Philippians Chapter 3

No Confidence in the Flesh

¹ So, family of Christ, be happy in the Lord. Writing things like these is not hard for me to do, and it reinforces you. ² Watch out for dogs, evil doers, the ‘false Circumcision.’ ³ We are the ‘Circumcision,’ who serve by God’s spirit, who take pride in Christ Jesus, who don’t put confidence in what’s physical. ⁴ If anybody could put confidence in that, I sure could: ⁵ I was circumcised on the eighth day, from the nation of Israel, tribe of Benjamin, the truest of Hebrews. As to the Law, I was a Pharisee. ⁶ As to zeal, I persecuted the church. As to legal goodness, I was blameless. ⁷ But^ms what were gains to me I consider losses for Christ. ⁸ Everything’s a loss compared to knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. I lost everything on account of him and considered it rubbish so I could gain him. ⁹ I don’t have a goodness of my own—from keeping the Law; I have a goodness that comes from trusting Christ, a goodness that God gives conditioned on trust. ¹⁰ I want to know him, the power his resurrection has, and fellowship with his sufferings. I want to live in conformity with his death ¹¹ so I can attain resurrection from the dead, whatever it takes.

Phil 3:1-11

Pressing on Toward Perfection

¹² I’m not already perfect, but I press on toward what Christ laid hold of me for. ¹³ I don’t consider myself to have achieved it; but forgetting what’s behind and reaching out for what’s ahead, ¹⁴ I press on toward the goal, the prize that comes from God’s upward call in Christ Jesus. ¹⁵ As many as are perfect should take that attitude. If in anything you have a different attitude, God will make it clear for you. ¹⁶ However, let’s keep conducting ourselves at the level we’ve reached.                                                             

Phil 3:12-16

Following Paul’s Example

¹⁷ Imitate me and watch the ones that follow our example. ¹⁸ Many live as enemies of the cross, as I used to say and tell you now, weeping. ¹⁹ Their end is destruction, their God is their stomach, their honor is their shame, their minds are on earthly things. ²⁰ Our citizenship lies in heaven, from where we wait for our Savior to come. ²¹ He’ll transform our humble bodies to be like his glorious body. He’ll do that by using the power he used to subject everything to himself. ¹ So, fellow Christians loved and longed for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord.