Follow the rules or know Him?

 

Philippians 3:4-21 (NASB)

“I myself might have confidence even in the flesh. 

If anyone else has a mind to put confidence in the flesh, I far more: 

circumcised the eighth day, 

of the nation of Israel, 

of the tribe of Benjamin, 

a Hebrew of Hebrews; 

as to the Law, a Pharisee; 

as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; 

as to the righteousness which is in the Law, found blameless.

But whatever things were gain to me, 

those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 

More than that, I count all things to be loss 

in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, 

for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, 

and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, 

and may be found in Him, 

not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, 

but that which is through faith in Christ, 

the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, 

that I may know Him 

and the power of His resurrection 

and the fellowship of His sufferings, 

being conformed to His death; 

in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.

Not that I have already obtained it 

or have already become perfect, 

but I press on 

so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. 

Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; 

but one thing I do: 

forgetting what lies behind 

and reaching forward to what lies ahead, 

I press on 

toward the goal for the prize 

of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 

Let us therefore, as many as are perfect 

have this attitude; 

and if in anything you have a different attitude, 

God will reveal that also to you; 

however, let us keep living by that same standard to which we have attained.

Brethren, join in following my example, 

and observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us. 

For many walk, 

of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, 

that they are enemies of the cross of Christ, 

whose end is destruction, 

whose god is their appetite, and 

whose glory is in their shame, 

who set their minds on earthly things. 

For our citizenship is in heaven, 

from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, 

the Lord Jesus Christ; 

who will transform the body of our humble state 

into conformity with the body of His glory, 

by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.”

This passage is from a letter Paul wrote to a group of believers in Phillipi. He began the letter encouraging them not to be worried because he was in prison. God was using that for good, to minister to the prison guards. 

He reminded them to keep in mind that even when they also suffered under persecution, not looking for their own safety, but to live as Christ did, in humble submission to the will of God. 

Upward call. The word "upward" can mean to fill to the brim. So, rather than fill ourselves with a resume that might look like Saul's, we could fill ourselves up with the faith that comes from knowing Christ!

In this part of his letter, Paul talked about his transformation while he was still known as Saul, after meeting Jesus on the Damascus road (read about it in Acts 9). While he was Saul, he had a highly respected position and an impressive resume in the law. After he met and came to know Christ, his perspective changed. 

 

The Bible is our book of answers. 

What answers do you find to the following questions?

Study questions - 

What credentials did Paul list early in this passage to remind the readers of his knowledge of the Law? 

Immediately after that list, he says he counted that as what, compared to knowing Christ?

Paul explained that before, he had a "righteousness of my own derived from the Law" but now that where does his righteousness come from? 

In the sentence reading "Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, have this attitude," the word "perfect" has a meaning we need to understand. That word, "teleios" in Greek, could also be translated mature, rather that the perfection we think of in modern English. 

Paul told them and us how to identify enemies of the cross of Christ. List the specific ways we can know them. What will be their end? 

His summary reminds us of our true home. Where is our eternal citizenship? 

Who is coming from there?

What will He do?

Hallelujah!

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