Chapter summary
The unity of the church at Philippi was also threatened by Judaizers—men masquerading as believers who insisted that Christians were required to keep the Mosaic Law and, in effect, become Jews. Paul is very direct about these "men who do evil" (3:1-3). As far as Jewish credentials were concerned, Paul's were more impressive (vv. 4-7). But in coming to Christ, Paul abandoned all such things. They were garbage compared to knowing Christ and experiencing a life infused with His resurrection power (vv. 8-11). But such a life requires complete commitment to a goal that always before us, however, our pursuit offers a heavenly prize (vv. 12-14). Paul urges his readers to develop just this kind of mature attitude and to follow his example (vv. 15-17). As for those whose lives show another pattern, particularly a pattern revealing desires and goals that focus on this world, they should be noted and ignored (vv. 18-19). A real Christian's citizenship is in heaven and his/her heart is fixed on home (vv. 20-21).
1) A person can live by laws and rules in such a way that no one can place on them any blame or fault. However, this only an external righteousness, not inner complete moral harmony with God, that He desires. There is nothing in ourselves that would commend us to God. It is our relationship and union with Jesus Christ that makes us righteous through faith.
2) Paul writes of a present life lived in that same resurrection power which raised Jesus from the dead. What is resurrection power? Paul answers that 'If the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your human bodies, through His Spirit, who lives in you' (Rom. 8:11). The point Paul makes is that the Holy Spirit, the instrument of Jesus' resurrection, lives within the believer. This means that resurrection power is available to us even in our humanity." It is this present resurrection—a rising above mere human limitations to live a truly righteous life—that Paul is speaking of here in Philippians.
3) Our past is irrelevant and those things we once relied on now must be discarded, that all our energy might be given to following Christ.
4) Our goal is complete, present, and practical knowledge of Christ. And in a real way, this is also the prize. We press on, because Christ is too vast to know perfectly. Yet the more we learn of Him, the greater our joy and reward.
5) In the 1st century Roman citizenship conveyed the right to hold office, the privilege of appeal to Roman courts, and protection anywhere in the empire. A citizen was not even responsible to local laws or courts without his consent. Paul reminds us that we are citizens of heaven. We live under God's protection. We can appeal directly to Him with any need. We do not give our consent to live by the values or ways of this world, but by the laws of heaven. We have a Ruler to whom we look whose power "enables Him to bring everything under His control" and who will ultimately transform our bodies as well as our hearts and minds.
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