"The Perfection of a Christian, Part One"
Philippians 3:8-15

March 25, 2007
by C.W. Powell

“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 might know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unot his death; 11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. 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. 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, 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, lbe thus minded; and if in any thing ye beotherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.” (Php 3:89-15 AV)

I. True Christian perfection is both realized and anticipated.

A. We deny that the Christian is not called to perfection, but we deny that absolute perfection can be attained until the coming of Christ. Until then, we struggle.

B. "Perfect" has a time aspect to it. It means something different, according to this time aspect. The perfection of the bud is not the same as the perfection of the fruit, because of the time appointed by God for the development of each. Look at Isaiah 18:5; To perfect, means to have reached the end, or the purpose for which is has been created according to the time.

Something is considered "perfect" if it is moving toward the end--if it is on track. It is not perfect, if it is off track..

II. Paul illustrates this in his own witness: our text.

A. He denies have reached absolute perfection:

B. He professes to be on track: He is in the way. vs. 12

1. "apprehend" to lay hold on, to seize. To seize that for which he had been seized.

a. It is as one who runs a race, with his eye on the goal. The goal is not yet attained; the perfect knowledge of Christ and its benefits are not yet ours, but we move toward the goal.

b. I is also like putting your hand to the plow….. life is growing and gaining and making progress.

c. “For afore the harvest, when the bud is perfect, and the sour grape is ripening in the flower, he shall both cut off the sprigs with pruning hooks, and take away and cut down the branches.” (Isa 18:5 AV)

2. What is that for which he has been seized: “apprehended”

a. The high calling of God in Christ Jesus: The knowledge of Christ: Verse 10
b. The fellowship of His sufferings: verse 10
c. the resurrection of the dead in the sense of verse Verse 10

3. Not to wallow in this world: vs. 18-19. They glory in earthly things. They are of the world and live of the world. We will speak of this more after Easter.

4. Paul had set his affections on things above, where Christ sits at the right hand of God.

III. Practical:

A. Be this kind of mindedness: vs. 15.

1. I press toward the mark: Paul has given us the mind set of the mature Christian:

a. This takes us back to the theme in 1:9-11;

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

b. This is the mind of Christ: all that Christ did was for the glory of His heavenly Father to perfect the saints: as we read in Ephesians 4:

“12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: 14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.” (Eph 4:12-16 AV)

2. In Christ Jesus: it is found no where else: for He is made unto us wisdom and righteousness, and sanctification and redemption: I Cor. 1:30

B. God will reveal it: vs. 15. Time is an ingedient of Christian maturity: the only cure for immaturity is to grow up. Is the babe on schedule? It is the work of Christ that will take us to heaven: The working, the effectual working; the grace and power of Christ. Paul is setting them on the right course, and knows that if they follow Christ they will arrive at the destination fully prepared. Verse 15

C. Prov. 4:18: more and more unto the perfect day. “But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.” (Pr 4:18 AV)

1. The fellowship of His sufferings: His death works in us in continuing repentance and sorrow for sin.

2. The power of His resurrection: His life transforms us.

D. Compassion for others. If we understand the difficulty of the road that we have come, then we will have compassion on those who are still traveling it. You will be able to encourage others.

Paul summarizes this in Romans 8:13: For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die; but if ye through the spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

“through the spirit” is the key here, which shows that the mortification here is identification with the crucifixion of Christ, for it is in His death that we find new life through His resurrection.

May God bless you.

Amen and Amen.