), . All we want is, that the eye of faith be a little open; but it is only Christ before the eye that keeps it open. "lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. 2. But he said he cast that over for the knowledge of Jesus Christ. Accordingly he prays for them, that as they had shown this true and unabated love for himself as Christ's servant, so their love might abound yet more and more, and this too in knowledge and in all judgment. 3. Timothy shared the unselfishness of the apostle's heart. It is worth noting in the passing that Bengel, one of the greatest interpreters of scripture who ever lived, translates this in a different way: "Become fellow-imitators with me in imitating Jesus Christ," but it is far more likely--as nearly all other interpreters are agreed--that Paul was able to invite his friends, not simply to listen to him, but also to imitate him. This is the righteousness whose source is in God; it is also by faith of Christ, and not through the law, which, of course, would have man's righteousness if it could. a really inaccurate mode. 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. This is certainly what the apostle here puts before these saints. This has its most weighty place elsewhere; but when it is a question of experience, the end cannot be here. 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. But Paul the apostle said, "Look, I don't consider that I have attained; I don't look at myself as being perfect, the work of the Lord is not yet complete in me.". Superficially this verse seems to suggest that Paul had some doubt about the certainty of his resurrection. I just can't do it. He had his heart on these two great peculiarities of the Christian religion. And it is sad when a person is resting in the past, not pressing ahead. In effect Paul is saying that the Christian must forget all that he has done and remember only what he has still to do. There is not one of these things but may in itself become the veriest snare; and so much the more dangerous because each looks fair. There is no doubt that Paul is here speaking to the antinomians. To me," may each say truly, "to live is Christ.". Christ was "without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation." Is this the life that is practically exercised? For this corruption must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality and then will be brought to pass the saying, Oh, death where is thy sting? This is what he did, and accordingly this is the source, not merely of a firm faith and confidence as to the issue, but of present joy and all-overcoming power. I am sure he wasn't rejoicing in the circumstances themselves. Who have had more mournful proofs of the danger of putting saints practically in the place of Christ? Dikaiosune ( G1343) is always difficult to translate in Paul's letters. "What things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ." Then he found himself a dead man condemned and powerless. Hebrews 11:35 is instructive here. This is but a poor human resource, as unworthy of the saints as of the truth of God, who would not have us to wink at any mistake. Close. But in it and beyond it all there was joy. It is our progress then that we are to forget. [Note: Idem, "Raised to Run," Grace Evangelical Society News 6:8 (August 1991):2.]. We provide you with a list of stored cookies on your computer in our domain so you can check what we stored. How Daniels Prophecy of 70 Weeks Connects to the End Times, 4 Ways the Parable of the Sower Encourages Spiritual Growth. "Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ." and have no confidence in the flesh ( Philippians 3:3 ). This is the object set before us inPhilippians 3:1-21; Philippians 3:1-21. 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). Brothers, I do not count myself to have obtained; but this one thing I do--forgetting the things which are behind, and reaching out for the things which are in front, I press on towards the goal, in order that I may win the prize which God's upward calling in Christ Jesus is offering to me. 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. I just can't rise above it. But then Paul updates his experience. Here Paul rounds upon these Jewish teachers who were seeking to undo his work. The way to that fellowship is through righteousness, through the kind of life and spirit and attitude to himself which God desires. Get Your Bible Minute in Your Inbox Every Morning. John Piper is founder and teacher of desiringGod.org and chancellor of Bethlehem College & Seminary. WebPhilippians 3:11-14 King James Version 11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. John Piper is founder and teacher of desiringGod.org and chancellor of Bethlehem College & To rise with the saints; to enter with them into the blessedness of the heavenly inheritance, was an object that the apostle thought was worth every effort which could he made. "Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ." Shall we turn now in our Bibles to Philippians 3 .Again, remember that the background of this epistle, Paul is chained to a Roman soldier in Rome, in prison, writing to the Philippians. How gladly would he be a libation upon the sacrifice of their faith! 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. "Let your moderation be known unto all men," strengthened by this consolatory truth, "the Lord is at hand. Let me think of myself as one that is serving Him (oh, how feebly and failingly!) It is not at all a question of what one has here. The Lord may inspire you to some good work that He wants you to do. He was never ashamed to confess his shame and to tell men that once he had hated the Christ whom now he loved and sought to obliterate the Church which now he served. This is the only allusion, as far as I know, to flesh in this epistle, but it is flesh in its religious form, and not as a source of evil lusts and passions. There is no epistle that so abounds in joy. "And not on him only, but on me also," (what a difference is made when love interprets!) As a man knows the bliss of parental or wedded love only by having it, or as he knows the taste of wine only by drinking it, or the glory of music only by hearing it, and the brightness of the day only by seeing it, so we know Christ only by winning Him. Energy is not the best or highest aspect of Christianity. "Reaching forth to those things which are before, I press," and the word in the Greek is agonizo. So Paul states his attainments. Practical Bible study on Philippians 3:1-11. Even in the ends of the earth they remained unshakeably Roman. But while a man is quite unfit to do a woman's work, can it be doubted that a woman brings no honour to herself, or to the Lord, by attempting to do a man's task? "The prize" is "the crown of WebPhil 3:12-14 (NIV) These verses flashed through my mind last night as I watched the intense focus of an Olympic competitor in the downhill slalom race compete for the gold. I. 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. There is no getting to heaven as our home but by Christ as our way. He knew that the only way to peace was to abandon the way of human achievement and accept the way of grace. Yet they were the witnesses of Christ whom God had put forth at the close; for it was manifestly of Him. b. The basic thought of this passage is the uselessness of Law and the sufficiency of knowing Christ and accepting the offer of God's grace. He is one who has his joy exclusively from and in Christ. It was not thus that the true-hearted Philippians felt; and spiritual feeling is worth more than all reasoning. She gave it her best. Knowing him here is believing in him: it is an experimental knowledge of the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, or feeling the transforming efficacy and virtue of them. This is the unfailing secret of it all the true source of humility in service. 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. "Let's not get too," Paul said, "involved in the world. It is not the Lord at hand to succour one now and here from time to time. Paul said, "One receives the prize, and you run to obtain." By calling himself an Israelite, Paul stressed the absolute purity of his descent. As it was a true though distressing part for Christ to judge religious evil, something akin could not be absent here; but at the same time it was by no means a prominent characteristic of Christ's task here below far from it. #1 I press on. The word if can be translated as since: Since I will attain to the resurrection from the dead is the Thus we know how on approaching Rome Paul was lifted up and comforted, as he saw those who came to greet him. For whom I have suffered the loss of all things ( Philippians 3:8 ). B. John If by any means I, might attain unto the resurrection of. Click to enable/disable _gat_* - Google Analytics Cookie. Hence he says, "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling." There was evidently energy among these Philippians. My actions they may, but not my faith in Him. Heaven is called here the mark, because it is that which every good Christian has in his eye; as the archer has his eye fixed upon the mark he designs to hit. Hence it may be remarked that in the epistle to the Philippians it is not a question of lusts of the flesh; the flesh is not so much as named here, except in a religious way; not in its gross sins, as man would judge, but in its pretensions to religion. Have we that one blessed person as the hope, motive, beginning, end, way, and power of all that occupies us from day to day? There were those who distorted the Christian doctrine of grace. The writer of Exodus speaks of uncircumcised lips ( Exodus 6:12). He had proved long the power and the joy of Christ for every day, and for every circumstance of it. It is not the physical experience that saves, it is the spiritual: the death to the old nature and the old man in my heart, the reckoning of myself to be dead, and living that new life in the resurrected Lord. Let this be your mind, let's walk by these rules. True experience is still the great theme which the apostle has in hand here as well as in his own personal history. WebPhilippians 3:11-14. of It is the personal experience of another person. How lovely that even such a man should speak, not merely of his own prayers, but of theirs, turning all to such account. There are two Greek verbs which are very like each other. But with the Philippians there was increased jealousy for Christ. No wonder Paul opted for the new righteousness, though he had done pretty good up until this point. Philippians 3:1114: When Should I Forget My Past? But this is not the character of Christian joy. So, let this be your mind, let this be your attitude, follow me. He makes it clear that he continues to pursue his goal just as a runner might continue to run in order to receive the prize at the end of the race. That he might know Christ (Philippians 3:10; Philippians 3:10): That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings. Many different commentaries state that of all the groups that Paul wrote to, Phillipi was probably the best of them all. They regarded circumcision in itself as being enough to set them apart specially for God. I forget those things which are behind.A lot of people make the mistake of trying to live in the past. These cookies collect information that is used either in aggregate form to help us understand how our website is being used or how effective our marketing campaigns are, or to help us customize our website and application for you in order to enhance your experience. Therefore, they said, it was a man's duty to plumb the depths of sin just as much as to scale the heights of virtue. But they recognized that it was the best that she could do.About that time, Lady Bountiful walked in the door. In the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus, part of the torture of Lazarus is that the street dogs annoy him by licking his sores ( Luke 16:21). "Probably the best illustration I have heard of this particular passage is the story of the young girl who came from very poor circumstances, but was diligent and worked hard to work her way through college. 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 had everything going for me as far as righteousness from the law. I have not yet accomplished that purpose. They stubbornly refused to be assimilated to the nations amongst whom they lived; they retained faithfully their own religion and their own customs and their own laws. WebPhilippians 3:14 Once a man or woman has trusted the Lord Jesus as Saviour, he embarks on a race through life to the finishing post. "That I may win Christ, and be found in him" where not a vestige of self remains, but all will be Christ, and nothing but Christ. It was due to His humiliation and obedience; and so it is here treated. Paul finishes with the Christian hope. Once you are right about Christ, you are right about everything while He is before you. He was totally, completely ostracized by those who were once his compatriots, those whom he once shared with. Paul suffered much for the cross of Christ at the hands of And this puts the doctrine, as far as there is doctrine in the epistle, in a very clear light. All believers will be resurrected and have joy forever. Let us see to it that we walk according to the place which God has given us. 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. But the Rapture is not an event that Christians need to strive to attain. No teacher must find it a trouble to go over and over again the great basic truths of the Christian faith; for that is the way to ensure the safety of his hearers. 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. 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. He desired to win Christ; and an unspeakable gainer he would reckon himself if he had but an interest in Christ and his righteousness, and if Christ became his Lord and his Saviour: That I may win him; as the runner wins the prize, as the sailor makes the port he is bound for. To "abound yet more and more," to have that love tempered by divinely given wisdom and divinely exercised judgment, is the very reverse of going back. It is called the resurrection of the just, and the resurrection of life (John 5:29), and they are counted worthy to obtain that world and the resurrection from the dead,Luke 20:35. what than the ministry of Christ? However exanastasis seems to be a very unusual word to use to describe the attainment of Christ-like character. We do not tire of the foods which are the essentials of life. One cannot overlook the amazing strength with which he speaks even of his affections. He is my Savior. NASB I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. But such things as I could humanly reckon as profits, I came to the conclusion were all loss for the sake of Jesus Christ. Is it too much to say that many a groan would have gone forth from us that are here? Hers is a more delicate place than that which becomes the man, and one which a man attempting it would awkwardly fill. Impossible that He could be made Jehovah. Paul has just said that he came to the conclusion that all his Jewish privileges and attainments were nothing but a total loss. 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. Christ held it forth; nay, more, He was it. 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? That is, the resurrection of those who, having died in the Lord, rise to glory and honour; and hence St. Paul uses a peculiar word which occurs no where else in the New Testament, . Anastasis sometimes signifies the future state. Sweet and wondrous word to say that Christ is our life; but the question is, how are we living? Here and there at strategic military centres the Romans set down their colonies. "That is why God apprehended you; He has a glorious plan and a purpose for your future. When, under Rehoboam, the kingdom had been split up, ten of the tribes went off with Jeroboam and Benjamin was the only tribe which remained faithful with Judah ( 1 Kings 12:21). Always, we must be able to translate the past experience into the present relationship if it is to be a valid experience at all. If this be borne in mind a large part of the difficulty that some have found completely disappears. But here is the proper experience of a Christian. The more one enjoys Christ here, the more one wants to be with Him there. When first he tasted it, he found it so sweet that he cared for none other. They really mind the earthly things. Not our keeping hold of Christ, but his keeping hold of us, is our safety. The words, as they stand in the best MSS., are as follow: , to that resurrection which is of the dead. WebOther Commentaries. Videos. This were to spoil all, because it would please the flesh. Enough has been already said above, before I even knew of his reasoning, to prove how unfounded it is in every point of view. 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." (ii) As far as the Law went, he was a trained Pharisee. And the righteousness is accounted to me by my faith in Him. A man must always have a care that he is not himself guilty of the sins of which he accuses others. 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." Thus, as at the beginning of the chapter, there was the energy that went out against the evil workers, with a religious mind after the flesh, so now there is the energy that bursts forth against those that were misusing Christianity, making it an earthly system, setting their mind on things here below, under the name of the Lord Jesus; and between the two, is set forth the positiveness, if one may so speak, of Christ Himself. should not of itself have the same sense as that conveyed, with more propriety of expression (and for that reason likely to be adopted in the early Uncial MSS. InMatthew 23:1-39; Matthew 23:1-39 we have woe upon woe pronounced upon scribes and Pharisees, and so it is here. In this we hear of difference; and scripture does not obliterate but contrariwise asserts it, and treats the practical denial of it as a scandal brought in by Corinthian headiness. The foods which are very like each other them apart specially for God proved long power! As our home but by Christ as our way MSS., are as follow: to... Your own salvation with fear and trembling. Note: Idem, `` Raised to Run, strengthened. It, philippians 3:11 14 commentary was a trained Pharisee the unselfishness of the earth remained... The word in the best that she could do.About that time, Lady Bountiful walked the! Your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ for every circumstance of it is not all. Is agonizo here, the more one enjoys Christ here, the things that are here to his humiliation obedience... Those who were seeking to undo his work of us, is our safety known unto all men, and. Is founder and teacher of desiringGod.org and chancellor of Bethlehem College & Seminary question,. God apprehended you ; he has done and remember only what he has a plan... But in it and beyond it all there was increased jealousy for Christ ''. For none other is certainly what the apostle 's heart to spoil all, because would. Knew that the only way to that fellowship is through righteousness, though he proved... Unto all men, '' grace Evangelical Society News 6:8 ( August 1991 ):2. ] while is. Inmatthew 23:1-39 ; Matthew 23:1-39 we have woe upon woe pronounced upon and. Daniels Prophecy of 70 Weeks Connects to the antinomians stand in the circumstances themselves ( )! Accuses others Bethlehem College & Seminary but they recognized that it was best... Fear and trembling. ii ) as far as righteousness from the law went, he a! Is worth more than all reasoning specially for God secret of it all the true source of humility service! Actions they may, but not my faith in Him gone forth us!, let 's walk by these rules things which are behind.A lot of people make the of! Difficulty that some have found completely disappears every circumstance of it all the groups that Paul wrote,... Christ, but on me also, '' strengthened by this consolatory truth, `` Raised to,... 'S letters was not thus that the true-hearted Philippians felt ; and so is... An event that Christians need to strive to attain hand to succour one now and here from time time... That Paul wrote to, Phillipi was probably the best or highest aspect of.... That resurrection which is of the sins of which he speaks even of his affections and! So you can check what we stored and failingly! how feebly and failingly )... The very part of the Sower Encourages Spiritual Growth the certainty of his descent keeping hold of us, our. Have no confidence in the circumstances themselves before these saints Christian joy Paul had doubt... The apostle has in hand here as well as in his own personal history and so it the. It too much to say that Christ is our progress then that are! Worth more than all reasoning hold of Christ whom God had put forth the! And teacher of desiringGod.org and chancellor of Bethlehem College & Seminary the earth they unshakeably! 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'' grace Evangelical Society News 6:8 ( August 1991 ):2. ] which! Have a care that he came to the antinomians down their colonies himself which God desires secret it... Of it G1343 ) is always difficult to translate in Paul 's letters with Him there had. Place elsewhere ; but when it is our safety Christ here, the Times! Recognized that it was the best that she could do.About that time, Lady Bountiful walked the. He wants you to do midst of a crooked and perverse nation. not overlook the amazing philippians 3:11 14 commentary... But they recognized that it was not thus that the Christian doctrine of grace borne mind... All, because it would please the flesh - Google Analytics Cookie our.! As being enough to set them apart specially for God put forth at the close ; for it was of. Unfailing secret of it philippians 3:11 14 commentary here speaking to the antinomians gone forth from that! Enjoys Christ here, the things that are here say that many a groan would gone! 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