What seemed to some the death of the gospel was in point of fact distinctly for the furtherance of it. In the Christian life there is no room for a person who desires to rest upon his laurels. It is perfectly possible for him to observe all the outward observances of religion and yet have hatred and bitterness and pride in his heart. Verse 11. And now, follow me as an example, live by this rule, because there are those who don't live by this rule. Him therefore I hope to send presently, so soon as I shall see how it will go with me. Forgive me, Lord. This epistle treats of daily sorrows and difficulties, yet does it manifestly overflow with joy, which all the dangers, sufferings, and trials only made the more triumphant and conspicuous. I agonizo towards the mark for the prize of the high calling of God.Paul said, "Don't you realize that they that run in a race run all, only one receives the prize, so run that you may obtain." Here the King James Version is dangerously misleading. 13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Our website uses cookies to store user preferences. a. So he reaches forth, epekteinomenos--stretched himself forward, bearing towards his point: it is expressive of a vehement concern. This explains the unusual word Paul employed that appears only here in the Greek New Testament. But while he was on his way, just before arriving in Damascus about noontime, there came a light from heaven brighter than the noonday sun. He "became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 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. Differences there may be among the saints, and especially when we come to the question of experience. "For I have no man like-minded, who will naturally care for your state." Have rather that spirit which counts nothing as a right to be claimed, but all one has as gifts of grace to be freely used in this world, because one has Christ in view. It is not a question of acceptance in Christ. Of the two, the converse would be more intelligible; but my conviction is that both the Lord and His apostle used similar and correct phraseology, as did the Holy Spirit elsewhere. What God was interested in is that my heart was circumcised, that I had the heart after the Spirit, and not after the flesh. His view in all which was, that he might attain to that glorious and happy state of the resurrection of the dead in Christ, Php 3:11, and to prevent mistakes, and anticipate an objection that might be made to him, as if he ascribed perfection to himself in the present state, he owns he had not arrived to it: all he meant was, that it was his desire to enjoy that which Christ had laid hold on him for; in order to which he buried in oblivion what was past, looking and pressing to things before hint, even to Christ, and the glory he was called unto, which was with him, Php 3:12-14. And thus the name dog the Jews began to apply to the Gentiles. "Help them" (says he) "with Clement also, and with my other fellow-labourers, whose names are in the book of life. or are there mingled ways and mixed motives? What is the Spirit now doing? He says to them, "In your proud self-righteousness, you call other men dogs; but it is you who are dogs, because you shamelessly pervert the gospel of Jesus Christ." They said that in Christianity all law was gone and that the Christian had liberty to do what he liked. There were those who distorted the principle of Christian liberty. Returning, however, to the women Evodia and Syntyche, they had devoted themselves to an exceedingly happy and prized service. Click to enable/disable Google reCaptcha. "The one preach Christ of contention supposing to add affliction to my bonds: but the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel. "Well, where did you place?" 12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already He is one who has his joy exclusively from and in Christ. He must be conformed to his Master in all things; and this was one of them. 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. When the revival swept England the son was in York jail. "For the same cause also do ye joy and rejoice with me. In God there is ample supply. They shared the conflict of the gospel; they partook of the reproach that covered those who preached it. In the days of the early Church it is quite often used to describe martyrs. After a dead dog! Click to enable/disable _ga - Google Analytics Cookie. "Let's not get too," Paul said, "involved in the world. This is proper to give us measures in all our service, and to quicken us every step we take; and it is of God, from whom we are to expect it. He has regarded his life on earth, particularly his former life as a Pharisee, as garbage compared to the life he now attains to, the life of knowing Christ. At this point Paul repeats warnings that he gave the Philippian church some time earlier concerning Judaisers. (i) "Beware of the dogs," he says. It was from the tribe of Benjamin that the first king of Israel had come ( 1 Samuel 9:1-2), and it was no doubt from that very king that Paul had been given his original name of Saul. He had no theory that first love must necessarily wane and cool down, but the very reverse. the love of Christ everywhere! Every man is grasped by Christ for some purpose; and, therefore, every man should all his life press on so that he may grasp that purpose for which Christ grasped him. He had a work for you to fulfill. The Scotchman, too, wherever he may be, remembers the land of brown heath and shaggy wood. And the Irishman, too, let him be where he will, still thinks the Emerald Isle the first gem of the sea. Who they were is not certain. It is no trouble to me to write the same things to you, and for you it is safe. And so Paul says, "Beware of those who would mutilate your body, for we are of those who are circumcised in the spirit." And it is an interesting period in church history where those who are indulging their flesh look upon it as spiritual superiority. He is able even to subdue all things to Himself and accomplish something as amazing as the resurrection of our bodies after the pattern of Jesus resurrection. In other words, "Here I am, I am chained in prison, but I don't find it hard to write this to you. They demanded that they be circumcised and they keep the law of Moses in order to be saved, which Paul called the perversion of the gospel of Jesus Christ.It is interesting that these people usually referred to the Gentiles as dogs. Paul had certain people that seemed to follow him wherever he went, trying to pervert that which he taught of the grace of God, especially the Jewish legalizers who sought to bring the people back to a legal relationship with God, putting them under the law. WebPhilippians 3 He preached in the same church as C. H. Spurgeon over one hundred years earlier. I had everything going for me as far as righteousness from the law. The apostle loved to give God's place and value to everything; and here it is the mingling of Christ with the circumstances of every day. It is important to note the verb which he uses for to know. himself had been sick? Perhaps he meant he wanted to experience suffering for Christs sake and was even willing to die for Him to arrive at his resurrection in a manner that would enable him to face His master unashamed. So, let this be your mind, let this be your attitude, follow me. Who can understand why it should be "suitable to the persons addressed," on Dr. B's showing? But so it is; and thus the food of faith becomes the poison of unbelief. The writer of Exodus speaks of uncircumcised lips ( Exodus 6:12). 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. John Piper is founder and teacher of desiringGod.org and chancellor of Bethlehem College & Seminary. Hers is a more delicate place than that which becomes the man, and one which a man attempting it would awkwardly fill. John Piper @JohnPiper. I was so moved, I was so touched by the Spirit of God upon my life." Why should such as they face the unmannerly officials that took advantage of the imperial government to treat with injury those identified with the gospel? Paul could say not only, "Listen to my words," but also, "Follow my example." ( 1 Samuel 24:14, compare 2 Kings 8:13; Psalms 22:16; Psalms 22:20). It was this which Paul sought - this for which he strove - this that was so bright an object in his eye that it was to be secured at any sacrifice. There is no doubt that Paul is here speaking to the antinomians. He speaks as if they were in danger of missing it, and coming short of it. This counting on the Lord the apostle might have even where things were wrong. Let nobody suppose me to insinuate that a woman is not in place when exercising, according to the Scripture, any gift God has given her. Now, Paul was a classic example of what Jesus was referring to. "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, but it doesn't yet appear what we are going to be, but we know when He appears, we are going to be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is" ( 1 John 3:2 ). Every teacher must be more anxious to listen to God than to propagate his own opinions or he, too, will run the risk of being a worker of evil, even when he thinks that he is a worker of righteousness. 3:10-11 My object is to know him, and I mean by that, to know the power of his Resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, while I continue to be made like him in his death, if by any chance I may attain to the resurrection of the dead. It was by this name that the Jews called the Gentiles. b. Philippians 3:14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. "It pleased God," wrote the father, "not to cut him off in his sins. So that you could share with Him the eternal glories of His kingdom. They are stagnating now. They go to the bars and drink lite beer and talk about the touchdowns they use to make. He desires for them, not anxiety about the issue of it, but true gravity of spirit, because of feeling that it is a question between God and the devil, and that we have to do with that struggle in the most direct way. Therefore, do what you like with it; since it is evil anyhow it makes no difference what you do with it. But he had himself gone through the trial; he had weighed it all; he had brought it into the presence of God. It is all judged, and its religious form not least, by Christ "Though," says he, "I might also have confidence in the flesh. Such a Jew would speak the language of the country in which he lived but also the Hebrew which was his ancestral language. Hence he speaks of the conflict which they once saw to be in him, and now heard to be in him. Their mind isn't after the Spirit and after the things of the Spirit, they are more concerned and interested in the types of cars they drive and the things of the flesh and the earthly things, than they are the things of the Spirit. The Philippian congregation was generally a wonderful group of people. Paul claims that there was no demand of the Law which he did not fulfil. Thus fervour of desire for others is the happy index of this whenever coupled with adequate knowledge of ourselves. Paul felt that when Christ stopped him on the Damascus Road, he had a vision and a purpose for Paul; and Paul felt that all his life he was bound to press on, lest he fail Jesus and frustrate his dream. And the righteousness is accounted to me by my faith in Him. 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