infusion vs Imputation
Catholic
— Catholic view is that grace is infused in the soul
— Without that righteousness there is no justification
— Roman Catholics believe that the righteousness of Christ is essential for justification
— How does that work?
— How does the merit of Christ benefit me?
— How is it appropriated?
— Rome says the sacrament infuses righteousness into the soul and then the person must assent / co-operate with the infused grace to the degree that they actually become righteous.
— Trent - true righteousness inheres within them when they become actually righteous, then God will declare them righteous
Purgatory
— The reason of purgatory is to cleanse them and make them actually righteous if they are not when they die.
Slander
— Some say that Catholics are justified by works, Protestants by Faith
— That’s slander - Catholics are also justified by the work of Christ
Protestant
— The Protestant view is that God justifies us by Faith by imputation
— The righteousness of Christ is transferred to the believer
— Accounting debits / credits
— “But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ.” (cf Phil 3:7)
Atonement
— God imputes the sin of the people to the Lamb
— He bears the sins of the people
— God transfers our guilt on Him
— God is punishing our Sins in Christ
Lived a perfect life
— Christ came to earth and lived a perfect live
— He achieved perfect righteousness
— Without this point, Jesus could have come to Earth and immediately gone to the cross
— If he had simply died, that would have just paid for our guilt, put us back to square #1, where we were with Adam
— He not only died for us, He lived for us
— His perfect righteousness is transferred to us
Luther extra-nos, outside of us
— An alien righteousness
— The only righteousness that satisfies God’s judgment
3 Aspects to Faith
The reformers said that there are 3 aspects to Faith
— (a) notica - acknowledge that Jesus died on the cross for us
— Information
— Knowledge that we are sinners
— (b) ascenus - intellectual ascent
— I have to agree that these things are true
— That Jesus truly died on the cross for me, my sins
— Satan knows “a” + “b”
— “You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble!” (cf James 2:19)
— (c) fiduciary - personal trust and alliance
— You put your trust in this alone
— If no fruit follows from your justification - that is proof that there was no justification
— Reformers said, “Justification is by faith alone, but not by a faith that is alone.”
(3:10a) that I may know Him and the Power of His resurrection
The Law
— Paul knew that there was no power in the Law.
— What Power did Paul want to know?
— The resurrection was God’s greatest demonstration of power
— He has absolute power over physical and spiritual realms
Paul’s Experience
— Paul experienced this power
— It (a) saved him and it
— (b) sanctified him to walk in newness of life (cf Rom 6:4-5)
— Sin describes the old life
— Resurrection describes the new life
— We are identified in His death and resurrection in salvation
Q: Paul talks about something that many of us don’t want to hear in verse 10. What is it
(3:10b - 11) and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, 11 if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.
Christ’s Sufferings
— Paul wants to know Christ’s sufferings
— Paul suffered intense persecution, imprisonment, stoning, shipwrecked (4x), beaten with Rods, whips
— All undeserved (cf 2 Cor 11:22-29)
(3:11) resurrection from the dead.
Resurrection
— Paul looked forward to the resurrection
Q: When does the resurrection take place for believers?
At the rapture
— Believers will be changed and resurrected at the lats trumpet (cf 1 Cor 15:51-53)
51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
— But Unbelievers are not raised at the rapture
— They will wait until the end of the 1,000 year kingdom
— Now they sleep until judgement
— Hell is closed
Let’s go for a Run
Let’s go for a Run
(3:12–16) NKJV12 Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. 13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you. 16 Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind.Living in the Future
A Foot Race
— Paul’s yearning for spiritual perfection expressed as a foot race
— Still subject to sin and temptation like all of us
— We’re not sin less but we sin less
Perfection
— Deals a blow to perfectionism - the idea that we can attain it in this life
— Still taught in some churches
— Catholics believe in forensic righteousness
— God will declare a man righteous when he is in fact righteous
— when there is “forensic” evidence that we are in fact righteous
A Goal
— Perfection is a goal not an achievement
— Not possible in this life
— Not taught in scripture (cf Ps 51:1-5; Matt 6:12; Rom 7:14-24; James 3:2 1 John 1:8)
A Gift with a catch
— Spiritual perfection is a gift
— But only given to those who strive for it
— Concentrate, extra effort (cf 3:14, 2 Tim 4:7-8)
Q: If we will never achieve perfection why bother?
10 Reasons to grow spiritually
— 1. We can not help but grow (1 Peter 2:1-2)
— 2. It glorifies God
— 3. Provides evidence that your salvation is real
— 4. Makes visible the truth of God to others (Titus 2:10)
— 5. Brings assurance of salvation
— 6. Protects Christ from reproach
—7 Provides joy to believer’s hearts
—8 Protects believers from sorrow and suffering associated with immaturity
— 9 Equips you to minister to others
— 10 Enhances your witness to the world
How to pursue spiritual perfection - Christlikeness
Q: What is the first step?
Acknowledge Your Need
— If you don’t acknowledge your need, you’ll be blind to your sin
— Paul knew he wasn’t perfect (cf 3:12a)
(3:12a) Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect
— It also required human effort.
— He firmly believed in Election (Eph 1:4) but not apart from human responsibility not apart from human effort
— and he had to work at spiritual perfection (cf 1 Cor 13:12, 2 Cor 7:1)
— He was imputed with Christ’s righteousness but still had to cleanse himself
He had Christ’s power
— He had Christ’s power but it operated through his weakness (cf 2 Cor 12:9)
Prayer
— He acknowledged that he didn’t know how to pray, but the Holy Spirit helped him
— Interceded (cf Rom 8:26-27)
2. It requires maximum Effort
(3:12b) but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.
Let go, Let God
— Completely foreign concept in scripture
— Totally dependent on God’s power (cf 2 Cor 12:9, Col 1:29)
(3:12) that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.
Enigmatic
— “But I press to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own” (ESV)
— “But I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me “ (NIV)
— overtake, seize, catch
— Paul was running spiritually to catch the very thing for which Christ had come after him
— Paul’s goal was the same as Christ’s goal in saving him
— What was Jesus’ goal in saving Paul ?
— To make him Christlike
— That was Paul’s goal too
3. Christlikeness requires focused concentration
(3:13) Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead,
Paul loved sports
— To be an effective Christian you box in such a way as not beating the air (cd 1 Cor 9:26b)
— Christian life was like a wrestling match (Eph 6:12)
12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
Running
— His favorite metaphor was running
— He told the Ephesian elders to finish the course (Acts 20:24, 1 Cor 9:24, 26)
Don’t look behind
— When you run, you cannot look behind otherwise you will be passed
(3:13b) forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead,
Past is irrelevant
— The past is in the past
— Doesn’t matter
— Our worth is not defined by our past
— Make the maximum effort in the present
— Legalist look to their past achievements, justify their spiritual status
— Catholics do this - sacerdotal system
— But Jesus said no one looks back after they put their hand to the plow
— But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” (cf Luke 9:62)
4. Christlikeness requires the proper motivation
Q: What should our motivation be to be Christlike
(3:14) I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
The Goal
— To be like Christ, perfect (cf Phil 3:8, 12)
— The prize should motivate us toward maximum effort
— “Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it.” (cf 1 Cor 9:24)
Q: When will we receive the prize?
In heaven
— When we are in heaven
— Imperishable, not like an earthly prize.
(3:14) the upward call of God
— At our conversion we receive this call
— Heavenward call, the holy calling to holiness in life
5. Christlikeness requires the proper attitude
(3:15) Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you.
Have this attitude
— Perfect mean mature
— Think this way
— Think biblically, view life from God’s perspective, those thoughts will influence our behaviour, make us more Christlike
He died climbing
— At the foot of the Alps in Switzerland is a plaque, a marker
— A man fell trying to climb the Alps. It read, “He died climbing”
— That should be every Christian’s epitaph, died climbing the upward path toward the prize of Christlikeness
(3: 16) Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind.
Keep at it
— Keep progressing in your spiritual walk
— Remember the principles already taught
(3:17–21) NKJV17 Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern. 18 For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: 19 whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame—who set their mind on earthly things. 20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.
Join in my example
— Lit. “be fellow imitators with me”
— Follow me, imperfect sinner in pursuit of Christlikeness
Q: Who are the enemies of the cross ? (3:18)
Enemies of the cross
— (cf 3:2) immoral people
— sensualist
— men who catered to the flesh
— gluttonous
— grossly immoral
— people who pretend to be Christians
Libertines
— Let us do evil that good may come ( Rom 3:8)
— Let us continue in sin that grace may abound (Rom 6:1 )
— Same people Paul spoke about in (Rom 16:18 ) serving not our Lord Christ but their belly
Judaizers
— Argued that that gospel alone was insufficient
— Needed to add works to faith
— Paul denounced them
— Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the mutilation! (3:2)
— The question of is it necessary to first be Jewish was settled at the Council of Jerusalem (cf Acts 15)
— Paul also confronted Peter in Antioch who was teaching Gentiles that you had to adhere to Jewish customs (cf Gal 2:14)
Dogs
— They thought of themselves as the sheep in God’s pasture
— Actually mangy, scroungy mongrels
Other Enemies
— Greek philosophy - body is bad, spirit is good
— Gnosticism (personal spiritual knowledge over orthodox teaching, traditions)
— Developed in 2nd Century
— Philosophy, heresy (taught in church)
(3:19a) whose end is destruction
— Deserve this fate
— They added works to salvation
(3:19b) whose god is their belly
— unrestrained sensual desires
(3:19c) whose glory is in their shame
— The very thing that Paul considered loss, his spiritual merits
— Judaizers applauded, celebrated
Libertines also boasted
— The Gentile libertines also boasted! Abuse of Christian freedom, refused to obey the law (cf 1 Cor 5:1-2)
1 It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and such sexual immorality as is not even named among the Gentiles—that a man has his father’s wife! 2 And you are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he who has done this deed might be taken away from among you.
— refused to refrain from sin (cf Rom 6:1-2, 15)
(3:19) who set their mind on earthly things
— evidence that they are not saved, false teachers (cf James 4:4)
4 Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
Q: Where should our focus be?
(3:20) For our citizenship is in heaven
Citizenship in heaven
— Heaven gave us birth, we were born from above
— Our names are in heaven’s register
— Our lives are governed by heavenly standards
— Our rights are secured in heaven
— Our interests are promoted there
— To heaven our hopes and prayers are directed
— Our family, loved ones are there now
— Our mansions are being prepared there
— Our inheritance is deposited there
— We are members of Christ’s kingdom, not of this world (cf John 18:36)
Philippians Roman Colony
— The Philippians were a Roman colony living outside of Rome
— We are Christians living outside of heaven
(3:21) who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself
Our Hope in Christ
Q: What happens when we die?
In God’s presence
— Immediately in God’s presence
— For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain (cf Philip 1:21 )
— For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better ( 1:23 )
Q: When do we get new bodies?
— Those who die between Pentecost and the Rapture receive them at the rapture (1 Thess 4:15-17)
Our new bodies
— They will be perfect for worship (cf 1 Cor 15:35-49)
— Able to walk, talk, eat
— No physical restrictions
— Go through walls, appear and disappear (cf John 20:19)
— Conformed to his glory like Christ (cf Rom 8:29, 1 John 3:2)
— OT saints and those saved during the tribulation receive new bodies at the 2nd coming
Unbelievers
— Received their new bodies at the end of the millennium (1000 year reign)
— End of the 1000 years - unbelievers are raised to judgement
— Bodies perfectly made for suffering, never waste away, never burn, experience full pain, teeth grind but never fall out
— A terrible and frightening thought
Additional Resources
John MacArthur. The MacArthur new Testament Commentary, Philippians. [Moody Press: Chicago, 2001)
Legal fiction: https://chriscastaldo.com/2012/08/01/legal-fiction-in-todays-catholicism/
Sproul, R. C. Faith Alone: the Evangelical Doctrine of Justification. Baker Books, 1995.
