PHILIPIANS
CHAPTER THREE

The Goal of Life

Table of Contents

Section Titles                                                   Verses

Warning against legalizers ………………………. 1 - 3

Warning against legal righteousness ………… 4 – 6

Jesus, the object of believers faith for righteousness………………………………………….. 7 - 9

Jesus, our object for the desire for fellowship……………………………………………….. 10 – 14

Appeal for unity ………………………………………. 15 – 16

No compromise for the sake of unity ………… 17 – 19

Believers expectations ……………………………. 20 - 21

Warning against Legalizers
Verses 1-3

1 Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things again is no trouble to me, and it is a safeguard for you.  2  Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the false circumcision; 3  for we are the true circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh,

Why did Paul used the word “finally” here?

One might think Paul was ending his letter, however we know there is another chapter.  There are some scholars who believe 3:2 to 4:8 was a separate letter.  Perhaps Paul was going to end it here but had an epiphany by the Holy Spirit; we the answer to this question in chapter 4.  Paul used the word rejoice; telling the believers they should be happy, as they were in the loving arms of Jesus.  Paul being concerned they may have forgotten, he repeats himself in verse 1

 

(2)  The ancient Hebrew did keep dogs as pets. A dog which had no master was considered to be dangerous; therefore we often find the word dog or dogs used in the Bible to denote danger.  In Psalms 22:16 David describes evil doers as dogs.  Paul, using the word dog, was undoubtedly referring to those Jews (called judaisers) who still believed a Gentile must first become a Jew by circumcision, before they would be saved. This belief was refuted through Peters vision (Acts 10:11), which showed this teaching to be false, and dangerous to the spiritual health of the church.  Paul had previously spoken of this false teaching in Antioch (Acts 15:1).

(3)  Paul goes on to tell them of a higher form of circumcision, called spiritual circumcision.  This spiritual circumcision of the Holy Spirit, made possible by the shed blood of Jesus, was the only true circumcision leading to salvation.

Today we see this spiritual circumcision is what separates the believers from the world.

Warning against legal righteousness
verses 4 - 6

4  although I myself might have confidence even in the flesh. If anyone else has a mind to put confidence in the flesh, I far more: 5  circumcised the eighth day, of the nation 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 the righteousness which is in the Law, found blameless.

Paul was circumcised in the flesh when he was eight years old.  He was circumcised in the spirit on the road to Damascus.  Paul received both circumcisions, he prized the spiritual circumcision more than the physical circumcision. 

(5 - 6) Paul goes on to detail his old self, a scholar of the Hebrew law.  He was a Jews Jew being seen as blameless by the Law of Moses.  

Through Jesus, Paul discovered that he could not be saved through his adherence and defense of the Mosaic Law.  He learned man cannot earn salvation through his own works.  Mankind, upon believing, receive the gift of salvation through the blood of Christ, and by no other means.  As believers we are saved by grace and not by legalistic practices or rituals.

Jesus, the object of believer’s faith for righteousness
verses 7 - 9

7  But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ.

I believe Paul was referring to his practice of the Jewish religion.  Paul considered all he had accomplished, and all the privileges as a Pharisee, as a total waste, having no value to him.  Paul willingly gave up all these things to gladly follow and to devote his life to Jesus.  To Paul, Jesus was more precious to him than gold or silver. In Psalms 139:17 David writes “How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How vast is the sum of them!”

   

8  More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, 9 and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith,

It is clear Paul was thoroughly entrenched in the customs and rituals of the Jewish faith before his salvation.  All that Paul once thought of as having great value and importance in life was now of no importance or value to him in comparison to what he had gained in Jesus.

Paul realizing that salvation was through Christ alone and not through the law.  Righteousness can only be found through the redeeming faith in Jesus.

What do you prize more in your life, money, status, power, influence, possessions, or success?  

Jesus, our object for the desire for fellowship

verses 10 - 14

10  that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; 11  in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. 12  Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.

What did Paul mean in saying “the power of His resurrection”?

(10 & 11)Jesus was raised from the dead by the power and glory of God, and like Jesus, we too can be raised from the dead physically on the day of the Lord; more importantly as believers we are raised even now from a spiritual death into eternal life; no longer a slave to sin but victorious through Jesus.  In effect we as believers crucified our old self and became a new creation by the power of Christ (read also Galatians 5:24; & Romans 6:4-11).

(12)  Hilda Brite writes: “Paul knew that he had not yet become perfect, that is, mature as a Christian. He would be like that at the final resurrection. When Christ ‘grasped’ Paul on the road to Damascus, he had a great purpose for Paul’s life (Acts 9:15-16). Paul was doing his best to ‘grasp’ and to carry out that purpose.”  Read also (Acts 9: 3-9).

13  Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, 14  I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Like Paul, we as believers are a work in progress, with the ultimate goal of perfection in Jesus.  We must not allow ourselves to become discouraged if a Christian brother or sister’s growth seems to be faster than ours.  Remember, we are all different, and we all grow at different rates.  The important thing to remember is the goal; to become perfect in Jesus.

Appeal for unity among believers verses 15 & 16

15  Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, have this attitude; and if in anything you have a different attitude, God will reveal that also to you; 16 however, let us keep living by that same standard to which we have attained.

Paul humbly implores the church to strive towards perfection as he does, and maintain a righteous attitude; always seeking Gods will.  Paul continues by saying live faithfully at whatever level of maturity, they had achieved; being mindful not to slip back to their old ways.

As Christians, we should not forsake the reading of God’s word which will enable our continued growth in Christ Jesus.  We must not forsake the gathering with our brethren, so they can encourage us in our growth.  We must not forsake our prayer life, both separately and with our brethren to do so strengthens our faith and also the unity of the church.

No compromise for the sake of unity

17  Brethren, join in following my example, and observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us.

Paul was not bragging or being prideful here.  Paul did not consider himself as being better than anyone else, in fact he called himself “the worst sinner” (1 Timothy 1:16); obviously remembering the time before his salvation. He was following the pattern Jesus had laid out for him.  If they followed Paul’s example they would be following Jesus example. 

18  For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ, 19  whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things.

Paul realizes a spiritual danger, shares his deep feelings of dread of those who have heard the gospel, and yet still refuse Christ’s sacrifice.  Paul knew because of their unbelief they would die in their sins.  By refusing to believe, they were rejecting Jesus’s sacrifice in effect spitting on the cross of Calvary.  Many will seek to destroy the doctrine of Christ Jesus, through false teachings.  They pervert the gospel, and tried to convince the believers, they no longer needed to adhere to the law of Moses; that they were free to do as they pleased, as the Gnostics believed).

As Christians, we too should feel the pain for the lost souls of those who deny the gospel.  The only thing we can do regarding them is to give a good testimony of Jesus, in the way we live, and to pray for their hearts to be made tender towards the message of salvation.  We must be on guard against those who pervert the gospel, and those who fail to preach the gospel, for fear of offending someone.

Believers expectations verses 20 & 21

20  For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; 21 who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.

Hilda Brite writes: “Paul contrasts Christians with people who think only about this world. Christians belong to heaven. The Christians at Philippi lived in a Roman city. Its citizens obeyed the laws and customs of Rome. Christians are citizens of heaven. Therefore their behaviour must match the standard of their home in heaven. Christians are eager for the time when Jesus will return from heaven. Paul describes Jesus with the words ‘Saviour’ and ‘Lord’. From 48 BC the Roman emperors had the name ‘Saviour’ as one of their titles. Jesus is the true ‘Saviour’ and ruler”.

(21) As Christians we have a glorious future in Christ Jesus.  When we meet Jesus face to face our bodies will be made like His.  We will no longer suffer the pain of the corrupted body we now have.  We are promised a dwelling place in paradise, with the eternal light of Jesus to embrace us.

The apostle Paul writes the following  in 1 Corinthians 15:51 & 52:  “Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.”