They had been manifesting their mindful love for the apostle, who on his part was certainly not forgetful of its least token. "Laboured" gives a wrong sense. Proud member the love of Christ everywhere! This the apostle had his eye upon; this he would attain. So these Gnostics taught that gluttony and adultery and homosexuality and drunkenness were of no importance because they affect only the body which is of no importance. Paul sets down two very important things. Like any good teacher, Paul was never afraid of repetition. (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are [really] the enemies of the cross of Christ ( Philippians 3:17-18 ): You know, there are a lot of people who talk a lot about Jesus Christ but are enemies of the cross of Christ. Is it too much to say that many a groan would have gone forth from us that are here? WebPhilippians 3:8-11 meaning Paul considers religious practices and custom meaningless compared to the far better value of serving Jesus Christ through the obedience of faith. Reason and sense are out of the question, though reason must reject a creature's becoming God. Hers is a more delicate place than that which becomes the man, and one which a man attempting it would awkwardly fill. There is His own personal glory; and this first. Otherwise you will be prompted again when opening a new browser window or new a tab. It means full-grown in contradistinction to undeveloped; for example, it is used of a full-grown man as opposed to an undeveloped youth. While the exact nature of that reward is unclear here, it can generally be understood as a sort of abundance of life. Superficially this verse seems to suggest that Paul had some doubt about the certainty of his resurrection. Paul means something when he applies the title to Jesus in the context of citizenship. Real circumcision is devotion of heart and mind and life to God.". It is not legal experience, for which you must turn to the chapter spoken of inRomans 7:1-25; Romans 7:1-25, the only bit of a saint's experience under law, as far as I know, that the New Testament affords (certainly in the epistles). Impossible that He could be made Jehovah. John Piper is founder and teacher of desiringGod.org and chancellor of Bethlehem College & Seminary. And it is an interesting period in church history where those who are indulging their flesh look upon it as spiritual superiority. ", "For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh." Here, accordingly, it is not the outgoings of love, but the zeal that burns indignantly as to what dishonours the Lord. The Lord Jesus Christ is the Lord our righteousness, Isaiah 45:24; Jeremiah 23:6. There is a pun in the Greek which is not transferable to English. Forgive me, Lord. For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake." It is his own personal experience; and this is the reason why we have "I" so often here. The new body, the building of God not made with human hands, the eternal house that God has created for my spirit. Probably Paul meant that he hoped he would live to experience the Rapture, the "out-resurrection from among the dead," before he died. B. Lightfoot remarks that the verb memphesthai ( G3201) , from which it comes, means to blame for sins of omission. A martyr is said to be perfected by the sword, and the day of his death is said to be the day of his perfecting. He was in prison, long shut out from that which had been his joyful service, though in constant toil and suffering for so many years. John Nelson was one of Wesley's most famous early preachers. 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. ", Finally, he calls them again to rejoice, and now with more emphasis than ever. How heartily the Germans sing of the dear old fatherland; but they cannot, with all their Germanic patriotism, they cannot beat the genial glow of the Britons heart, when he thinks of his fatherland too. Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision ( Philippians 3:2 ). You see for yourself whether the meaning is really there. Preaching and teaching and studying the side-issues may be attractive, and these have their place, but the fundamental truths can neither be spoken nor heard too often for the safety of our souls. And now she was in her senior year. "The noun translated resurrection is an unusual double compound word used only here in the New Testament. Fee's commentary on Paul's letter to the church in Philippi. So this is Paul's answer to the Jewish teachers. It is not our laying hold of Christ first, but his laying hold of us, which is our happiness and salvation. Here, my entire life I have never done anything wrong, have been going by the rules, up till now. If there was any way to get in on the resurrection from the dead, I wanted to do it. In by far the most of them it does not signify what we might call abstract perfection but a kind of functional perfection, adequacy for some given purpose. It shows us grace practically in different measures and forms. It is of great use in the Christian course to keep our eye upon heaven. Click to enable/disable Google reCaptcha. And there Paul was converted. In the Christian life there is no room for a person who desires to rest upon his laurels. (ii) He was of the race of Israel. Instead of occupying oneself with all one hears that would cast down, now that we have committed all. Verse 11. Even he who knew them well marvelled that they were so soon shifting, not only from him, but from the gospel, after he left them. Check out our other commentaries: Genesis 19:8-10 meaning (3:11 22) Maps and Charts. How Daniels Prophecy of 70 Weeks Connects to the End Times, 4 Ways the Parable of the Sower Encourages Spiritual Growth. (iv) As for the righteousness which the Law could produce, he was blameless. It was in the body that Christ rose and it is this body which he sanctifies ( 1 Corinthians 6:13 ff.). This explains the unusual word Paul employed that appears only here in the Greek New Testament. Now, Paul recognized something that is very important for all of us to recognize who have been apprehended by Jesus Christ. It was this that so cheered the apostle's heart in his loneliness often, in his desertion sometimes, when the sight of a brother would have given fresh courage to his heart. The very fact, or way of putting it, supposes Him to be a divine person. Witnesses, prosecutors, judges, emperor, everybody, became, in point of fact, nothing to him. We shall see the importance of this elsewhere. Let's not just sit back and rest, let's press forward to what God has for us in the future. *There is no reasonable doubt that the received text is wrong, followed by the Authorised Version ("of," instead of "from" the dead). It might have been thought that so much the more would Paul need his love and services. Every phrase in this catalogue of Paul's privileges has its special meaning; let us look at each one. "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. I endeavour to get more grace and do more good, and never think I have done enough: If that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus." (1.) There was another party of Gnostics who held a different kind of doctrine. When they returned from the exile, it was from the tribes of Benjamin and Judah that the nucleus of the reborn nation was formed ( Ezra 4:1). So, she decided that she would make for herself a new dress for the senior prom. He thus takes a common place with his beloved son in the gospel. c. The Lord Jesus Christ: The title Lord was also applied to the Roman Caesar. But Paul was certain that the only kind of righteousness there is comes from casting oneself freely upon the grace of God. This is lost in the idea of labouring in it. Resurrection -- If "raised" with Christ in baptism, we have a picture of also being "raised" at the resurrection. As he had said elsewhere before, so he says here, "Be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample. He would have them realize the solemnity of the strife that is going on. From one point of view it looked as if Christianity was a grim job. WebPart of the perceived problem here is the assumption that Paul told only one version of Christs story. The apostle is here contributing to that which shall never pass away, and hence begins with the "saints in Christ Jesus" as such. The NIV is more paraphrastic, translating a Greek word with any number of English synonyms to make the English translation more readable. There is no doubt that Paul is here speaking to the antinomians. But let us not be turned aside, and think that it is merely a question of believing and of knowing our place secure; but let us live of that very Christ who is our life. In God there is ample supply. "Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ." Christ shone as the true light in the world the light of life. All rights reserved. Because so many times, they say, "Well, you really can't do that. For God had made the world full of life; He "saw every thing that He had made, and, behold, it was very good," and Satan apparently won the victory over Him in it. And he said, "Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus." Paul has just attacked the Jewish teachers and insisted that it is the Christians, not the Jews, who are the truly circumcised and covenant people. He said he was blameless. It is plain, then, that inPhilippians 2:1-30; Philippians 2:1-30 the great spring of power is the love and the glory of Him who came down; who, even when He did so come, went down still lower, where none could accompany Him. b. Select a Passage. And what is the result? It is a blessed and refreshing picture even in thought. 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." He was resurrected in a new body, patterned after the old yet equipped and fitted for heaven. "Jesus" is His own name, His personal name. in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. and have no confidence in the flesh ( Philippians 3:3 ). "Well, where did you place?" 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. "Not," says he, "that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am," this is the great design of the epistle; it was not truth that was made known simply, but experience that was grown into "I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. Nothing, then, would the apostle have done in strife or vain-glory; "' but in lowliness of mind each esteeming other better than themselves." So, those things which we once gained, those things which were once so important to me, I counted loss, and I forget those things which are behind, because I am pressing forth for those things which are before. Consequently we must look for another explanation of this verse. Why, then, is it so in the next instance? As we are just now, our bodies are subject to change and decay, illness and death, the bodies of a state of humiliation compared with the glorious state of the Risen Christ; but the day will come when we will lay aside this mortal body which we now possess and become like Jesus Christ himself. The apostle had his heart upon Christ as his righteousness. Beware of dogs ( Philippians 3:1-2 ). 4. But you can always rejoice in the Lord, because He is above circumstances. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord ( Philippians 3:8 ): Paul the apostle is on his way to Damascus to persecute the church. Of course, the enemy would have desired above all and at any cost to lower such an one as the apostle Paul in the loving esteem of God's saints, more particularly where all had been sweet and happy; but, notwithstanding every effort, grace hitherto had prevailed, and these saints at Philippi felt the more for the apostle when he was a prisoner. Yet I supposed it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion in labour, and fellow-soldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered to my wants. There is no getting to heaven as our home but by Christ as our way. But you will never know the life of the resurrected Christ until you have experienced the fellowship of the sufferings. . " 5 Things You Should Know about the ESV Bible Translation. When I have been upset (because that is against my rules, never be upset) and so I am upset, I have to lie to myself and say, "I really wasn't upset, I was just indignant." 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. It was a dynamic power which operated in the life of the individual Christian. It is not the dread of losing the Saviour of their souls, but because they felt for His name; "for it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure." It was not a decision made in a moment of impulse, but one by which I still stand fast.". Peritemnein ( G4059) means to circumcise; katatemnein means to mutilate, as in Leviticus 21:5, which describes forbidden self-mutilation, such as castration. Thus we see here the power of a risen and a heavenly Christ, not now treated doctrinally as in 1 Corinthians 15:1-58 or 2 Corinthians 5:1-21 and elsewhere, but as that which bears on the Christian for the constant experience of every day. In the days of the early Church it is quite often used to describe martyrs. The expression intimates that we have need to strive for him and after him, and that all is little enough to win him. Next follow various exhortations, as to be of the same mind with the apostle in pressing after spiritual and heavenly things, to which he exhorts those that had a greater knowledge of them than others; and who, though otherwise minded, the apostle was persuaded would have, the same revealed to them, Php 3:15, and both he exhorts, according to their different attainments, to walk by the same rule and mind the same thing, Php 3:16, and to be followers of him, and of them that walked after his example, Php 3:17, giving this as a reason, because there were men who walked otherwise, to the grief of him, to the dishonour of Christ, and to their own shame and destruction, whom he describes as sensual and earthly minded men, Php 3:18,19, and to engage them to follow him, and others, and not such persons, he draws a character of them opposite unto them; that whereas the minds of those others were carnal and earthly, their minds were spiritual and heavenly; their conversation was in heaven, and they were waiting for Christ from hence, Php 3:20, and the blessedness they expect from him then, is the resurrection of their bodies, which is illustrated by the efficient cause of it, Christ; the subject of it, their vile bodies, as in this lifts, and in the grave; the exemplar and pattern of it, the glorious body of Christ; and the means by which it will be effected, the energy and power of Christ, who is omnipotent, Php 3:21. For we can all understand joy in believing; we can readily feel how natural is joy to the Christian who dwells on his eternal portion. The word concision comes from a Greek word, which means mutilators. They are out there, there are many of them. There is nothing assuredly right, on the other hand, where Christ is not the object of the soul. The real circumcision is not a mark in the flesh; it is that true worship, that true glory, and that true confidence in the grace of God in Jesus Christ. These Philippians will not be less saints in heaven, where there can be no such charges as "bishops or deacons." 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. Anything I do for myself is a waste of time and effort. John Gill John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Philippians 3:1. However there is no other Scripture that teaches a difference in the resurrection of faithful and unfaithful believers. What some people wouldn't give for the opportunity of gathering with us.He said. None can have interest or benefit by it but those who come off from confidence in themselves, and are brought heartily to believe in him. Who have had more mournful proofs of the danger of putting saints practically in the place of Christ? They are always looking at their past and doing nothing now. worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus ( Philippians 3:3 ). But in truth it may betray itself in doctrine and practice in various shapes. So unbelief interprets, but most assuredly it is wrong. 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." The Greek phrase is ten exanastasin ten ek nekron. Paul warns that they are there, they were there in Paul's day; they are there today. It has been hard for you to kick against the pricks." Annotations in loc.) WebExodus 3:13-14 meaning. "That I may win Christ," therefore he says; "and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law." ), . Yet these were evidently physical experiences, not spiritual realities. The apostle had his heart upon Christ as his righteousness. But when I take the righteousness which is by Christ, it is an honest life, I can say, "Hey, I am not perfect, but I believe in Jesus Christ with all my heart. There is always danger of these, and the more so where there is activity among souls. In the Bible the dog always stands for that than which nothing can be lower. Phinehas had saved the people from the wrath of God, and been given an everlasting priesthood, because he was zealous for his God ( Numbers 25:11-13). God, I thank you that I am so good," that pride and self-righteousness. The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely," nor was this all, but "supposing to add affliction to my bonds.". Then he turns to what had drawn out the epistle. That is, they want still to live after the flesh so bad, that the idea of being crucified with Christ, the death of the old life, the death of the old man, the death of the old flesh life, is irritating to them. Now, when the Lord apprehended us, He had in His mind a plan and a purpose for each of our lives. We may see the depth of this word from a fact of Old Testament usage. We do not tire of the foods which are the essentials of life. Another, less likely, possibility is that Paul meant faithful Christians will experience a better resurrection than unfaithful believers. 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). out-resurrection). The question is at once settled as a matter of faith. 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 They were going to have the senior prom. 26 December 2021 AM Philippians 3:13-14 Scott Childs. InMatthew 23:1-39; Matthew 23:1-39 we have woe upon woe pronounced upon scribes and Pharisees, and so it is here. A better translation would be "if somehow" (NASB margin) or "and so, somehow" (NIV). Be of good cheer. He and Wesley carried out a mission in Cornwall, near Land's End, and Nelson tells about it. "Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice." The Gnostics were heretics who tried to intellectualize Christianity and make a kind of philosophy out of it. No wonder Paul opted for the new righteousness, though he had done pretty good up until this point. It is the personal experience of another person. What might you and I have thought of such? I would like to know Him in the power of His resurrection. "For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ's. It often happens that men can stand the great sorrows and the great trials of life but are undone by what are almost minor inconveniences. Better not make them known to men; it is a dangerous snare. Thus, some translate the phrase, "in the hope of" (Gpd), or "that is the way I can hope to" (JB), and "thus do I hope that" (NAB). May it be so with us! " B. Lightfoot translates it: "Vie with each other in imitating me." So he brings before them another remarkable feature of it their fellowship; and this fellowship too with the gospel. Thus he anticipates the removal of the last trace of the first Adam; he looks for our being brought fully, even as to the body, into the likeness of the Second Man, the last Adam. 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.". Spirit, they said, is altogether good; and matter is altogether evil. 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. Strange way of God! Other Scripture points to the judgment seat of Christ as the time when God will make this distinction, not the resurrection. And though I may have a fleshly rite, if my heart was after the things of the flesh, then what happened to me physically has no bearing upon my relationship with God at all.The same can be said of any of the other rites that we have within the church. One of the elements of heavenly happiness will be the calm and settled knowledge of all that we have been here below. But "that in nothing I shall be ashamed." The reason why we can all say it tonight is because we are all here. The Lord is at hand." But unfortunately, since then, a lot of those things that they counted loss at that point, they picked back up, so that they are encumbered again. "You know, if you only had enough faith, you could be jetting across the United States also in your own Lear Jet." It is something that I could have never made for myself, but it was given to me by Lady Bountiful. That is to say, he will never glory in any of his achievements or use them as an excuse for relaxation. And now, follow me as an example, live by this rule, because there are those who don't live by this rule. See 1 Thessalonians 4:6-18.". The cross was essential and necessary for Him to experience the power of the resurrection. And so the models started coming in with all these beautiful dresses showing them off and doing their little stances and all, and a model came in that had a dress that was absolutely gorgeous. It is not simply intellectual knowledge, the knowledge of certain facts or even principles. #1 I press on. He had learned practically what Christ is, and what He does, and what He can enable even the least to do, (as he says himself, "less than the least of all saints,") and so much the more, because the least in his own eyes. Because this is going to bring him an estrangement from his cronies back in Jerusalem that he has been going around with.Paul is writing this epistle to the Philippians some thirty years after the Damascus road experience. Observe, [1.] Now, Paul was a classic example of what Jesus was referring to. And the young girl went outside, and there was a limousine chauffeur, and they went down to I. Magnum's, and the chauffeur took the car up. For what believer would deny that, however close the conformity, there is always that dignity and perfection which is proper to Christ, and exclusively His? To that thought he now returns and defines more closely what he means. I don't want to see it nailed to the cross. admits that the external testimony is quite in its favour, though it is hard to see what he means by the internal evidence being in this case denied; for he suggests himself that may have been a correction proceeding from those who thought that the sense which the context requires, "the resurrection from the dead," could not be extracted from . He was a Pharisee. "Being confident," he therefore says, "of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work will perform it unto the day of Jesus Christ, even as it is meet for me to think this of you all." 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 This has its most weighty place elsewhere; but when it is a question of experience, the end cannot be here. "I want to know him; I want to know him completely." The tribe of Benjamin had the place of honour in Israel's battle-line, so that the battle-cry of Israel was: "After thee, O Benjamin!" "My joy and crown," "my dearly beloved." That there was all this abundantly in these saints he did not doubt; they had just shown him the fruit of love personally. Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord ( Philippians 3:1 ). No one denies this, which is, or ought to be, no new thing for a Christian. Yea [not and], I entreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which labour with me." Such experience is both a real and a precious boon. Do with them as you will, they still defy you But if you will hand over the conflict to Jesus, He will subdue them; He will bring them under his strong, subjecting hand. 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.

Raith Rovers Players Wages, David Riley Obituary Oklahoma, Capousd Staff Homepage, Peter Finch Golf Girlfriend, Jay Farrington Wife, Articles P