"The Perfection of a Christian, Part Two"
Philippians 3:16-21
April 15, 2007
by C.W. Powell
- “Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing. 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: 19 Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.) 20 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: 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.” (Php 3:16-21 AV)
This book is about the fellowship of the Gospel, that is the work of the Holy Spirit. 1:5,6. Paul longs for all of the church to abound in love, in knowledge and judgment; to approve the things that are excellent, being filled with the fruits of righteousness. 1:10,11. To achieve this end, Paul exhorts them to have the mind of Christ: 2:1-5; to let nothing be done through strife or vain-glory, but let each esteem other better then themselves, not being intent on his own gifts, but being intent on the gifts of others. 2:4. Our Lord Jesus, himself, is the best example of this: although He is God, and needed nothing, for He is equal with God; yet, he made himself a true servant, humbled himself even to the death of the cross, in order to save the church. Because of this God has highly exalted Him, just as he will exalt every faith servant of God at the proper time. Paul gives himself as an example of this kind of mind, for he is willing to be "Poured out" as a drink offering on their sacrifice: he does not have to be the main event; he is willing to be adjunct, a sweet savor, on their main event. He also gives Timothy and their own pastor Epaphroditus as an example of this kind of servant. Paul tells us what Christian maturity is all about: it is striving toward Christ, to be conformed to Him.
Chapter three tells us that there are two kinds of people, those like Cain and Esau, who glory in their own works and expect to be accepted by God in terms of their works, and those like Abel and Jacob who trusted in the promises of God concerning Jesus Christ. Paul said you must abandon all trust in your own righteousness in order to be accepted by God. This is closely connected to the cross and resurrection of Christ, for the death of Christ on the cross indicated that nothing we can do can gain the righteousness of God. It is through believing that Christ died for us that we find the new life that Christ gained for us This is the end and goal of the Gospel, to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings.
Paul denies that he has reached this perfection, but he aims at it as a mark, striving to be found in Christ, not having his own righteousness, which is the righteousness of the law, the having the righteousness of Jesus Christ. It is this that has made the difference in his life, and he calls the church to strive after the same goal.
I. He pressed toward the mark of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. 9:1. To love one another; to approve excellent things; love abounding in knowledge and judgment (discernment).
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A. What is that for which Paul has been seized:
1. Not to wallow in this world: vs. 18-19. They glory in earthly things. They are of the world and live of the world.-
a. The world is the enemy of the cross of Christ. They will accept Christ without the cross, but they will not accept the cross, for this means the death of their own way.
b. But a Jesus who preached without the cross and crucifixion is not the Jesus of the Bible and cannot save, no matter how His lordship is preached and obedience is preached and His power is exalted.
c. The power of the gospel is the cross of Christ. ““For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.” (1Co 1:18 AV)
d. The end of those of the world is destruction. There is no life without the cross, so those who deny the cross remain in the congregation of the dead. “The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead.” (Pr 21:16 AV)
e. Their God is their belly “17 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. 18 For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.” (Ro 16:17-18 AV) This means that they serve their own desires and not the things of Christ. They love the world and its rewards, and do not seek the approval of God by faith in Christ and His cross.
f. They mind earthly things. Their affections and their mind is not on Christ, not on heavenly things, but they always think of earthly advantage.
2. The people of God are not so, but our conversation (our way of life) is in heaven. “Citizenship” to the Roman world meant a way of life and philosophy of life and the actions associated with it.-
a. The world is the enemy of the cross of Christ. They will accept Christ without the cross, but they will not accept the cross, for this means the death of their own way.
B. Our conversation (our way of life) is in heaven. The Christian is not self-defined, or defined by the world, but is defined by God. We have been predestined to be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ, who is in heaven. We are a heavenly people, who have a heavenly goal which is to know Jesus Christ and the power of the resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings.
1. This means that we have the truth as to the meaning of the world and the meaning of our lives here. We do not live for ourselves, for we are not our own. We are bought with a price, the precious blood of Christ. This is expressed in the Apostles’ Creed. As the Heidelberg Catechism puts it in Question 21: Q21: What is true faith?
2. A21: True faith is not only a sure knowledge, whereby I hold for truth all that God has revealed to us in His Word, but also a hearty trust, which the Holy Ghost works in me by the Gospel, that not only to others, but to me also, forgiveness of sins, everlasting righteousness, and salvation are freely given by God, merely of grace, only for the sake of Christ's merits.
3. This mean that we have a behavior that is congruent with the truth we confess. This is expressed in the Catechism in question 86:-
Q86: Since, then, we are redeemed from our misery by grace through Christ, without any merit of ours, why must we do good works?
A86: Because Christ, having redeemed us by His blood, also renews us by His Holy Spirit after His own image, that with our whole life we show ourselves thankful to God for His blessing, and that He be glorified through us; then also, that we ourselves may be assured of our faith by the fruits thereof; and by our godly walk may win others also to Christ.
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Q86: Since, then, we are redeemed from our misery by grace through Christ, without any merit of ours, why must we do good works?
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A. Until then, we are to press toward the mark: This needs to be repeated and emphasized: Phil 1:9-11;
1. To love one another;
2. To approve excellent things;
3. Our love is to abound in knowledge and judgment (discernment).
B. Vs. 17. NEVERTHELESS: THERE IS ONE RULE TO WALK BY. This reinforces what we said concerning our citizenship or our conversation as Christians. vs. 12: Christ. That for which I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. This rule is found in Christ and His likeness. Paul says, “Follow me in this; that I seek after Christ: to know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings.” What Paul does, we are all to do.
1. This world, its glory, its pleasures, it wealth, its fame, its power, and its rewards are not reason you and I have been apprehended by Jesus Christ.
2. It is the work of Christ that will take us to heaven: vs. 21. The working, the effectual working; the grace and power of Christ.
3. This work is the power of the Holy Spirit that He spoke so eloquently about in chapter 2:
“Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” (Php 2:12-13 AV)
4. This is not an abstraction or an unreasonable goal, for Christ has received power over all things to the church. “He is able to subdue all things to Himself.”
a. Your sanctification is according to the power of God. You and I must pray for the Holy Spirit that He might work in us to conform us to Christ.
b. We must renounce all our own good works as a means of being accepted by God, for the two means of gaining righteousness are incompatible. If we look to our works, we abandon the righteousness of faith; if we receive the righteousness of faith, we reject our own works.
Amen and Amen