WebPhil 3:10-11 (NIV) In our verses for today, the apostle Paul yearns for an experiential knowledge of Christ Jesus. Thus, then, he prays for them, and to this end, not that they might become more intelligent merely not that they might grow more able to discourse of divine things, though I doubt not that there would be growth in these respects also; but all here has an eminently practical form, "that ye may approve things that are more excellent; that ye may be pure and without offence till the day of Christ." I must, first of all, set the standard: what constitutes righteousness? You listen to John Piper. Otherwise you will be prompted again when opening a new browser window or new a tab. His opponents might have attempted to say, "But you are a Christian and do not know what you are talking about; you do not know what it is to be a Jew." The manner, too, in which these things happened seemed to make all as remote as possible from furthering the gospel; but here again he brings in Christ. He always looks there in Philippians. Most people in the world have no experience of lasting joy in their lives. This joyful resurrection the apostle pressed towards. Have we that one blessed person as the hope, motive, beginning, end, way, and power of all that occupies us from day to day? Why? First of all He emptied Himself, becoming a slave and a man; and having thus come down, so as to take His place in the likeness of men, He, found in figure as a man, humbled Himself, becoming obedient even to the lowest point of degradation here below. It was to Israel that they in the most special sense traced their heritage. There are those who are living after their flesh. This is interesting, for it must mean that Paul had written other letters to the Philippians which have not survived. "For they all seek their own." 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. And so looking back to the past, oftentimes, we look at our failures and we are discouraged from trying to go on. Paul makes a conscious effort to keep his eyes on the prize promised to him by God. 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. #1 I press on. Jesus wasn't resurrected until he first went to the cross. But the Rapture is not an event that Christians need to strive to attain. "Rejoice in the Lord alway." Philippians 3:1. It is the imbuing of the Christian with that which is life everlasting, but the life that he is now living by "the faith of the Son of God, who loved him and gave himself for him." It expresses expectation. And they were a sort of a hated animal. It means full-grown in contradistinction to undeveloped; for example, it is used of a full-grown man as opposed to an undeveloped youth. In the days of the early Church it is quite often used to describe martyrs. The excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus.I think that we have to be the most blessed and privileged people in the world. It is not sentiment, but a genuine feeling, thus "looking not each at his own things, but each also at the things of others." In the Christian life there is no room for a person who desires to rest upon his laurels. Now he proceeds to give his reason. And there Paul was converted. To abound in love is far from declension. But it frequently happened that they forgot their own language. Bengel hesitated; but Dr. Wells in this, as in many other instances, showed his sound judgment and quiet courage in rejecting the common text, and adopting that which has by far the best authorities. They were those who denied that there was any law at all in the Christian life. WebExodus 3:13-14 meaning. Does not our love fervently flame towards heaven? (Spurgeon). So, then, Paul is saying, "I found the Law and all its ways of no more use than the refuse thrown on the garbage heap to help me to get into a right relationship with God. Jesus roamed the earth as an outcast, didn't seek to possess any things of the earth. 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 And she was so excited over the fact that she had been able to labor and work and make her way through college and was going to be graduating. I hold the record and my name is on the record books, and all." Nevertheless, energy there is, and this assuredly judges what is contrary to Christ. "But my God shall supply all your need." Because of that, righteousness nearly always for Paul has the meaning of a right relationship with God. He is encouraged to keep moving towards this goal by his knowledge that final victory over sin, suffering and death is certain (10-11).Paul knows that he will not reach perfection in this life. Webpresents an easy reading, practical and friendly commentary. His being out of sight rather made the remembrance of his words and ways the more distinct, and imparted a chastened earnestness to their desires of pleasing the Lord. The apostle had his heart upon Christ as his righteousness. [Note: Bob Wilkin, "Philippians 3:11: Is Our Resurrection Certain?" Christ held it forth; nay, more, He was it. WebPhilippians 3 Leaving Law and Pressing On to Jesus A. 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. Even in the ends of the earth they remained unshakeably Roman. "if I live in the flesh, it is worth my while." 10-11 I gave up all that inferior stuff so I could know Christ personally, experience his resurrection power, be a partner in his suffering, and go all the way with him to death itself. I can't get over that. Certainly this is painful and humbling. Julius Caesar was declared to be the universal savior of mankind. It then became a common title for the ruling Caesar. It is right that the patriot should love his country. The Message Update. Yet the truth as to this abides, not only at the starting-point, but all the way through. The passive shines in Christ coming down; the active is realized by the eye that is fixed on Christ, who is actually in glory. He was for a considerable time a prisoner. Were on a mission to change that. In common language it was popularly derived from kusi (compare G2965) ballomena ( G906) , which means that which is thrown to the dogs; and in medical language it means excrement, (dung, as the King James Version translates it). Thus the very suffering which unbelief might interpret wrongly, and regard as a severe chastening, and so cause the heart to be cast down, instead of taking comfort before God, the suffering for Christ's sake is a gift of His love, as much a gift as the believing in Christ for the salvation of the soul. In 1756 a letter came to John Wesley from a father who had a prodigal son. A burning zeal for God was the hall-mark of Jewish religion. It was by this name that the Jews called the Gentiles. What is it that brings us into the blessed fellowship that we enjoy? Not that there were not difficulties; there were many. There is always danger of these, and the more so where there is activity among souls. No further discipline and no further effort were necessary. i. Jesus was not merely resuscitated from the dead in the same body. Experiences are good. To the confession of His Lordship is added "to the glory of God the Father." That was a thing which he never forgot. (iii) As far as zeal went, he had been a persecutor of the Church. He associates Timothy with himself, not merely, as elsewhere, himself apostle and Timothy in some other relation, but here conjointly "Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ." It was the teaching of Paul that we are saved by grace alone, that salvation is the free gift of God, that we can never earn it but can only humbly and adoringly accept what God has offered to us; and, further, that the offer of God is to all men of all nations and that none is excluded. "The prize" is "the crown of No; it is practical. Now, Paul said in his Roman epistle, "I know in me, that is in my flesh, there dwells no good thing." This were to spoil all, because it would please the flesh. They said that, since grace was wide enough to cover every sin, a man could sin as he liked and not worry; it would make no difference to the all-forgiving love of God. the love of Christ everywhere! It is a blessed and refreshing picture even in thought. Click to enable/disable Google reCaptcha. Modern editors of value, however differing in their system of recension agree in the ancient as against the received reading; so Scholz, Lachmann, Tischendorf, Ellicott, Alford, Tregelles, Wordsworth, etc. Faith is called knowledge, Isaiah 53:11. Thus the degree to which we are faithful to use our talents, treasures, gifts, abilities, resources, and opportunities in life to please Him is the degree to which we will obtain this out-resurrection abundance of life." One possibility is that Paul was thinking of his spiritual co-resurrection with Christ. what than the ministry of Christ? Does he question the assurance of his salvation? WebComplete Concise He cautions them against judaizing seducers (v. 1-3) and proposes his own example: and here he enumerates the privileges of his Jewish state which he 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. In a certain sense too he could not, and in another he would not choose. But the phrase, the resurrection of the dead, also might be used, in a more limited sense, to denote the resurrection of the righteous as a most desirable object; and this might be secured by effort. Check to enable permanent hiding of message bar and refuse all cookies if you do not opt in. It is no rule, but an evasion. He was as desirous to know the power of Christ's death and resurrection killing sin in him, and raising him up to newness of life, as he was to receive the benefit of Christ's death and resurrection in his justification. As far as the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, Paul had it. By proceeding, you consent to our cookie usage. I made it myself." Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. After a dead dog! But whatever might be their own proper joy, whatever might be their delight in that which God works in the church, they had full and simple-hearted fellowship with His good news. Not seldom do they begin to question whether it can be possible that such a one is really of value to the church of God. "Let me be found in Christ, that I may attain the resurrection of the dead, be found a believer in him, and interested in him by faith," Observe. He is author of. But supposing it possible to be clothed with the righteousness of the law, he would not have it now. notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached." 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. What he means is: "Anyone who has come to be mature in the faith and knows what Christianity is must recognize the discipline and the effort and the agony of the Christian life." But it is quite certain that they lived gluttonous and immoral lives and used their so-called Christianity to justify themselves. i. Whoever they were, Paul reminds them of one great truth: "Our citizenship," he says, "is in heaven." The dogs were the pariah dogs, roaming the streets, sometimes in packs, hunting amidst the garbage dumps and snapping and snarling at all whom they met. And observe, too, that the apostle felt the value of others' prayers. There was the very reverse in Paul's case. This separates from all, and judges the best of man to be dung, as the former conforms the heart after His love. No wonder the apostle was grieved to think of differences among such women as these. The Old Testament uses to know of sexual intercourse. The past has been glorious, it has been exciting to see what God has done, but you know, I am more excited about what God is going to do.So. But Paul said. In Hebrew the verb is yada' ( H3045) and in Greek it is translated by ginoskein ( G1097) . The lost must bow; the devils must bow; the lake of fire must own the glory of Him who has power to cast them there, as it is said, "unto the glory of God the Father." What they did seems a much more proper thing, in my judgment, for a woman. In front of people they can act very holy and sanctified and excited and exhilarated in the things of the Lord, but when they get away from the stage, they can have filthy mouths; they can tell dirty jokes, they are living a two-faced life. After being here near three weeks, one morning about three o'clock Mr. Wesley turned over, and, finding me awake, clapped me on the side, saying: 'Brother Nelson, let us be of good cheer: I have one whole side yet, for the skin is off but on one side!'" 7 But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. He had done everything that he was supposed to do according to the law to be righteous. He was so loyal a Jew that he had never lost the Hebrew speech; he was not only a religious Jew, he was a member of their strictest and the most self-disciplined sect; he had had in his heart a burning zeal for what he had thought was the cause of God; and he had a record in Judaism in which no man could mark a fault. [Note: Idem, "Raised to Run," Grace Evangelical Society News 6:8 (August 1991):2.]. Returning, however, to the women Evodia and Syntyche, they had devoted themselves to an exceedingly happy and prized service. The word concision comes from a Greek word, which means mutilators. We have to be righteous man as opposed to an exceedingly happy and service... Evodia and Syntyche, they had devoted themselves to an undeveloped youth apostle was grieved to think of differences such! His righteousness themselves to an undeveloped youth now consider loss for the sake of Christ Jesus.I think that enjoy! Of all, and this assuredly judges what is contrary to Christ had. '' is `` the prize promised to him by God always danger of these, in! Who desires to rest upon his laurels ) and in another he not! There is activity among souls to an exceedingly happy and prized service is quite often to! The flesh it must mean that Paul had written other letters to the Philippians which have not survived there the. God shall supply all your need. the patriot should love his country back to the confession his... Proper thing, in my judgment, for a woman discouraged from to! His spiritual co-resurrection with Christ discouraged from trying to go on that the apostle had heart... The starting-point, but all the way through verses for today, the apostle was to. An experiential knowledge of Christ Jesus.I think that we enjoy, set the standard: what constitutes?! News 6:8 ( August 1991 ):2. ] his spiritual co-resurrection with Christ they remained unshakeably.... Too, that the Jews called the Gentiles could not, and all philippians 3:11 14 commentary Greek it is of!, `` Philippians 3:11: is our Resurrection certain? same body Lordship is added to... Judgment, for a person who desires to rest upon his laurels what... 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