"THE EPISTLE TO THE PHILIPPIANS"

**Philippians 3:1-21**

OBJECTIVES IN STUDYING THIS CHAPTER

1) To see the error of placing confidence in fleshly accomplishments

2) To understand the need to strive toward perfection in our desire to

know and serve Christ

3) To be reminded of our true citizenship in heaven

SUMMARY

In this chapter we find a warning against those who place great

confidence in the flesh (1-3).  If anyone had reason to boast about

fleshly accomplishments, it was Paul with his Jewish heritage (4-6).

But all such things were considered rubbish in relation to the

excellence of knowing Christ Jesus (7-8).  Therefore Paul had as his

goal to be found in Christ, having that righteousness which is by faith in Jesus, knowing Him and the power of His resurrection, and even sharing in His sufferings, that he might by any means attain to the resurrection from the dead (9-11).

Paul then describes his attitude of pressing on, and encourages all to

follow his example and that of others who walk likewise (12-17).  Such

an exhortation is necessary in view of the reality that there are many

people who are enemies of the cross of Christ, who have made their

fleshly appetites the focus of their minds, and indeed their god

(18-19).  Christians, however, should remember that their true

citizenship is in heaven, from which we eagerly wait for Jesus Christ

who will transform our lowly bodies to be conformed to His glorious

body (20-21).

Righteousness through Faith

(Philippians 3:1-6)

“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.2Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision. 3For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. 4Though 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: 5Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; 6Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.”

Knowing Christ is Above All

(Philippians 3:7-11)

7”But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. 8Yea 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 thembut dung, that I may win Christ, 9And 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: 10That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; 11If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.”

Press on Toward the Goal

(Philippians 3:12-16)

“12Not 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. 13Brethren, 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, 14I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. 15Let 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. 16Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.”

Citizenship in Heaven

(Philippians 3:17-21)

17”Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample. 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:19Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.) 20For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: 21Who 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.”

Standing Strong in the Army of the Lord

Ephesians 6:16-17

“Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 17And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:”

** What battle are you in facing now? Work? Family? Finances? Sins? Everything we face in life is an ongoing battle that we are faced with, but through the shield of faith as well as obtaining the helmet of salvation with our minds on the prize (eternal life) and keeping to the word of God (sword-weapon) we can overcome. It is not easy but as you perservere through it all, it will be worth it in the end. God knows that we have an enemy that seeks for blood and for us to fail, that is why He sent His son on the earth to die for our sins. Obtaining salvation is the first step to overcoming, the rest are along for the ride (work, family, etc).

Don’t think it’s possible to overcome these battles and see yourself in a powerful light, or do you have something (sin, possessions, etc) in your life that is holding you back? **

1 1.  If you think it is impossible overcoming the obstacles in life and fighting the enemy look at these scriptures below:

-Matthew 17:20

“And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.”

-Luke 10:19

“Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.”

2   2.   Do you have something that you can’t let go of that is holding you back from going forward with Christ and overcoming your obstacles in life?

-Matthew 19:16-22

16And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? 17And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. 18He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, 19Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 20The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?21Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. 22But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.

His will for us

(Philippians 2:13-15)

“For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.14Do all things without murmurings and disputings: 15That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;”

*As Christians we are in the will of God, whether things go as we planned or not; it is God’s will for us. God brings us through trials and life experiences for a reason, and in the process we are not to complain and doubt but to persevere, because were an example for Jesus Christ. We are to be shining lights among many in this crooked and perverse nation. As we walk on a righteous path and holding forth to the word of life we are glorifying Him in heaven unto others to witness His great works. So as we experience these life challenges, we have to remember that as long as God works in us we will make it through.

Let’s go a little further and refer back to Isaiah 55:8-9; This explains that Gods ways are not our ways, and in fact His thoughts are higher than ours, which explains everything we see in front of us (creation) as proof to what He can do in us as well. *

(Isaiah 55:8-9)

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.9For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

*The Lord through time and time again has proven His love and wants us to be blessed through Him. The Lord has given us a way to receiving that blessing by His son Jesus Christ. We have been given a chance to be reborn in Him, and to take a look at the road map (Word of God) in front of us for this long journey. He says to obtain these wonderful blessings and succeed is to put Him first and everything (doubts, worries, stress, etc) will truly come into place. *

(Matthew 6:33)“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

To be Bound or Free

(Galatians 4:1-31)

“Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all; 2But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father. 3Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world: 4But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, 5To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. 6And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. 7Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. 8Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods. 9But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? 10Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. 11I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.12Brethren, I beseech you, be as I am; for I am as ye are: ye have not injured me at all. 13Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first. 14And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus. 15Where is then the blessedness ye spake of? for I bear you record, that, if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes, and have given them to me.16Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth? 17They zealously affect you, but not well; yea, they would exclude you, that ye might affect them. 18But it is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing, and not only when I am present with you. 19My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you, 20I desire to be present with you now, and to change my voice; for I stand in doubt of you. 21Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law? 22For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. 23But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise. 24Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. 25For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. 26But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. 27For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband. 28Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. 29But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.

30Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman. 31So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.”

a.  Sons and heirs

b.  Paul’s concern for the Galatians

c.  and the description of Hagar and Sarah in relation to being bound and Free

In this chapter Paul continues and concludes his defense of the gospel

of justification by faith in Christ, in contrast to seeking

justification by the works of the Law.  The previous chapter (3) ended with Paul making a practical argument, how that by faith they had become the sons of God, the true seed of Abraham and heirs of the promise, when they put on Christ in baptism.

The practical argument continues in the first part of chapter four as

Paul describes the condition of those under the Law prior to the coming of Christ.  They were "children", and really no different than slaves.

But when Christ came, He redeemed those under the Law and made it

possible for them to receive the adoption as "sons".  A special

blessing of this sonship was receiving the Spirit in their hearts, and

now they are no longer as a slave but as a son and a heir of God

through Christ (1-7).

Paul then argues along sentimental lines.  After having come to know

the true God and being recognized by Him, their observance of holy days is indicative of a desire to return to bondage.  That greatly concerns Paul, who would have them become like him.  He reminds them of their reception of him in the past, and he hopes that by telling them the truth he has not become their enemy.  Wishing he could be with them in person and use a different tone, he feels like a woman going through labor again as he seeks to ensure that Christ is formed in them.  All of this because he has doubts about them (8-20).

His final argument is an appeal to the Law itself, addressed directly

to those who desire to be under it.  He reminds them of Abraham's two

sons by Sarah and Hagar, and contends there are allegorical

implications concerning the two covenants.  Hagar, the bondwoman who

gave birth to Ishmael, represents the covenant given at Mt. Sinai, and

corresponds to physical Jerusalem and the bondage of those under the

Law.  Sarah, Abraham's wife who gave birth to Isaac, represents the new covenant and corresponds to the heavenly Jerusalem which offers freedom to all who accept it.  With a reminder that those born of the Spirit can expect persecution by those born according to the flesh, Paul concludes his defense of the gospel of justification by faith in Christ by proclaiming that those in Christ are of not of the bondwoman but of the free (21-31).

OUTLINE

I. JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH:  THE PRACTICAL ARGUMENT, cont. (1-7)

   A. THEY HAD BEEN AS CHILDREN, NO DIFFERENT THAN SLAVES (1-3)

      1. The illustration of an heir (1-2)

         a. While a child, is no different than a slave, even though a

            "master" (1)

         b. Under guardians and stewards until the time appointed by

            the father (2)

      2. In like manner, they had been as children, in bondage to the

         elements of the world (3)

   B. THEY'VE RECEIVED ADOPTION AS SONS, NO LONGER AS SLAVES (4-7)

      1. At the right time, God sent His Son, born of woman, born under

         the Law (4)

         a. To redeem those under the Law (5a)

         b. That they might receive the adoptions as sons (5b)

      2. Because they are now "sons" (and not just "children")...

         a. God sent the Spirit into their hearts, crying out "Abba,

            Father!" (6)

         b. No longer are they as "slaves", but as "sons", thus heirs

            of God through Christ (7)

II. JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH:  THE SENTIMENTAL ARGUMENT (8-20)

   A. PAUL'S FEAR OVER THEIR CONDITION (8-11)

      1. They had come to know God, and to be known by God (8-9a)

      2. But they seem to desire to be in bondage again, returning to

         weak and beggarly elements (9b)

      3. Their observance of holy days gives Paul fear that his labor

         was in vain (10-11)

   B. THEIR PAST AND PRESENT RELATIONS WITH HIM (12-20)

      1. A plea for them to be as he is (12)

      2. A reminder of their past relations with him (13-15)

         a. They had not allowed his physical infirmities to hinder

            their reception of him and his gospel (13-14)

         b. They were even willing to pluck out their own eyes for him

            (15)

      3. Has he become their enemy because he tells them the truth?

         (16)

      4. They are being zealously courted by others, but zeal is good

         only when for the right cause (17-18)

      5. He labors over them again, that Christ might be formed in

         them, wishing he could change his tone, but he has doubts

         about them (19-20)

III. JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH:  THE ALLEGORICAL ARGUMENT (21-31)

   A. AN ALLEGORY FOR THOSE WHO DESIRE TO BE UNDER THE LAW (21-24a)

      1. For those who wish to be under the law, will you hear what the

         law says? (21)

      2. For we read Abraham had two sons (22-23)

         a. One of a bondwoman (Hagar), born according to the flesh

            (Ishmael)

         b. The other of a freewoman (Sarah), born through promise

            (Isaac)

      3. These things are symbolic (24a)

   B. THE TWO COVENANTS (24b-31)

      1. The two women represent two covenants (24b-26)

         a. Hagar represents the covenant from Mount Sinai (the Law),

            physical Jerusalem, and the bondage shared with her

            children

         b. Sarah represents a new covenant from Jerusalem above

            (spiritual Jerusalem), which offers freedom to all

      2. As prophesied, the barren woman (Sarah) would have more

         children (27)

      3. Those under the new covenant are like Isaac, children of

         promise (28)

      4. Those born of the Spirit can expect animosity from those born

         of the flesh (29)

      5. But the Scripture says that the children of the free woman

         (Sarah, the Jerusalem above) will be the heir (30)

      6. We are not children of the bondwoman but of the free (31)