“Philippians- An Exposition“

This message is the 8th part after the introduction of an expository study of the Epistle of Philippians written by the apostle Paul under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

In this study message we will be looking a Philippians 3 with specific emphasis on verses that speak of glory and Righteous-justification, with all of the past and current context we can use to expose this chapter’s text for what it says.
Paul continues to warn us of by way of analogy of the dog like evil workers, comprised of those self-righteous individuals that glory in their cut off and rotten foreskins, and dung, those things dogs enjoy chewing upon and glory in.

We will make application to our own individual life as we consider Paul’s past, both the good and bad of what he lists concerning himself and renders it all ‘dung’  “for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord”.

And we will also consider the way we are told to think about those good and right and lawful things God has given us to do in this life as we run this race towards the finish line justified by Jesus Christ’s resurrection.

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Delivered on 12-22-2021 / grego. 4-23-2022

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Compiled by JS LOWTHER
renewedcovenantministry.com
servant@renewedcovenantministry.com

Philippians 

An Exposition 

Pt.8 Contrasting Glories with Righteousness

Hear the word of the LORD written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit by Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:

Php_3:1  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.
Php 3:2  Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision.
Php 3:3  For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.
Php 3:4  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:
Php 3:5  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;
Php 3:6  Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.
Php 3:7  But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.
Php 3:8  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,
Php 3:9  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:
Php 3:10  That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
Php 3:11  If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.
Php 3:12  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.
Php 3:13  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,
Php 3:14  I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Php 3:15  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.
Php 3:16  Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.
Php 3:17  Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.
Php 3:18  (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:
Php 3:19  Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)
Php 3:20  For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:
Php_3:21  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.

End

Today I hope to end chapter 3 of this Epistle, and next Sabbath I hope to finalize the epistle as a whole.

In our last look at Philippians we saw Paul warning us of those who are ‘cut off’ the concision as the KJV calls it, and Paul used Circumcision as the vehicle of expressing this graphic warning of Dogs and evil workers.
Paul utilizes circumcision no doubt because in his day a false doctrine concerning the nature of circumcision had arisen we see the doctrine stated plainly in

Act_15:1 …. Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.

And so in fact ones individual circumcision as a man, a small cut off piece of flesh was instrumental in salvation according to this doctrine.

And yet Paul has in this book already laid forth the case for salvation:

Php_1:5  For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now;
Php 1:6  Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

And he lays upon what God begins all other good works to be performed in us until judgment day.
Saying:

Php_1:9  And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;
Php 1:10  That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ;
Php 1:11  Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.

and so if Circumcision of the flesh is the keeping of the commandment of God, as it is said to be by Paul in 1Co_7:19 as per Genesis 17 then circumcision is but part of the progression of one in good works, scriptural knowledge and sincerity, as answering to:

Php_ 2:13  For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

But in no way could circumcision plus faith in Christ equal salvation.

But as I pointed out, the words Paul uses are analogous or analogical. Yes, to meet the Judaizer at his false doctrines motives and stop it, but also to stop anyone who cuts them self-off and desires you to cut you self off from the one mind of the Christian faith by a high-minded carnivorous attitude concerning you salvation based on anything you have done in your flesh body. And yes, this includes functions of your brain used to contemplate salvation and faith.

Here is the truth, the only cognition you are allowed to own as a Christian that has any connection to you mind, psyche, and understanding in terms of salvation is the humble understanding of Grace.
That is the free gift of God in all things that encompass salvation.

Why?

Because you can never glory in anything you have cut off, you have done, you have even thought in your brain has he power to save your soul from the power of sin.
No, not even a lawful commandment keeping, circumcised faithful life with the highest regard for Jesus!

Gal_3:21  Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.

That is why.

And so we are warned of the cut off mentality, the cut off evil workers, the cut off dogs that desire to glory in chewing on flesh and not in those things Paul in this epistle and God in general continual says the Christian’s glory is in

Php 1:11  Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.

Php 2:11  And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Here is where the glory is. Here is the repression of vainglory Php 2:3

It is in the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:

Php 3:21  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. 

That is the hope of the resurrection, and salvation on that day.
The opposite of all this is these dogs and evil workers, these cut off ones, those who cut them selves off from the one mind of Christ in vain glory…

they are the enemies of the cross of Christ

Php 3:19  Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)

How do we differentiate between heavenly things and earthly things?

It is where our glory is. It’s a mind set and understanding it is a repentant disposition focused of Christ our Lord verses these destructive and shameful things focused on themselves. Who get the glory, is the question.

Consider :
God has chosen Paul to be our apostle, Paul was by the grace of God an Israelite, a Hebrew of the Hebrews a Benjamite, circumcised just right on the 8th day accord to Gen 17, raised in the law in the more strict way… and this lead him in all of his self righteousness to do what? Persecute the church in his zeal.

Cut them off! Kill them who glory in Christ and his work above those things God has done by his grace.

So, Paul told us all this is “dung” compared to the excellency and glory of what the Saints have in the knowledge of Christ Jesus our Lord: Whom we are willing and Paul had suffered the loss of all things… all that he might win Christ that I may win Christ, 

Php 3:10  That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
Php 3:11  If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.

See Paul was not teaching as those taught in Act_15:1 or like those in Galatia, that say:

‘Yes, now that you know who Jesus is you need to be perfected by the law in order to be saved, you need to walk in the law blamelessly to be saved for the rest of your life, to receive the grace of God.’

No, Paul was born into a good lawful home, and in his self righteousness which comes by the law alone- thinking himself to be blameless, and thus zealous he hated Christ and his message, his gospel and his people.

All this was earthly, because it was not focused on the King and Lord of glory Jesus Christ.  That is the divide.

All the good of the Law in Paul’s case was lost on him… until… faith had come.

Then all that he knew, all the scripture he was taught he digested and looked behind him and realized I was constipated. Stifled in the flesh, but the knowledge of the glory of Jesus and the message of the cross was more excellent than all the stuff that went into him as a Child of the covenant conferred upon him by his father and mother.

Yes, it had purpose, yes it was useful, yes God used it, but from the beginning to work according to his good pleasure in Paul’s renewed man in Christ.
To strip Paul of all of His self righteousness obtained by his flesh, he showed him the meaning of Righteousness and how it was resident only in that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

Php 3:10  That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death…

This is how the Lord used the righteousness that is in the law in the life of the law master Saul of Tarsus.

Let me give you the gist of what this is saying another way as I make application to my self:

“I was thankfully born into a European Christian family and home.

I do not remember a time where the God of Israel was not mentioned. I do not remember a day where Jesus was not named when we would pray.
We went to the church building and worshiped multiple times a week, and were engaged in many Christian oriented activities in life.
When I was a Child I was encouraged and apt to memorize and think upon scripture from the bible.

And I had many good influences to that end.

My mom and dad were happy with me memorizing bible verses, watching bible movies and cartoons, listening scriptural music, as a Child I wanted to know what the bible said. I never minded bible memory in School.
But I didn’t know Christ.

I count it all dung compared to the excellency of the glory of knowing Christ as my savior and to be apprehended by him and to know knowledgeably and mindfully make attempts to apprehend that for which I am apprehended which is found in my risen savior.

Even the good things, the best things without Christ has a purpose, but it is all to fuel us to know him and the power of his resurrection.
And I hope every one who has been apprehended by Christ knows exactly what I am saying.

And what Paul went on to say:

Php 3:11  If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. Not as though I had already attained (the resurrection of the dead), either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend (the resurrection of the dead) that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.

Php_3:13  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,
Php 3:14  I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Php 3:15  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.
Php 3:16  Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained (the resurrection of the dead), let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.

What is he saying?

He is saying the resurrection of Jesus has apprehended me, that is what I strive to attain in the day of Christ, at judgment when I am raised up in the resurrection, I want to be raised justified with Jesus in what ways I am justified and made righteous by Him NOW and I want to be declared righteous at the day of Christ as I run across this finish line of life as an athlete running for a praise of the High calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Why do I say this? dee’-kay is the root word for all the words used in Greek to indicate Righteousness and Justification, and it is the resurrection of Jesus and the glory of His resurrection alone that Justifies us and declares us righteous before God in terms of Judgment, nothing else can do that.

Yes our Faith can be counted or credited as righteousness- but faith in what?

I do not pretend to know all the mysterious attributes of the manifestation of God in the flesh in the coming of Jesus Christ, but Rom_4:22-25 – Rom_5:2 says teachus us the power of the resurrection of Christ for our justification:

And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

Jesus our Lord … was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.
And Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

Now I know theologically what all this is saying, but I do not know how Christ being delivered to death and raised from the dead was needful for my justification, I do not know why in the plan of God this choice was chosen as the only way of salvation.

But the point is clear, our righteous-justification is found in Jesus and it is specifically found in his resurrection and this aspect of the Gospel and our faith is in it where we stand understanding our justification comes from our righteousness. This is declared here and in this act of God which he has done for his own self glorification in Christ the Son.
This apprehends us, and we follow after, if that we may apprehend that for which also we are apprehended of Christ Jesus.
We wan to attain or grab what has grabbed us.

Don’t miss those words, so often missed when we’ve read this before.
I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
There is a prize in the calling of God in Christ to run this race.

We understand by the mind the phron-eh-o understanding to hear the call of Christ as a prize to be attained.

All this Paul is saying is the looking ahead and the not behind of everything that has ever come before this knowledge and understand this mind specifically.

What ever thoughts we had before this thought, whatever mind we had before this mind, whatever animal passions we had before this new animal this new creature was birthed in us is the refuse and the dung, and it is behind us to be buried in Christ, used only to proclaim his glory in giving us power to run this race.
Here is our perfect Mind which must against anti- all other understanding. We like our faith Jesus Christ and he being in the form of God, in equality with God an that not being robbery of God, this also is how our mind is hedged in understand the excellency of Christ and His work over our own in minding man minds unto him.

Therefore Paul says:

Php 3:15  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.
Php 3:16  Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.
Php 3:17  Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.

Php 3:18  (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:

Php 3:19  Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)

Php 3:20  For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:

Php_3:21  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.