The Surpassing Greatness of Knowing Christ Philippians 3:1 16

Transcription

1 The Surpassing Greatness of Knowing Christ Philippians 3:1 16 I. Introduction A. Seven Keys - Servanthood (1:1) - Partnership (1:3-5) - Work (1:6) - Right minded (1:7) - Love (1:8-9) - Excellence (1:10) - Righteousness (1:11) B. Context 1. Introduction - Paul s thanksgiving - Paul s prayer 3. Paul s circumstances (1:12 18) - In prison for preaching the Gospel - Rejoicing in the proclamation of Christ whether in pretense or in truth - Confident in his deliverance through prayer and the Spirit - Prepared to serve Christ in life or in death 4. Paul s exhortation - Be worthy of the Gospel - Stand in unity of Spirit and mind - Be like Christ in humility and obedience - Work out your salvation - Look to examples like Paul, Timothy, and Epaphroditus

2 Philippians 3:1 7 Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. For me to write the same things to you is not tedious, but for you it is safe. Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the mutilation! For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh, though I also might have confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so: circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you. Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind. II. Exposition A. Transition (v. 1) 1. Rejoice: - The Bible Knowledge Commentary says, It is easy for believers to let circumstances discourage them. The cure for discouragement is to rivet one s attention on the Lord and rejoice in Him. 1 1 John F. Walvoord, Roy B. Zuck and Dallas Theological Seminary, The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), Php 3:1.

3 2. The same things - Repetition is the price of knowledge B. Beware the Judaizers (v. 2) 1. Their opponents a. Paul has previously acknowledged the support of the Philippians in Paul s defense of the Gospel. Here he warns them against those inside the church who might try to undermine it. b. Three times Paul uses the term beware (blepete) tied to a different description of those who were opposed to the true Gospel. 1. beware of dogs: - a term often used by the Jews to describe Gentiles - Paul seems to be mocking the Judaizers by reversing the description. 2. beware of evil workers - These men thought they were doing good by insisting on the necessity of the law for salvation. In fact, they were actually doing evil by denying the Gospel. 3. beware of the mutilation - This points to their emphasis on circumcision as necessary for salvation. - Galatians 6:12. As many as desire to make a good showing in the flesh, these would compel you to be circumcised, only that they may not suffer persecution for the cross of Christ. C. The True Circumcision (v. 3-4a) For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh, though I also might have confidence in the flesh. 1. True circumcision is spiritual.

4 - Romans 2: For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God. 2. Three marks of the true circumcision - Richard R. Melick says, The spiritually circumcised were described three ways. Each part of the description is linked together by the fact that in the Greek text the three are preceded by one article that goes with them all. The three together, therefore, characterize genuine Christians. 2 - who worship God in Spirit - rejoice in Jesus Christ - have no confidence in the flesh 3. Paul notes that if anyone could have confidence in the flesh it would be him, but he did not. D. Paul s Fleshly Credentials (v. 4b-6) - If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so: circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. 1. Paul s boast. - Paul is going to argue that he can out Hebrew anyone. 2. Paul s Jewish credentials - circumcised the eighth day (not an Ishmaelite circumcised at 13). 2 Richard R. Melick, vol. 32, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1991), 128.

5 - of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews 3. Paul s personal credentials. a. concerning the law, a Pharisee - Acts 26:5. They knew me from the first, if they were willing to testify, that according to the strictest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee. b. concerning zeal, persecuting the church - Paul was absolutely sincere in his beliefs, he just had the wrong beliefs. c. concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. - Paul is not arguing that he never sinned, but availed himself of the means of Law for righteousness, including the sacrifices. 4. Paul s attitude towards his credentials (v. 7) - But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. E. Knowing Christ (v. 8-11) - Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. 1. Counting all things loss - More than just setting aside his religious credentials, Paul counted ALL things loss for the sake of Christ. - This is not just a pious boast of Paul, he had suffered the loss of all things for the sake of Christ just as God said he would. - Acts 9: But the Lord said to him, Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name s sake.

6 - He even considered them to be rubbish in comparison to Christ. The Greek term can mean either food scraps or dung. 2. The knowledge of Christ. - What is the object of Paul s desire? The NKJV says, the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus. - The NIV says, What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. - This is the goal of the saints, to know God. - 1 John 3:2-3. Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure. - Aristotle defined man as rational animal. The thing that s sets us apart from animals is our reason. It follows then that as knowers we reach our perfection by attaining to the greatest object of knowledge God. - John 17:3. And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. 3. Found in Christ - that I may gain Christ and be found in Him - What he means is that anything that would keep him from Christ is not worth it, whether it be pride, or sin, or things, or anything else. - Notice the results of being found in Christ. Melick says, After describing dissatisfaction with his natural attainments, Paul described succinctly and successively what has come to be known in the topical arrangements of classical systematic theology as justification (v. 9), sanctification (v. 10), and glorification (v. 11). 3 - Justification:... not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith. 3 Richard R. Melick, vol. 32, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1991), 131.

7 - Sanctification: that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death - Glorification: if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead 4. Resurrection from the dead three views. 1. Spiritual Resurrection: - The Baker New Testament Commentary says, Union with Christ implies that all of Christ s redemptive experiences are duplicated unredemptively in the believer. The Christian, accordingly, suffered with Christ (Rom. 8:17), was crucified with him (Rom. 6:6), died with him (Rom. 6:8; II Tim. 2:11), was buried with him (Rom. 6:4; Col. 2:12), made alive with him (Col. 2:13), raised with him (Col. 2:12; 3:1), made joint-heirs with him (Rom. 8:17), is glorified with him (Rom. 8:17), enthroned with him (Col. 3:1; Rev. 20:4), and reigns with him (II Tim. 2:12; Rev. 20:4) Rapture: - The Bible Knowledge Commentary says, Resurrection (Phil. 3:11) is the translation of exanastasin, a Greek word used nowhere else in the New Testament. It means a partial resurrection out from among other corpses, literally an out-resurrection.... Perhaps he was using this word to refer to the Rapture, thus expressing the hope that the Lord would return during his lifetime Physical Resurrection. - Some argue that attaining to the resurrection is conditional. We must reject this interpretation however in light of Paul s confidence elsewhere. - 2 Corinthians 4:14. knowing that He who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus, and will present us with you. 4 William Hendriksen and Simon J. Kistemaker, vol. 5, Exposition of Philippians, New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, ), John F. Walvoord, Roy B. Zuck and Dallas Theological Seminary, The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), Php 3:10 11.

8 - I believe it points back to Paul s counting all things loss that he may gain Christ and thus be included in the resurrection from the dead. - By what means? By counting all things loss, not letting anything keep him from obtaining Christ. The conditionality is hypothetical for the sake of his audience. III. Conclusion: Paul s Exhortation. (v ) - Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you. Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind.