Philippians 3:8-11

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.

1. Verse 8 Paul’s status as a jew is nothing

The Letter to the Philippians (B. Losing All to Know Christ (3:7–11))

Paul draws striking parallels between his transformation (3:5–11, 21) and Christ’s incarnation-crucifixion-exaltation (2:5–11) to reveal how his personal experience conforms to the narrative of Christ. (1) When Paul considers the privileges of his previous, superior position to be a loss (3:7, 8), he is like Christ, who did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage (2:6). (2) Paul gives up everything valuable so that he will be found in Christ (3:8–9), just as Christ made himself nothing so that he would be found in appearance as a human being (2:8). (3) Paul’s desire to be conformed to Christ in his death (3:10) reflects Christ’s decision to take the form of a servant and become obedient unto death (2:7–8). (4) Paul’s longing to know Christ Jesus his Lord (3:8) anticipates the day when all will acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord (2:11). (5) Paul’s reenactment of the narrative of Christ also includes his expectation that he will know the power of his resurrection, attain to the resurrection from the dead (3:10), and ultimately be transformed by Christ so that his lowly body will be like his Christ’s glorious body (3:21). Paul carefully crafts the story of his transformation to convince his readers that his choice to renounce his confidence in the flesh is the choice they too must make in order to know Christ and be conformed to Christ in his humiliation and exaltation.

application

Since we are no longer under the law, but under grace. We can now have an intimate relationship with God. What are some way that you connect with God?

2. a note about rubbish...

My sons favorite word…poop

Paul takes his revaluation of his advantages in the flesh another radical step further by declaring, I consider them garbage. The word garbage denotes “excrement, manure, garbage, kitchen scraps.” In some Greek texts this term refers “specifically to human excrement.” Paul not only considers all things as loss, but in this shocking statement he intensifies his renunciation of all things by referring to them as garbage. “The choice of the vulgar term stresses the force and totality of this renunciation.” Paul gives the reason for this vulgar reference to all his privileges when he says, I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ

Personal illustration

Let go of the house process.

addicition

There are things in life that we cherish and then we realize they were bad for us. Paul experienced this as well. Paul valued his privledges in the Jewish community and was killing for it but those were nothing compared to the surpassing value of the knowledge of Christ Jesus.

Sometimes we hold onto things very tightly. We need to learn to let go of them and give them to God. What matters is our connection and spiritual transformation towards God.

Question: What are somethings in our life that you had to let go of, and then you saw God move.

3. Verse 9-11  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.

To know

‘to know’ [Ea, LN, Mou, NTC, Pl, WBC, WEC; all translations except NJB], ‘to get to know’ [Ln], ‘to come to know’ [HNTC; NJB], ‘to become acquainted with’ [LN], ‘to come to understand’ [LN], ‘to comprehend’ [LN]. This infinitive is also translated as a noun: ‘knowledge’ [ICC]. The reference is to coming to full knowledge experienced by union with Christ

In Paul’s passionate desire to know Christ (3:10), his yearning for an intimate experience of Christ in his life—the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings—involves love for Christ and insight into the enduring significance of the work of Christ. This use of the word knowledge to refer to personal relationship, moral action, and intellectual reflection continues and deepens the OT references (Jer 9:23, 24; 31:34; Hos 4:1; 6:6) to the knowledge of God. In his polemic against the Judaizers, Paul emphasizes that the surpassing greatness of the knowledge of God is experienced in the acknowledgment that Christ Jesus is Lord.

An Exegetical Summary of Philippians 3:10

δύναμις (LN 76.1; 76.7): ‘power

Cross is first then glory. that is the way. where are the times that you have felt God move in your life powerfully?