The Life That Wins

SEPTEMBER 22, 2021 STUDY NOTES PHILIPPIANS 3:9-11 BIBLE TEACHER: CLIFTON JONES THE LIFE THAT WINS INTRODUCTION Philippians 3:8 ends with, “that I may win Christ” Paul is not telling us to live and be saved, but because we are saved to live our salvation You do not gain salvation by the way you live, but your salvation allows you to win by living You will never live in the winning circle of life without Christ in your life (that is salvation) Once you are saved you can live in the winning circle of life daily (that is sanctification) The life that wins was Paul’s goal for life, he is going to explain to us how to win with Christ FAITH RIGHTEOUSNESS WINS Php 3:9 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 began to share his personal testimony in verse 4, sharing his life before he was saved He concludes by telling us that his life without Christ was a total loss, Php 3:7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. He describes the life that wins in verse 8 as “the excellency of the knowledge of Christ” Paul said, “of Christ Jesus my Lord,” the life that wins is the life that allows Jesus to be Lord Paul begins verse 9 by sharing the desire of his heart, which should also be our desire “And be found in Him,” Paul wanted that to be true every step of his life, every day of his life He wants the last step of his earthly life to “be found in Him,” the Christ of verse 8 Paul identified “Him” as “Christ Jesus my Lord,” he wanted his life to testify that fact to others Paul wanted others to know that Jesus was his Lord, He wanted others to see Jesus in his life He tells us how that can happen, NOT HAVING MINE OWN RIGHTEOUSNESS His “own righteousness” referred to a work’s righteousness, a self-achieved righteousness Which is common among people today, the people who set their own standard of righteousness It was also common in Paul’s day, Rom 10:3 For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. People think that they can be saved and stand right before God through their “own righteousness” But there is no salvation through one’s own righteousness, Tit 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Salvation is not attained by our good works but through the grace and mercy of God, Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Eph 2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. Good works that are acceptable to God are the works of the righteousness of Christ in us, Eph 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. Paul said self-righteousness is “of the law,” attempting to keep the do’s and don’ts of the law True righteousness is a right relationship with God, being of right character with God The righteousness of God is that which God demands, and that which God approves Regardless of how good a personal religious effort might be it will not accomplish righteousness Verse after verse reveals that self-righteousness will not stand before God, Ecc 7:20 For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not. Rom 3:10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: Rom 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Page 1 of 4 No amount of law keeping, self-religious effort, self-improvement, will make you right with God Jas 2:10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. Christ is the only one who ever fulfilled the Law, Mat 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. The righteousness of God is that which God provided through Christ and there is no other way, 2Co 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. Paul said, “but that which is through the faith of Christ” Righteousness that is from God through faith in Christ, Rom 3:22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: Through faith in Jesus, we receive the righteousness that is acceptable to God THE RIGHTEOUSNESS WHICH IS OF GOD BY FAITH The degree of righteousness that God demands cannot be obtained through self-righteousness It must be the righteousness which is from God through faith in Christ That is why Paul said he must be found in Him, only through Jesus can we receive righteousness Only through Jesus can we live according to the righteousness of God, 1Co 1:30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: The righteousness which is of God by faith in Christ is genuine righteousness GENUINE RIGHTEOUSNESS Php 3:10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; I have a personal testimony concerning this verse, it took place years ago I was in the shower one morning and the words, “that I may know Him,” came to me My thought was, the Apostle Paul said that, it was Paul who wanted to know more about Jesus That thought stayed with me, my question was, how can I know more about Jesus? The answer was, study the Bible, that is where it must begin, and then live what you learn A study of the life of Paul will give us the results of learning more about Jesus Are you satisfied with what you know about Jesus today? Are you satisfied with your present state of spirituality? Are you happy with your present testimony of a life of righteousness? Give serious thought to Paul’s request, THAT I MAY KNOW HIM Which continues the thoughts found in verse 8, THAT I MAY WIN CHRIST Paul is not referring to a head knowledge about Jesus, but an experience of the heart It is knowledge that comes through Bible study and faith in what you have learned It is knowledge that is experienced when you allow the Holy Spirit to apply it to your life John agrees with Paul, he speaks of knowing Jesus, 1Jn 2:3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. John is not talking about someone who is lost coming to know Jesus as Savior He is talking about a Christian who is continually coming to know who Christ is One who is daily coming to know what it means to be a Christian and who we are “in Christ” John is showing us that from the time of salvation, knowing Jesus is a “Progressive Knowledge” Learning more and more, day by day, life must be a continuous experience of “knowing Jesus” Knowledge that can only come through the experience of being obedient to the One we “know” In-order to obey God, we must know of the power of God within us Paul said, THAT I MAY KNOW HIM AND THE POWER OF HIS RESURRECTION God manifested His power at the time of the resurrection of Jesus from the dead As Christians we have experienced spiritual resurrection in Christ, we are made alive in Christ Page 2 of 4 Eph 2:1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Eph 2:5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) Eph 2:6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: Paul wanted to live his life in the power of Christ, he desired to be a living witness for Christ, Eph 1:19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Paul does not pray for Christians to be given the power of Christ Christians receive the power of God when they receive Christ Paul prays that we might become aware of the power that we already possess in Christ We are to live our Christian life within that power, that is the life that wins Paul describes the power that God will work in us as “exceeding greatness” Power that is far beyond explanation and beyond all expectation, it cannot be explained But it can be experienced by those “who believe,” it has been given to all believers To “believe” is to put faith and trust in God, to depend upon God “His mighty power” is available to all Christians and will work in those who believe Continuing to believe God at all-times and through all things is the life that wins When Satan comes to tempt you, believe God When the trials of life put you to the test, believe God When opportunity comes to present a witness for Christ before those who are lost, believe God Paul prays that all believers will experience the power of Jesus in our life, Col 1:29 Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily. When the above examples are not true in your life, it is not because Jesus’ power is insufficient It is because you are out of fellowship with God and not walking within His will (1 John 1:1-10) Paul refers to a fellowship that may surprise us, especially Christians in America AND THE FELLOWSHIP OF HIS SUFFERINGS “His sufferings” do not refer to the suffering that He endured upon the cross While on the cross He was suffering for the sins of the world, 1Pe 2:24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. Jesus our Great High Priest went to the cross as our substitutionary sacrifice, 1Pe 3:18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: Christ is the one who would come to suffer and die for the sins of the world Christians cannot follow in the steps of His redemptive suffering His redemptive suffering, His suffering for our sins was a unique suffering, it could only be Jesus It is not an example that can be imitated, but we can imitate suffering for righteousness’ sake, 1Pe 2:21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: “The fellowship of His sufferings refers to Jesus’ sufferings for righteousness’ sake The suffering and persecution He faced while living on earth before He went to the cross We like the first part of Philippians 3:10, experiencing the living power of Christ But most Christians don’t want to believe that they may experience suffering for Christ Paul does not have in mind the general suffering of an earthly life, which we all experience He is referring to suffering because of our faith in Christ, the faith that lives daily for Christ Suffering that Paul experienced from the day that he was saved, Act 9:15 But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: Act 9:16 For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake. Those words of Jesus became real to Paul, read 2 Corinthians 11:23-28 Paul did suffer for Christ, 2Ti 3:11 Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Page 3 of 4 Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me. Faithful Christians will face suffering for Christ, 2Ti 3:12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. Suffering was a price Paul paid for living a righteous life in Christ But Paul came to know Jesus in a way that only suffering could reveal Peter speaks to us concerning suffering as a Christian, read 1 Peter 4:12-19 Paul confirms what Peter said, Rom 8:17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. What is Paul telling us in Philippians 3:10 when he says BEING MADE CONFORMABLE UNTO HIS DEATH Paul’s desire was to have the mind that Christ had when He went to the cross to conquer sin Paul wanted to live his life victorious over sin, revealing the life of Jesus in him Philippians 3:10 is a very important verse for Christians in America today We must realize that Satan seeks to satisfy our Christianity today: Satisfied that we own a Bible whether we read it or not Satisfied that we belong to a church whether we are faithful or not Satisfied that we give a mission offering whether we minister to others or not Satisfied that we request prayer for a lost person whether we witness to them or not As Christians we must live a Godly life and be a faithful witness for Christ MADE ALIVE TO LIVE FOR CHRIST Php 3:11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. “If by any means” is not an expression of doubt, questioning the possibility of it happening Paul speaks from a humble heart, presenting the desire of his heart When Paul says, “I might attain,” he is referring to his goal for life, his expectation for life Which is UNTO THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD Theologians debate this verse, is Paul referring to the future resurrection of the physical body Or does he refer to the spiritual resurrection of the believing sinner Which is from the state of being dead in trespasses and sins to being made alive in Christ The word translated “resurrection” is used only here in the NT The meaning is, “coming up from among the dead,” literally it is the “out resurrection” Which can identify with the future physical resurrected body (1 Corinthians 15:12-34) And can identify with the present spiritual resurrection of the believer (Ephesians 2:4-8) I believe Paul is referring to spiritual resurrection, which is the context of Philippians 3 Paul’s desire was to live for Christ, Gal 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. Philippians 3 compares with the context of Romans 6, which is dead to sin and alive unto God, Rom 6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. Paul lived for Christ because he died to self and sin, Rom 6:11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Paul knew that he must know more about Christ in-order to live more like Christ To be more like Christ is a life-long effort, continually reaching for that goal In Philippians 3, Paul is going to tell us that he is continually striving for that goal, Php 3:12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. His goal is a state of spiritual perfection, which he says he has not yet attained But he is not going to give up, he is not going to quit reaching for THE LIFE THAT WINS Page 4 of 4