Consider it All Loss

Introduction

This morning we are back in the book of Philippians, and we are beginning the third chapter.

So if you have your Bibles, I want to encourage you to turn with me to Philippians 3, and we’ll begin reading with verse 1

Philippians 3:1 NIV84

Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you.

Rejoice!

Finally

This section begins with a “finally my brothers” or “brothers and sisters.” The word “finally” does not indicated that he is about finished, but rather it is the beginning of a new subject, idea, or thought.

Rejoice in the Lord

Rejoice is mentioned a number of times in the book of Philippians. It is used twice in 1:18, twice in 2:17-18, here in 3:1, twice in 4:4, and the final time in 4:10. So 8 times Paul tells the church at Philippi to rejoice.

Evidently they needed to hear this word, because their circumstances made it difficult for them to rejoice. We too need to hear this over and over again, because often our circumstances make it hard for us to rejoice—but we still need to rejoice in the Lord!

No Trouble

Paul goes on to say that it is no trouble to repeat the same thing 10 different times. In fact, he would rather repeat it over and over so that it becomes a safeguard for them (and us).

Philippians 3:2 NIV84

Watch out for those dogs, those men who do evil, those mutilators of the flesh.

Watch Out!

Paul tells the church to watch out—means beware, be on guard, pay attention, or take notice.

Watch Out for What?

Paul tells them to for those evil dogs. Calling anyone a “dog” was derogatory. These men were false teachers.

The evil dogs are those men who do evil, and those mutilators of the flesh. The false teachers were Judaizers—that were teaching salvation by works, and one of the main works was circumcision. Paul calls these Judaizers dogs which is what a Jew would call a gentile.

Philippians 3:3 NIV84

For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh—

Worshiping God

Throughout the Scriptures, God gave circumcision to the Jews as an outward sign of their commitment to God. But the Gentile Christians in Philippi were also truly committed followers because God has always been more concerned about the heart than He was about the outward sign. We see this in Deuteronomy 30:6.

Deuteronomy 30:6 NIV84

The Lord your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, so that you may love him with all your heart and with all your soul, and live.

The Gentiles in Philippi along with us have circumcised hearts. That love God with all our heart and soul!

Paul goes on to say he puts no confidence in the flesh like the rest of the Jews who put their all their confidence in circumcision.

If anyone could put their confidence in his flesh—it would be Paul! Look at verse 4.

Philippians 3:4–6 NIV84

though I myself have reasons for such confidence. If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless.

He was a Jew’s Jew! But it really doesn’t matter, because all of his actions amount to nothing.

Philippians 3:7 NIV84

But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.

All of the things that people put their trust in to be acceptable to God should be consider loss!

Verse 8 reemphasizes this point!

Philippians 3:8–9 NIV84

What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.

All of the Jewish rules and regulations could not please God. None of us have enough righteousness in ourselves to please God or to earn God’s favor. Paul says he wants to be found in Jesus with a different kind of righteousness. It’s a righteousness that comes from God, through Christ, by faith!

This righteousness was so important to Paul that his ultimate desire was to know Christ more and more. Look at verse 10.

Philippians 3:10–11 NIV84

I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.

Paul wants to know Christ more than anything else.

Paul also wants to know the power—dynamis from which we get our English word dynamite—that raised Christ from the dead.

Paul wants to know the fellowship of sharing in the sufferings of Christ—remember he is under house arrest.

Paul also wants to become like Christ in Christ’s death. The Greek word refers to becoming like Him in Paul’s inward parts!

But also hopes he will attain resurrection—the word translated resurrection is only used here in the New Testament. It actually means “out-resurrection” or the raising a corpse higher than other corpses. Some interpret this to be a reference to the rapture.

So What?