I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. And so they go back to the past, and they pick up the failures of the past, and they are discouraged to try anything in the future. So he tells them that he always thus remembered them for their "fellowship with the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this very thing, that he who hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.". ", Blessed is this confidence in Christ, and wondrous are His ways! The passive shines in Christ coming down; the active is realized by the eye that is fixed on Christ, who is actually in glory. Why go in the way of crowds of soldiers or civil officers? It is used to mean mature in mind and therefore means one who is qualified in a subject as opposed to a mere learner. And you can become a phony, because, you know, you set your own standards; you live by your own rules. For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Christ Jesus." In rich measure did the apostle live thus himself it was the one thing he did; and he would have the saints to be living in it too. Because he looks at Jesus, not in His own personal right and glory, where necessarily all must bow, but rather at Him in His official place as Lord the place He has righteously acquired as man. (c) It is the guarantee that in life and in death and beyond death the presence of the Risen Lord is always with us. So, she decided that she would make for herself a new dress for the senior prom. And it is sad when a person is resting in the past, not pressing ahead. i. Savior was a title given to the Caesars. He is God equally with the Father. Supposing, for instance, we mingle with Christ knowledge or intelligence about this truth or that practice, does it not give a necessary prominence to certain distinctive points, which so far must make Christ of less account? Paul warns that they are there, they were there in Paul's day; they are there today. So I gave up trying to create a goodness of my own; I came to God in humble faith, as Jesus told me to do, and I found that fellowship I had sought so long.". (iv) As for the righteousness which the Law could produce, he was blameless. And what is the true divine rule? His language comes from the world of war and athletics and emphasizes the strenuous nature of his efforts to fulfill his vocation. Righteousness is a gift that God gives to those who have faith in Christ (8-9).But Paul does not stop there. "if I live in the flesh, it is worth my while." According to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself: This is possible only because the God we serve is omnipotent. He is referring to it, "The things which were gain to me, I counted loss for Christ, thirty years ago, on the road to Damascus." And if anyone is otherwise minded in any way, this too God will reveal to him. "It pleased God," wrote the father, "not to cut him off in his sins. They shared the conflict of the gospel; they partook of the reproach that covered those who preached it. So he says here, "For the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung." Therefore, do what you like with it; since it is evil anyhow it makes no difference what you do with it. His intent is to bring to mind the resurrection, not of "all who are in the grave," but more specifically, the resurrection of the saved (1 Thessalonians 4:16). WebScholars who interpret Phil 2:6-11 as an early Christian hymn point out that it contains a rich vocabulary, a number of poetic elements (e.g., parallelism, paradox, climax), and that, with only one or two small changes, it can stand alone as an independent composition. But she went down to the dime store and picked out the best that she could afford, bought a simplicity pattern. Because suddenly, you see, I am on a little spiritual pinnacle, and I can begin now to judge everybody else who doesn't live by the same standards of holiness by which I live. I. Let this be your mind, let's walk by these rules. The things that happened to him he could therefore judge calmly and clearly. The effect of it usually on the individual who has obtained such a thing: I keep the rules; I never do anything wrong; I always do what is good; I am a doo bee; I am just living by these righteous standards. It does not matter how unlike they may be, or how opposed; it does not matter what vessels of shame and misery they may have been now; "He is able to subdue all things unto himself.". But it is quite certain that they lived gluttonous and immoral lives and used their so-called Christianity to justify themselves. The archangel is at best but a servant; the highest creature, far from having to stoop in order to become a servant, can never rise above that condition. And do count them but dung [as refuse], that I may win Christ, 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 ( Philippians 3:8-9 ): Now, Paul had excelled in the righteousness in the law. In other words, "I experienced it thirty years ago, and I had a turn-around in my life, and all of the past legalism and legal relationship with God, and all of those endeavors in my own flesh, the works of my flesh, I counted loss. (See Romans 1:4.) They were "manifest in all the palace, and in all other places; and many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by, my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear. The Resurrection of Christ is the guarantee that this life is worth living and that the physical body is sacred; it is the guarantee that death is not the end of life and that there is a world beyond; it is the guarantee that nothing in life or in death can separate us from him. Paul had been so zealous a Jew that he had tried to wipe out the opponents of Judaism. I can be honest with myself. So unbelief interprets, but most assuredly it is wrong. Or it alludes to a judicial appearance; so we are to be found of our Judge in peace, 2 Peter 3:14. Christ was so truly before his heart, that in fact there was no self left unjudged to warp the choice. But ye know the proof of him, that, as a son with the father, he hath served with me in the gospel. God was pleased, even whilst the apostle was alive, to set him aside and to prove the power of faith where he was not. In God there is ample supply. What are you going to do when you pass the guy?" For there are many who behave in such a way--I have often spoken to you about them, and I do so now with tears--that they are enemies of the Cross of Christ. According to Jewish belief, circumcision was ordained upon Israel as sign and symbol that they were the people with whom God had entered into a special relationship. The Christian awaits the coming of Christ, at which everything will be changed. The words that Paul used seem to indicate that he was thinking of a resurrection from among those who were dead. The Old Testament uses to know of sexual intercourse. He will reach it only on the day when Christ returns and raises the righteous from death. Is this the life that is practically exercised? The Lord Jesus not only comes down into the place of servant in love among men, but goes down into the last fortress of the enemy's power. Hence I cannot but consider it a surprising error in Griesbach that he edited the received text in this place. In fact, I think sometimes it is impossible to rejoice in circumstances. Because he lives, we shall live also; his victory is our victory. 1. We need to draw from God, the spring and the only supplier of power that can resist the devil; but, at the same time, that we have the devil to resist in His power is a conviction that may well demand "fear and trembling;" and this, lest in such a conflict we should let in anything of self, which would at once give a handle to the devil. "I'll show you a mystery, we are not going to all sleep, but we are all going to be changed in a moment, in a twinkling of any eye. This filled Paul with sunshine; and he would have others to enjoy the same bright light which the name of Christ cast on every object. Evidently, therefore, two glories of Jesus are referred to here. Even in the ends of the earth they remained unshakeably Roman. Habitually, indeed throughout this epistle, we find the word " me," and a very different "me" from the "me" of Romans 7:1-25. And as he headed out towards Damascus, he was going out with threatenings of murder against the believers. But how can this be unless the heart is perfectly at ease as to itself? To the confession of His Lordship is added "to the glory of God the Father." I believe that a woman shines most where she does not appear. His only pride is that he is a man for whom Christ died. as a popular and familiar mode of expression (suitable to the persons addressed), according to which the expressions . This is our conformity to his death. In Philippians 3:1-21 there is no coming down from glory in the power of divine love, resulting in His exaltation by and for the glory of God the Father after a new sort. Is It Ok for Christians to Follow Zodiac Signs? And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith; that your rejoicing may be more abundant in Jesus Christ for me by my coming to you again. And, accordingly, why should one be a prey to care, if this be really so? Epaphroditus was his fellow-servant, and indeed more than that "my brother, and companion in labour, and fellow-soldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered to my wants. And now as he had Christ before his soul, in this way the gospel itself, he can feel, is only promoted so much the more. WebHe was naturally grateful to the Philippians, but more so to God who had worked such kindness through the Philippians. "For they all seek their own." "The prize" is "the crown of righteousness" (1Co 9:24; 2Ti 4:8). Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless." Little probable is it that the reading, . And so looking back to the past, oftentimes, we look at our failures and we are discouraged from trying to go on. For no personal end did he mention their grace; "but I desire fruit that may abound to your account." It describes him with eyes for nothing but the goal. It has the preposition ek (meaning from or out of) added to the ordinary word for resurrection" (Loh and Nida 106). We fully respect if you want to refuse cookies but to avoid asking you again and again kindly allow us to store a cookie for that. The writer of Exodus speaks of uncircumcised lips ( Exodus 6:12). Suddenly upon meeting Christ, all that he counted as important to him up to that point in his life, all of his religious credits, all of the religious background, he said lost for Christ. There is a righteousness provided for us in Jesus Christ, and it is a complete and perfect righteousness. Men whose whole minds are earthbound! (ii) Here also Paul sets down what we might call the necessity of repetition. 3:1 As for what remains, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. The only safeguard of the saints, of those that love the truth and Himself, is simple subjection to the word of God to the whole truth He has revealed in scripture. Indeed Paul did. While the exact nature of that reward is unclear here, it can generally be understood as a sort of abundance of life. So he says, "Out of my experience I tell you that the Jewish way is wrong and futile. But I trust in the Lord that I also myself shall come shortly. "The noun translated resurrection is an unusual double compound word used only here in the New Testament. Why? He had got a better righteousness, and he desired nothing so much as to be found in Christ, having that which is through faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith. He was for a considerable time a prisoner. So this is Paul's answer to the Jewish teachers. "I beseech Evodia" (we may just notice the true form in passing; Euodias sounds like a man's name, whereas here it is really a woman). Philippians 3:14. , one thing) viz. I do. , the things that are behind) even the very part of the course that has been finished. ) that is literally, extending myself over. Because of that, righteousness nearly always for Paul has the meaning of a right relationship with God. This joyful resurrection the apostle pressed towards. Energy is not the best or highest aspect of Christianity. There is therefore not the slightest ground to countenance the rather dangerous idea, that the apostle did not employ a phrase analogous to the correct one which is found elsewhere in the New Testament, and adopted "a popular and familiar mode of expression," i.e. Heaven is the prize of the high calling; to brabeion--the prize we fight for, and run for, and wrestle for, what we aim at in all we do, and what will reward all our pains. We are not to suppose that, because we are men, we monopolise all the gifts of Christ. It is important to note the verb which he uses for to know. "Let your moderation be made known unto men." and have no confidence in the flesh ( Philippians 3:3 ). We now heard what the apostle renounced; let us now see what he laid hold on, and resolved to cleave to, namely, WebPhilippians 3:14 ESV I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. But with the Philippians there was increased jealousy for Christ. They were more obedient in his absence than in his presence. Hence he calls upon them, as one that could not be with them to help them in the conflict, to work out their own salvation. We can only guess who they may have been. Many different commentaries state that of all the groups that Paul wrote to, Phillipi was probably the best of them all. There is no epistle that so abounds in joy. But life is more than simply being born into Gods family. Fee's commentary on Paul's letter to the church in Philippi. There is no necessity and where is the epistle that more thoroughly disproves the thought of any necessity? WebFor we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit ( Philippians 3:3 ), Paul was constantly emphasizing that the physical rites had no value except there be a (ii) It means to know the fellowship of his sufferings. Forgive me, Lord. Then he turns, not to doctrine after this opening, but to circumstances, to circumstances, however, illumined with Christ The most ordinary details are taken out of their own pettiness (though it is really a little mind which counts them petty), and are made simple and genuine, and this through Christ Jesus intermingled with them. For, let me ask, what is our title to communion? I can't get over that. Thus, in both parts of the history of Christ, presented to us in no obscure contrast with the first Adam, we have first of all His own glory, who humbled Himself to become a servant. With all of my efforts I could never come up to that. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind." THE ATTAINMENTS OF PAUL ( Php_3:4-7 continued). So here at the beginning he simply takes the place of servant with Timothy, owning all the saints as well as the officials in their place: "To all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons." And observe, too, that the apostle felt the value of others' prayers. And thus the name dog the Jews began to apply to the Gentiles. He did not forget, but meant what he said. Such is the sense of it here. Reason and sense are out of the question, though reason must reject a creature's becoming God. They were going to have the senior prom. Beware of dogs ( Philippians 3:1-2 ). Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things [because their minds are always on earthly things] ( Philippians 3:19 ). There is really no reason to suppose that they preached at all. How lovely that this it was that pained him unselfish love! But he said he cast that over for the knowledge of Jesus Christ. And the problem is that they are constantly going back and going over those bad experiences. It is because the world was created out of this flawed matter that sin and evil are in it. "Don't know what is going to happen tomorrow, so hey, I will jump this ship and get on this one and I will gladly throw overboard the old life, with the struggle and the effort in my flesh, in order to live this new life after the Spirit, believing and trusting in Jesus Christ, to do for me what I really can't do for myself. He says to them, "In your proud self-righteousness, you call other men dogs; but it is you who are dogs, because you shamelessly pervert the gospel of Jesus Christ." This is interesting, for it must mean that Paul had written other letters to the Philippians which have not survived. In point of fact the Ishmaelites could trace their descent to Abraham, for Ishmael was Abraham's son by Hagar; the Edomites could trace their descent to Isaac, for Esau, the founder of the Edomite nation, was Isaac's son; but it was the Israelites alone who could trace their descent to Jacob, whom God had called by the name of Israel. Please be aware that this might heavily reduce the functionality and appearance of our site. We haven't yet scratched the surface of the work that needs to be done in the hearts and lives of the people of Orange County, in Southern California, across the United States. being made conformable unto his death; if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead ( Philippians 3:10-11 ). He was made Lord and Christ. Let me think of myself as one that is serving Him (oh, how feebly and failingly!) Furthermore the resurrection he said he hoped to attain was still future whereas he had already experienced spiritual resurrection with Christ to newness of life (Romans 6:1-11; Galatians 2:20). For Paul the Resurrection was not simply a past event in history, however amazing. He had proved long the power and the joy of Christ for every day, and for every circumstance of it. For his was a heart deeply sensible of love, and consequently he was not one that had sought either to make the saints dependent upon him, and still less did the apostle depend on the saints for anything that was the fruit of grace in them. We do not tire of the foods which are the essentials of life. People lived and died without ever having heard of Jesus Christ our Lord. As he who runs a race never takes up short of the end, but is still making forwards as fast as he can, so those who have heaven in their eye must still be pressing forward to it in holy desires and hopes, and constant endeavours and preparations. I am rejoicing here, in the Lord." The fellowship of His sufferings.Our flesh always rebels against suffering. That he might be found in him (Philippians 3:9; Philippians 3:9), as the manslayer was found in the city of refuge, where he was safe from the avenger of blood, Numbers 35:25. And why should our Lord adopt a correct form to the Sadducees (Luke 20:1-47 repeated inActs 4:1-37; Acts 4:1-37), and Paul an incorrect one to the Philippians? It is still going on. And this ground is one which always brings in the strength of the Holy Ghost, as it is based on God's mighty work of redemption. The great feast of Purim, which was observed every year with such rejoicing, commemorated the deliverance of which the Book of Esther tells, and the central figure of that story was Mordecai, a Benjaminite. It seems the church of the Philippians, though a faithful and flourishing church, was disturbed by the judaizing teachers, who endeavoured to keep up the law of Moses, And all of my good record down the tube and the righteousness is erased. There would be no question of his being a part of such a resurrection." "They really did me wrong. This is a good example, by the way, of the characteristic difference between these two translations. How can they say . This was precisely what he desired when a Jew. Hebrews 11:35 is instructive here. It is his state and experience every day, as to which his hope was that in nothing he should be ashamed; "but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ. There was another way which would best prove it to his heart; it was not something future secured to Paul in his need, which would be the way of nature, not of love or faith. And this puts the doctrine, as far as there is doctrine in the epistle, in a very clear light. 13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, but it doesn't yet appear what we are going to be, but we know when He appears, we are going to be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is" ( 1 John 3:2 ). And now he would have them looking to Christ, that no damp should gather round their hearts from anything that might befall him, that nothing which happened, whether to themselves, to other saints, or even to the apostle, should interfere for a moment with their unclouded and abounding confidence in the Lord. God, I thank you that I am so good," that pride and self-righteousness. i. Jesus was not merely resuscitated from the dead in the same body. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more [If anyone might have something to boast in the flesh. You see for yourself whether the meaning is really there. "That" (says he, after he had exhorted the Philippians thus to stand,) "I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain. Who can understand why it should be "suitable to the persons addressed," on Dr. B's showing? His goodness can even take this up and thus make it fragrant even to Himself. What some people wouldn't give for the opportunity of gathering with us.He said. He met Christ on the Damascus road. I can't believe what they did to me. All human achievement had to be laid aside, in order that he might accept the free grace of Christ. What a word, and how calculated to make us ashamed! Then he uses two vivid pictures. This place throughout is one of promoting, enlarging, deepening, and purifying the experience of the saints themselves in that which filled his own heart with joy in the Lord. 1. Many hence have wrongly gathered that they were preachers. II. Oh, how honourable, how sweet and precious, to have bonds in Christ! Annotations in loc.) WebPhilippians 3:1214. Not in a figurative sense, the resurrection from the death of sin to a life of grace, of which Christ is the efficient cause, for this the apostle had attained to; unless the consummation of that spiritual life, in perfect holiness, should be intended, than which nothing was more desirable by him; nor in a representative sense, for this also he enjoyed in Christ his head, being risen with him, and in him, when he rose from the dead; but in a literal sense and designs not the general resurrection of the just and unjust, which he believed; for he knew that everyone must, and will attain to this, even Pharaoh, Judas, and the worst of men; but the special and particular resurrection of the righteous, the better resurrection, which will be first, and upon the personal coming of Christ, and by virtue of union to him, and in a glorious manner, and to everlasting life and happiness: and when the apostle says, "if by any means" he might attain to this, it is not to be understood as if he doubted of it, which would be inconsistent with his firm persuasion, that nothing should separate him from the love of God, and with his full assurance of faith, as to interest in Jesus Christ; but it denotes the difficulty of attaining it, since through various afflictions and great tribulations a believer must pass, before he comes to it; and also the apostle's earnest desire of it, and strenuous endeavour for it; not caring what scenes of trouble, or sea of sorrow what fiery trials, severe sufferings, or cruel death he went through, so be it he obtained as he believed he should, the glorious and better resurrection; he counted not his life dear to himself, he loved it not unto death, having in view the blissful and happy state after it.
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