Philippians 3:1-21

Verse 1, Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe.

I. II Peter 1:12 - Write is not grievous.

Verse 2, Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision.

I. Evil workers.

A. I Tim. 4:1-3 - Bad workers.

B. Matt 25:41-46 - Good and bad workers.

  1. Acts 15:1 - At Antioch.

  2. “Concision” means to cut up and divide.

Verse 3, For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.

I. Circumcision - Romans 2:25,26 - For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision. 26 Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision?

II. Worship in Spirit - John 4:23,24.

Verse 4-6, Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: {5} Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; {6} Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.

  1. Our unrighteousness through the law.

    1. Romans 7:7-14.

    2. Zeal - Acts 9:1,2.

    3. Pharisees - Believed in resurrection - Acts 23:8.

    4. Satan does not present seekers of God with a doctrine of not trusting in Christ for their eternal salvation.

      1. He gives them confidence in something else.

      2. He gives them something other than Christ, so they will think they have more than others, or they will have more than what Christ offers so they must be better than others who are simply trusting in Christ.

      3. They are trusting in what they do, what they have, or what they desire, instead of simply trusting in Christ.

      4. They have overconfidence, but their confidence is in the wrong things, not the right things.

Verse 7, But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.

I. Things that are gain.

A. Gain in worldly wisdom - I Corinthians 1:19.

B. Lose life - Matt. 10:39.

C. Worldly reputation.

1. Joseph, a secret disciple - Luke 19:38.

2. Nicodemus, a secret disciple - Luke 19:38.

3. Apostles are set last - I Corinthians 4:9-13.

D. Wealth - The rich young ruler must leave his riches behind - Luke 18:18-27.

E. Live the good life - Zacchaeus gave it all away - Luke 19:8,9.

F. Statue in life - Jesus went into Jerusalem on a donkey (a royal animal) - Luke 19:29-40.

Verse 8, Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,

I. Paul counts all things gained in the flesh as lost toward God.

II. Win Christ.

A. Win blessing of Christ - Keep crown - Rev. 3:11.

B. We are to be clean - I Thess. 4:7.

C. Win Blessings while we have time - Eccl. 9:7-10.

Verse 9, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

Verse 10, That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;

I. Know Him - Be a friend of Christ - John 15:13-15.

A. Power of resurrection.

1. All shall hear His voice for the resurrection - John 5:28,29.

2. Jesus has the keys to death - Rev. 1:18.

a. Resurrection of just and unjust - Acts 24:15.

b. Resurrection of dead - I Thess 4:13-17.

B. Verse 14 - Put on immortality - I Corinthians 15:51-54.

1. All bodies shall be changed.

2. The soul is with Christ at death.

a. The thief on the cross - Luke 23:43.

b. We're with Christ - John 14:3.

c. Absent from body, present with God - II Corinthians 5:8.

C. Order of resurrection.

1. Jesus appears.

2. Dead appears.

a. I Thess. 4:16.

b. Col. 3:4.

3. Alive appears.

a. I Corinthians 5:1-53.

b. I Thess 4:16,17.

D. Heavenly hope.

1. Hope of salvation - I Thess 5:8.

2. Salvation is nearer - Romans 13:14.

3. Hope of righteousness - Gal. 5:5.

E. The opposite is hope is the pit of destruction - Ps. 55:23.

II. Know Him - A friend of Christ - John 15:13-15.

A. Resurrection.

1. All will be resurrected.

a. All shall hear His voice - John 5:28,29.

b. Resurrection of just and unjust - Acts 24:15.

B. What happens at death?

1. Saved.

a. Thief on cross - Luke 23:43.

b. Absent from body - with Christ - II Corinthians 5:8.

c. Paul will be with Christ - Phil 1:23.

2. Lost.

a. Rich man and Lazarus - Luke 16:22,23.

b. Pit of destruction - Psalms 55:23.

c. Wages of sin is death - Romans 6:23.

C. Resurrection of saved.

1. Dead first, then alive - I Thess 4:13-18.

2. Body must be immortal - I Corinthians 15:51-54.

3. Saved taken out before tribulation.

a. Rev. 2:20-23.

b. II Thess 2:7,8.

4. Flesh and blood cannot inherit heaven - I Corinthians 15:50.

D. Resurrection of lost.

1. Dead lost shall awake - Daniel 12:2.

2. Lost raised at kingdom (of new heaven and new earth) - II Tim. 4:1.

3. Judged before new earth and new heaven - Rev. 20:11-15.

III. Hope.

A. Resurrection of body to complete salvation.

1. Hope of salvation - I Thess 5:8.

2. Hope of righteousness - Gal. 5:5.

3. Salvation is nearer - Romans 13:11.

4. Saved by hope - Romans 8:24,25.

5. Promise of eternal life - I John 2:25.

B. The promises of God are true.

1. Able to perform - Romans 4:21.

2. Unfailing - I Kings 8:56.

IV. Fellowship of His suffering.

A. Suffering as much as possible like Christ did (forsake the world).

1. Romans 12:1,2 - Shine for Christ.

2. Matt. 5:15,16 - Shine for Christ.

B. Reward for suffering - be in bride - II Tim. 2:12.

C. Fellowship of suffering.

1. Being close to Christ.

2. Suffering and striving to understand more about it.

3. Study for God - II Tim. 2:15.

4. King David was a man after God's own heart - I Sam. 13:14.

5. Be called a friend of God - John 15:14-16.

D. Conformable unto His death - Romans 6:1-6. (Dead to sin)

Verse 11, If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.

I. Salvation enables those that are saved to be raised in a righteous resurrection - Ps. 49:14,15.

Verse 12, Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.

I. Not already perfect.

A. Romans 6:1,2, I Corinthians 9:27.

B. Apprehending - I Corinthians 9:24-26.

II. Perfection - none are perfect (just) - Eccl 7:20.

A. Already perfect - expecting to be perfect at the resurrection. (body immortal - I Corinthians 15:51-56)

B. Sin brings death - Gen. 2:17.

III. Follow - strive toward.

A. Follow and make fishers of men - Matt. 3:19.

B. Paul and company striving to follow Holy Spirit - Acts 16:7,8.

C. Try spirits - I John 4:1-3.

IV. Get glory for God by our works.

A. Let light so shine - Matt. 5:16.

B. Apprehending glory for God compared to a race.

1. Striving for glory - I Corinthians 9:24.

2. Prepare for the race - II Tim. 2:15.

3. Put on proper equipment for race.

a. Armor of God - Eph. 6:10-20.

b. Ordained to good works - Eph. 2:10.

Verse 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,

I. Fought a good fight - II Tim. 4:7.

II. Forget past (Plough) - Luke 9:62.

Verse 14, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Verse 15, Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.

I. God shall reveal.

A. Through Spirit.

1. I Corinthians 2:13.

2. John 14:26.

3. Nehemiah 9:20.

Verse 16, Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.

I. Remember doctrines and rules we already know.

A. Don't forget.

1. II Peter 3:1.

2. II Peter 1:12.

B. Remind each other - I Tim. 4:6.

C. John wrote because they knew the truth - I John 2:21.

Verse 17, Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.

I. Our walk should be so that all can follow us.

A. Salt of the earth - Matt. 5:13.

B. The world is watching us. They watched Christ.

1. Luke 14:1 - healing on the sabbath day.

2. Mark 3:1 - Man healed on sabbath day.

3. Luke 20:20 - Sent spies.

4. Luke 16:7 - Jesus eating with Zacchaeus.

Verse 18, (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:

I. People that leave the walk of Christ - I John 2:18,19.

A. Disciples forsook Christ - Matt. 26:56.

B. Backsliding - wishing to be lost again - Gal. 4:7-9.

Verse 19, Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)

I. Enemies of Christ - Friends of the world.

A. Look only at the end result of a lifetime.

1. Wicked prosper - Job 21:7-15.

2. David found end result of an evil life at house of God - Psalms 73:16-28.

Verse 20, For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:

I. We lay up treasures where our heart is.

{21} Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.