"The Excellency"
Philippians 3:1-11

March 11, 2007
by C.W. Powell

“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. Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision. For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. 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: 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; Concerning zeal, per-secuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. 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, 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 righteous-ness which is of God by faith: That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.” (Php 3:1-11 AV)

I have three questions to answer from this text this morning.

I. What was that Paul hoped to gain?
2. What did Paul give up in order to gain it?
3. What is the medium through which Paul would gain it?

Introduction: Paul has exhorted the church to have the mind of Christ. He had warned them of those who taught that though we come to Christ by faith, we are made perfect by the law. These people did not understand the meaning of circumcision, and saw it only as a fleshly ordinance. To them, Israel was the end all- and the meaning for the work of God: to prepare a people on the earth, a kingdom that was external and gloried in outward appearance.

We dealt with that last week; that sermon is available in tape form if you did not hear it; and treats of the true meaning of circumcision, that though it was external in the flesh and was a sign of inclusion in the nation of Israel, yet it indi-cated something far more, the sum total of our Christian faith:

1. Our sin and misery: circumcise your hearts: repent your sins; humble yourselves. Circumcision was a sign and seal of the righteousness of faith which Abraham had. The true descendants of Abraham are those who Worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh--in human ability.

2. Our redeemer: He who would not be born of the flesh, but of promise; but who would be cut off and made sin for us; accounted unclean in eyes of God in place of of the ruin of the whole race. Jesus was made sin for us who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

3. True worship in thankfulness and holiness: By means of circumcision and what it represented, Israel was sepa-rated from the whole human race unto God. God dwelt with them, and they were a peculiar people among whom God lived and dwelt.

I. What was that Paul hoped to gain? vs. 9. The righteousness of God, which is by faith. Let us not be deceived: what God requires of you and me is absolute perfection. This the law required, and Jesus sets it forth in that great Sermon on the Mount, recorded in Matthew 5-7. His theme is set forth in 5:17-20 and 5:48.

A. God has zero toleration for sin. His eyes are too pure to behold iniquity. The perfection that God requires extends not only to the body but to the soul.

Not only is murder forbidden but anger without cause; railing; and setting a man aside are all counted murder: vs. 20. This means that you are to spare no effort to be reconciled to your brother. Anger, malice, that passion that agitates you against someone else is a corrosive of the soul: do not think that your worship will be accepted of God, if you are agitated in your soul against your fellow man: vs. 23-25. How the church has failed in this!! How far we come short of the glory of God.

Adultery: God requires perfection: body and soul. vs. 28-32. Zero toleration: If we knew the mind of God, we would have zero toleration: even to the cutting off of the hand; the eye. Divorce would horrify us. vs. 27-32.

Blasphemy: The world is God's. All belongs to Him. Where shall we flee, to remove ourselves from His temple, where our voice will not be heard. There is no place you can go, no way you can utter the words that can excuse you from deceit and false-dealing. 5:33-37. You must deal plainly and honestly with people, using words with their plain meanings and living up to your commitments and promises. Anything else comes from evil

Summary: We are to love our neighbor: vs. 43-48. without hope of gaining some advantage. Be perfect, for our father in heaven in perfect.

B. But here is the kicker: No one has ever lived, or will ever live, that can come up to this standard, except Jesus Christ Himself, the Son of God.

Calvin is superb: "There are two righteousnesses of the law. The one is spiritual--perfect love to God, and our neighbours: it is contained in doctrine, and had never an existence in the life of any man. The other is literal--such as appears in the view of men, while, in the mean time, hypocrisy reigns in the heart, and there is in the sight of God nothing but iniquity. Thus, the law has two aspects; the one has an eye to God, the other an eye to men. This latter Paul claims for himself in Phil. 3:6 when he calls himself blameless: he was blameless before men.

Paul was not willing to settle for anything less than complete perfection. Paul is not saying in these passages that God, Himself, will settle for anything less. Nothing impure will ever be in His presence. Nothing lawless; noth-ing irreverent; nothing of strife and war, for His is a kingdom of peace; nothing of deceit. See Rev. 22:14-15

“Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.” (Re 22:14-15 AV)

How somber are these words in the modern world of convenient morals, comfortable religion, entertainment, and false Christ’s and false faiths.

Paul wanted to go to heaven. He had something of heaven already in him: This is described in our catechism; question 114,115.

Q114: Can those who are converted to God keep these Commandments perfectly?
A114: No, but even the holiest men, while in this life, have only a small beginning of such obedience,[1] yet so that with earnest purpose they begin to live not only according to some, but according to all the Command-ments of God.[2]

1. I John 1:8-10; Rom. 7:14-15; Eccl. 7:20
2. Rom. 7:22; James 2:10-11; Job 9:2-3; Psa. 19:13


Q115: Why then does God so strictly enjoin the Ten Commandments upon us, since in this life no one can keep them?
A115: First, that as long as we live we may learn more and more to know our sinful nature,[1] and so the more earnestly seek forgiveness of sins and righteousness in Christ;[2] second, that without ceasing we dili-gently ask God for the grace of the Holy Spirit, that we be renewed more and more after the image of God, un-til we attain the goal of perfection after this life.[3]

II. What did Paul give up in order to gain this: vs. 7. Absolute abandonment of all confidence in himself. No trust at all in his ability to keep the law: vs. 9. My righteousness is always the righteousness of the law.

A. Paul calls this gain the "excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord" "Hence, where we see a false esti-mate of one's own excellence, where we see arrogance, where we see pride, there let us be assured that Christ is not known. On the other hand, so soon as the Christ shines forth, all those things that formerly dazzled our eyes with a false splendor instantly vanish, or at least are disesteemed." (Calvin)

B. Paul had undergone a change in value system:

1. Before he met Christ, he had one value system: vs. 4-6

Paul's earthly credentials were faultless. He was without blemish as far as the highest estimation of the best of humanity could possible think. Does this mean that all mean valued what Paul valued in the flesh: No, the drunk the Corinithian fornicator; the Roman murderer; the Ephesian idolater would not have valued Paul's attainments. Paul’s values were far above their values.

But Paul is not talking of those who wallowed in the sewers of the ancient world; those abandoned of God, without hope, without the promises, without virtue and without knowledge. He is talking about the best man-kind can attain to:

Virtue, God-fearing; honesty; integrity; blameless in the eyes of men; zealous about the things of God; blame-less before the law.

We are reminded of I Pet. 4:18: "If the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and sinner ap-pear." If such a man as Saul of Tarsus has no assurance of going to heaven, but comes short of the mark; where shall the rest of us appear? He was no liar; he was no blasphemer; he was no murderer; he was no fornicator; not in his own eyes, nor in the eyes of the world. On the contrary, he was very zealous for truth, for righteousness, for morality, for decency. He was a good and upright man, whose virtues were seen by all.

2. One day he had a value adjustment. There are two views of the law; two views of righteousness. These views of righteousness were incompatible with each other. Paul realized he had to give up the one in order to gain the other.

a. Righteousness of the law: that's mine; it is before men; it is something I can do myself, and can glory in.
b. Righteousness of faith: that is not mine, and comes forth from God and does not belong to me.

III. What was the medium? Faith. This is connected to Jesus Christ, and is no where else. It is not faith in general which saves, but faith in Jesus Christ.

A. Faith in general: Do what is right and your will be blessed of God and gain eternal life.

B. Faith in Christ: Trust in Christ, not in the things that you do that are right. It is good to do right. It is far better to be a person that does not lie, steal, hate, and follow sinful desires.

C. Question: Where is your trust? In a general faith in doing right; In specific faith in Jesus Christ.

“But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. 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, 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: 10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; 11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.” (Php 3:7-11 AV)

1. My own righteousness. Trusting that I will go to heaven because I have done good things. These are al-ways things that appear before men. All works done before men are ceremonial things. Those done before God cannot be seen by men. Jesus said, “Enter into you closet…Matthew 6:1-18 Praying; fasting; doing alms.

2. The knowledge of Christ: The gospel and truth concerning Christ’s atonement and work of grace. One cannot be gained without renunciation of the other. Exposit verse 7-11

3. vs. 7, 8. His own righteousness is opposed to the knowledge of Christ. Figure: the rich man secure in his richly laden vessel is lost indeed; He is not secure until he has cast everything overboard. He cannot be saved unless he is lost. That is the figure and the meaning of the words.

4. He has lost everything that he might win Christ. All the riches of his righteousness are but measures of his poverty if he has not Christ. The more his attainments, the farther he is from God if he trusts in them. How hardly shall a rich man enter into the kingdom of God.

5. These very things, the things of his own righteousness, were cast away as those things that were worth-less, things cast to the dogs. Being found in Christ; not in my own righteousness. Where is your trust? This is the question.

6. vs. 9. You cannot have it both ways. You cannot believe in Christ and trust you works. To turn to trust your works is to turn from trust in Christ; to turn to Christ is to turn away from trust in your works.All things are in Christ; He is all you need.

i. To trust in myself means I have to make all kinds of allowances and excuses for myself, and ex-cuse the strife and bitterness of my heart, for by the works of the law there is no peace with God.

ii. To trust in myself means that I have no sufficient understanding of myself as a sinner before God.

iii. To trust in myself means that I have but a small consideration of the enormity of the sacrifices of Christ and the riches that are in Christ. Why should I feed on husks when the banquet of grace lies before me.

7. vs. 10,11. There are things that you will find in Christ that you will never find in your own righteousness, or the righteousness of the law, or by Moses, or by your own moral sense: They are found only in Christ: and they are the greatest treasures of the Gospel:

i. The power of His resurrection. What is the power of His resurrection? This means the fullness of the Gospel, as Calvin says: Christ therefore is rightly known, when we feel how powerful his death and resurrec-tion are, and how efficacious they are in us. Now all things are there furnished to us—expiation and destruction of sin, freedom from condemnation, satisfaction, victory over death, the attainment of righteousness, and the hope of a blessed immortality.

ii. Christ is not known at all unless this power is known in the life: as the HC says:

Q43: What further benefit do we receive from the sacrifice and death of Christ on the cross?
A43: That by His power our old man is with Him crucified, slain and buried; so that the evil lusts of the flesh may no more reign in us, but that we may offer ourselves unto Him a sacrifice of thanksgiving.

Q44: Why is it added: "He descended into hell"?
A44: That in my greatest temptations I may be assured that Christ my Lord, by His inex-pressible anguish, pains and terrors, which He suffered in His soul on the cross and before, has redeemed me from the anguish and torment of hell.

Q45: What benefit do we receive from the "resurrection" of Christ?
A45: First, by His resurrection He has overcome death, that He might make us partakers of the righteousness which He has obtained for us by His death. Second, by His power we are also now raised up to a new life. Third, the resurrection of Christ is to us a sure pledge of our blessed resurrection.

iii. I am to be made conformable to His death. The life of Christ is always connected to the death of Christ. There is no resurrection without the crucifixion. So it is with us: Perfectionism of all kinds tries to avoid the cross in order to enter directly into the life of Christ. It is not enough to teach men new life in Christ if they do not at the same time know the cross of Christ. Such life is the painted face of life; a bogus life; a rah, rah, cheerleading kind of life. I would not present the life of Christ this way. To know Christ is to know the fellowship of His sufferings: this is two fold:

1. Inward: mortification of sins the inner man. Confession of sins: putting off the old man, and putting on the new man.
2. Outward: change of behavior; to abandon the old life and its deeds. Bearing the reproach of Christ and being willing to take the abuse of men because of what you believe. Willing to suffer for Christ. The reproach of His cross

a. This is different from suffering because you do right.
b. This is suffering for Christ; for His gospel; for His sacrifice for sins.

What we celebrate today is not our righteousness, or our good deeds. We are drawn to the Cross of Christ in the Lord’s Supper. The tearing of His body and the shedding of His blood are the heart of the Gospel. It is in Christ alone that I can know the power of the resurrection of Christ and the fellowship of his sufferings, being co0nformed to His death so that I might attain the resurrection of the dead. You must die to live; not that this is a formula for working your way to heaven; but a description of the nature of true faith: identification with Jesus Christ in His death and resurrection from the dead. We do not follow Christ in this: we identify with Him through the power of the Holy Spirit.

So, to answer the three questions posed at the beginning:

1. What did Paul hope to gain: the righteousness of Christ and the resurrection from the dead: eternal glory and heaven.
2. What did Paul give up: all personal righteousness.
3. What was the medium: faith in Christ alone. The perfection is in Christ alone, and all the superlatives are found only in Him.

Amen and Amen.