Philippians 3:1-11
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Phil 3:1-11
Phil 3:1-11
Tonight we come back to the book of Philippians, and Paul words of encouragement to this church and those who are his dear friends.
So let me read this passage to you.... verses 1-11
1 Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you.
2 Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh. 3 For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh— 4 though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. 7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— 10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
V. 1
So with verse 1 Paul shares with the church to rejoice in the Lord.
Now the wording here is for the believers to remember what He has already been instructing them about, He says Finally...
Paul is encouraging them to hear his words and move toward rejoicing...
Finally by brothers , rejoice in the Lord. He has been talking about their issues, the lack of harmony, and disturbance the false teachers have caused… He says lets move on and embrace the good.
Rejoice in the Lord… Some translations say rejoice in our Lord. either way the call is for a action of joyfulness. A believer always has reason to rejoice in Christ.
Let me ask you my friends, consider Why can you rejoice in the Lord?
He forgave you, saved you, sealed you, loved you, never leaves you, blesses you daily, is coming for you.
Those are just a few of the ways the Lord has blessed you, and just a few of the ways you can and should rejoice in the Lord.
In fact with the truth that Paul loved them, he found it no problem to write to them. It is like being a mom or dad, you want to bless and encourage your children. Even sacrificing for them is not a burden to you.
Paul loved those dear saints at Philippi.
V 2.
2 Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh.
Here he begins warning them, watch out for dogs… He isn’t beating around the bush. The problem is dogs… not literally the 4 legged kind. He is referring to false teachers.
Those evil false teachers who promote the issue of “circumcision.” we can refer to these as Judiaizers, they said you cannot be saved unless you complete these works of the flesh associated with the works of the Old Covenant.
They are under a new covenant of salvation through Christ alone, no works so that no one can ever boast Eph 2:8-9. Jew or Greek, Free or Slave, non of it mattered, only if they were His or not...
But here three times the verb ‘watch out for” is seen here. These false teachers are dogs, Most eastern peoples in that time hated dogs, and the Jews often called the Gentiles dogs. But here Paul is calling the Jews that term, dogs, like ravenous packs that roamed the hillsides attacking and taking whatever they could.
So they were like scavengers, they followed Paul around hoping to devour and lead astray those who were not theologically sound.
They are also called those who do evil… The Jews were prideful, they took joy in perfectly keeping the law they said… they thought remember that a person could only be saved by Jesus + works, the law.
Instead they hindered the gospel, providing a stumbling block to those new converts.
Lastly Paul said they were mutilators of the flesh, again this points back to circumcision, they said again you needed Jesus + the works of the law.
“In truth my friends, stay away”
V 3.
3 For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh—
Paul begins by reminding those faithful Philippian believers that they are the true “circumcision” Now of course he is referring to a spiritual circumcision, not at physical, it is a circumcision of the heart and it was always more important.
Listen to Paul in Romans 2:25-29
25 For circumcision indeed is of value if you obey the law, but if you break the law, your circumcision becomes uncircumcision. 26 So, if a man who is uncircumcised keeps the precepts of the law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision? 27 Then he who is physically uncircumcised but keeps the law will condemn you who have the written code and circumcision but break the law. 28 For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. 29 But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God.
The physical version served only to identify a person as Jewish, but it did not necessarily reveal the true nature of their heart.
And He describes the nature of a spiritually in 3 ways here in verse 3..
These characteristic’s involve worship, glory and confidence.
A. True believers worshipped but the Spirit of God. So what does the Lord desire more than anything? The heart of man, So true spiritual involves the inward, the heart.... not just some legalistic conformity to the law
The Spirit of God leads us, helps us and speaks to us in Worship as we approach the Father.
B. True believers glory in Jesus Christ… the word glory there as the meaning of boast. So we are not boasting in our works, we are boasting in the work of God.
C. Finally, True believers have no confidence in the flesh. Our efforts alone are useless, but in the Spirit, all things are possible.
Now lets tie this to verse 4
V 4.
4 though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more:
Now Paul here, while he says believers who are of the true circumcision have no confidence in the flesh, Paul says if there could be confidence in the flesh, if anyone thought they would have the ability to have confidence in the flesh, Paul, he has more than anyone...
Now look at verse 5....
V 5.
5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee;
Paul says here’s why… He was a 8th day Jew. The law required that male children be circumcised on the 8th day. Of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews.
Paul said if anyone could claim to be Jewish, he could more. He has the ancestry, the pedigree if you will , and being a Hebrew ( which also we know he was a Pharisee) he could not only speak Hebrew but read it. He was classically trained in their religious ways.. He was indeed a Pharisee
For those opponents of Paul in Philippi who maybe thought we was not living truly right, maybe even a worldly sympathizer. Paul instead had the credentials to back up him up. These wolves in Philippi could claim many things, but they could not deny who Paul was....
Now Verse 6
V. 6...
6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.
Here Paul moves further with his right to boast if he could…
Paul had chosen to be a Pharisee, and their most noted characteristic was that they loved the law, The law as at the heart of he Jewish life.
Since they loved the law, they held a very strict, conservative interpretation. They were moral, ethical people. They were to be the very best of society my friends.
And He says, how far did I carry out my zeal. I persecuted the church.
Richard Melick says “ In the first century, Jewish men often measured
their commitment to God and the nation by how they opposed foreign
religion and rule. Since Paul has persecuted the church, he had put
into action his love for the nation and the law of God.”
And he says that because of his commitment, he was righteous in respect the law. And since he has not been accused of breaking the law, he says … hey, I was considered blameless.
Now verse 7
V 7
7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.
Verse 7 begins a section where Paul explains his real values. Paul having evaluated his life, all that he was he now saw as worthless, it was a negative a part from Christ.
What he is telling us in so many words is this, Christ is so much better. Because of this, he reached out toward Christ all the more.
V 8. Continues the meaning....
V. 8...
8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ
So here Paul really affirms His decision for following Jesus. When he appraised his life, he understood the good decision was made, Christ is everything...
His power, prestige and position are all in the loss column.
And as you go back and look at verses 7 & 8 as a whole, three times Paul expressed that His goal was Christ.
A. He said it was for the sake of Christ
B. He said it was for the sake of the Surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. - Wow, knowing Christ was better than the combined worth of his former life. And this isn’t some ‘new’ way to know or special way to know Jesus.
No. this is the wisdom and understanding of knowing Christ in light of the Old Testament, and how he fulfills it and
C. He counted all thins as loss that I might gain Christ. Paul knows you cannot hold onto the former way of life and still have Christ. You are either for him or against him. It is truly Christ or nothing at all.
Paul says gaining Christ is the best… he exceeds everything.
So when you look at the context of what Paul is saying, you see remorse, remorse about his former attitudes concerning salvation and pleasing God.
He turned away from HIs past to gain Christ
Now v 9
V. 9..
9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—
Paul above all else desires to be found in Christ, in fact being in Christ was at the heart of his theology.
Paul saw people as either lost or saved, in Adam or in Christ., you can hear more of his thought in Rom 5, verses 12-21.
And again it is not our righteousness, or actions that save us. The law leaves us wanting, isolated and lost, but His righteousness imputed, given to us changes us, saves us....
It is a righteousness that comes by faith
1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
We know Christ came, lived, died and rose from the dead. His death served as a ransom for sin. We believe that and come by faith to Jesus asking him to save us.
It was his action, His work and benefited us.
Listen to this quote....
Philippians, Colossians, Philemon Aspiration of the New Life (3:9–11)
There is also a contrast between two “righteousnesses.” Keeping the law produced an achieved righteousness; trusting Christ brought an imputed righteousness. Paul’s hope was the righteousness that God gave.
____________________
Now verses 10-11
10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
When Paul says that I may know Him. He is speaking of being found in Him. It goes beyond just a intellectual experience. It is a personal relationship.
Paul wanted to know Christ is a life shaping way. Paul’s deepest ambition was resurrection power.
He longed to know Christ, live like Christ and ultimately be with him eternally, future state in the kingdom of God.
When we think of resurrection power, That power that is displayed through the resurrection is available through Christ
That power changes this life here, where by we walk and know Him more and more, the fruit of the spirit, godly love etc
But then also,, to experience the resurrection physically upon his return.
But to identity with Christ, is to identify with his death, we die to self as well.
Remember Jesus said if any person would follow him, let him take up His cross and follow me. To take it up, meant to die to self.
The self is what keeps us from following Christ, and so to follow mean to be like him.